Homemade Yogurt

I love to make granola.  I cannot make myself buy it hardly ever.  Since I love to make it, I really enjoy having it for breakfast but the side dish with granola is yogurt.  Yogurt is getting more and more expensive!  Not to mention you have to be careful what you buy these days with all the additives they throw in!!

I have read and heard over and over how easy it was to make yogurt, but I never really believed.  Then I saw a pin on Pinterest, and I followed it and was finally convinced.  Here is the post that inspired me.

Here are pics of my second batch of yogurt. 

I have made Greek yogurt both times now, and we are thoroughly enjoying it.  Normally, I buy 2 kinds of yogurt, 1 qt of Greek and 1 qt of regular.  Greek for me and regular for the kids (the price is almost twice for the Greek, hence I only get it!)

 

Now, the yogurt costs about what it costs to drink milk!  I can manage that for all of us, much more often!!

First, you turn on your crock pot, to low.  Then leave it.

Next, measure milk into pot to heat up to 175 degrees.  I started with 8 cups, the second time I did 12 cups.

Heat up your milk, stirring until it starts to boil or is about 175 degrees.

Next, measure out your yogurt cultures – 2 Tbl of active yogurt per 4 cups of milk.  Set aside.

{I did use 1% milk too, but I read whole milk, I think you can use what you want}

Get your sink full of cold water, I added ice, I have read cold water alone works too.

Once your milk gets to 175 degrees, move the pot into the cold water.  Just put enough water in the sink to cool the pot, not pour into it (of course)

Finally, once your milk is down to about 100 degrees, scoop out about a cup, mix it with the yogurt, and pour the rest into your warm crock pot.  Mix your 1 cup of milk & yogurt until smooth.  Then pour that into your crock pot.  Mix it all up again.

Finally, turn off & unplug crock pot, cover & wrap with a towel.  Leave alone for 8-12 hours.  I did 8 the first time and my yogurt was mild & custard like.  The second time I did 10 hours and it was quite a bit tangy.  Next I will aim for 9 hours.

After the curing time, take your crock pot and put it in the fridge, I can take my ceramic part out and that is what I did.  Let it refrigerate over night or about 12 hours.

Next morning pour into glass jars.  Voila.  You have homemade yogurt for a fraction of the cost and you know everything that went into it!!