Making Goat Milk Yogurt

[stano40]

I've been doing a little reading on how to make yogurt. It looks easy but would like to know the in's and out's of making yogurt.

I want to use goat's milk and be able to use it for the kids (goats) to add the probiotic's necessary for their gut.

I've been thinking of either using yogurt itself as a culture or buying the necessary ingredients from New England Cheese Making Supplies.

Any help or advise is appreciated.

Thanks,

bob

 

[ORChick]

If you do a search for "yogurt" you'll find lots of information. Here is one thread, not specifically for goat milk, but I don't think that there is a difference:

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8060

 

[noobiechickenlady]

It IS easy. Add the culture, keep it warm (100-110ish) til its done. The methods vary from person to person, but mostly they work.

Fresh goat's milk makes the thickest, richest, tangiest yogurt.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

easy peasy doesnt even begin to explain how simple it is.

1. milk goat
2. add some "live culture" yogurt from the store - plain - into a wide mouth quart jar. use whatever is on sale - i find those "greek" ones on sale all the time for .99.
3. strain milk into jar to fill it. stir.

the trick is to keep it at about 115* ish. you can either set it in a pan of water and keep warm a million different ways. or the new fun way i've determined is to use my extra small crock pot. set the jar into the water filled crock - and plug in. from time to time i stick my finger in the water to see if it feels right. if its too hot i unplug, then plug back in. i do this most of the day and at night i cover with a big towel and in the morning - goat-gurt.

it will be runny so if you want it thicker just strain thru cheese cloth until its a thick as you'd like.

fiasco farm has a good explanation of how to - but you dont need any fancy equipment. you can even just put it in a cooler which will help retain the heat once its has already gotten to 115*.

 

[freemotion]

To retain the full benefits of raw milk, don't let it get over 115. The good enzymes are killed at 118, and you can pasteurize it at 160 quickly or 145 for 30 min for a gentler pasteurization.

Raw yogurt from goat's milk will be runnier but you can strain it for a Greek-style yogurt. That is what the goat dairy near me does. They told me to try using two or three layers of butter muslin since my goat yogurt runs right through the cloth that I've used to strain storebought cow yogurt. They pasteurize their milk using the lower temp method, which changes how the yogurt comes out.

You can do it any way you please, and it will be a healthful food full of live good bacteria. I have the goats for my health issues, so I prefer it runny for my digestion, but I prefer the texture of the thicker stuff.

 

[stano40]

Is there a difference between butter muslin & cheese cloth or are they both they same thing?

 

[chandasue]

Butter muslin is much better--finer holes and doesn't fall apart after lots of use. Cheese cloth, I find, is typically worthless even for cheese making.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Tshirt material works perfect for straining yogurt to make it thicker or to save the whey.
So do my favorite walmart specials, bar moppers. Huge washclothes, not stretchy and extra fine weave that's easy to scrape yogurt off with a spoon.

 

[stano40]

Thanks for all the great ideas. As soon as I can get a few things I'll give it a try.

bob