Can this yogurt be saved (check page 2)

[savingdogs]

I'm on my fourth batch of yogurt, and this one was my first flop.

It just came out like thickened milk, not a good consistency at all.

Ideas why this would be? I used a yogurt maker and followed the same general recipe as before. I didn't bring it to a full boil this time was the only difference that I can tell. The yogurt starter I used was a little older.

Ideas?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I twas probably the starter. If my starteris too old, mine will flop too. Go get a fresher starter.

 

[savingdogs]

It wasn't past the "sell by" date, but I had it over a week and a half. It was rather watery. Could the milk have been too hot, would that kill off the yogurt? My thermometer isn't real easy to read, it could have been a little hot? Do you think I "killed" the starter?

Is there anything that can be done with this watery yogurt?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't even use a thermometer anymore, just my finger. When the milk is warm but not so hot I can't keep my finger in it, then it should be fine. My last batch came out a little runny, so I added vanilla and maple syrup and have a yummy yogurt drink.

 

[Wifezilla]

You can always strain it.

 

[Farmfresh]

I don't use a yogurt maker. I just heat the milk to sterilize it, cool it to add the culture, stir it up well and put it into sterilized jars then pop them into my cooler.

Works great and I can make a gallon at a time!

 

[Marianne]

I found the best site for just plain and simple instructions -
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/nchfp/factsheets/yogurt.html

I don't use a thermometer any more, just get the milk good and hot for 20 minutes (stir often), then jar, etc - I incubate 4-1/2 hours so it's not so TWANGy.

It's really nice, thick yogurt, no straining anymore. Yay! I usually do 3 qts at a time for the pot that I'm using and because I'm such a porker when it comes to this stuff. No such thing as a small bowl of yogurt.

I had one batch that was more like milk than yogurt a long time ago. Now I'm pretty sure that I didn't get it hot enough. I usually use starter from the previous batches with no problems (so far!). The purchased stuff is in little containers in the freezer - they worked, too.

SD, if you're like me, you'll always wonder what went wrong...Like I've said before, I am the Queen of Failed Yogurt. (but no more!!)

 

[savingdogs]

Thank you Marianne, that website got bookmarked!

 

[k15n1]

...It just came out like thickened milk, not a good consistency at all....

If you jiggle it while it's incubating, it'll come out wrong. It's the difference between adding a shot of vinegar (like making a buttermilk substitute for banana bread) or a solution of lacto bacteria slowly making acid as they chow down on the lactose. Both methods cause the milk proteins to coagulate, but sudden addition + stirring produces a chunky solution and the gradual acidification produces a fine network of cross-coagulated milk proteins. Shaking during incubation causes the network of proteins to shear, breaking them into little bits instead of being a complete web.

(Obviously, there's more to it, because yogurt is more delicious than milk + acid.)

 

[savingdogs]

Well no one else was home so I doubt it got shook up, but it is good to know all the possible reasons.