Yogurt!

[MaineChick218]

Hi everyone, I am brand new to this forum, and I'm looking for a little advice re: yogurt making. I do not have a yogurt maker. Last week I tried to make yogurt for the first time, and it failed! I tried a method that had me leaving the yogurt in a warm kitchen for 10-12 hours..and apparently, living in Maine, my kitchen is not warm enough to incubate yogurt. I've started another batch today, and I'm trying to incubate it in a warm oven...and I've already had a minor mishap! I noticed the temp dipping below 100 degrees, so i meant to turn on the over for just a few seconds to warm it up, but then DH asked me to come help him drag some brush out back...and oops! The oven heated to 300 degrees! it was only up to that temp fpr about 5 minutes...but ahh! What are the chances things are still going to set up ok?? AND any advice, easy, succesful ways to make yogurt?? thanks in advance!

 

[ORChick]

I incubate my yogurt in a small picnic cooler. I fill a quart jar with hot water (I put the whole thing into the microwave for 5 or 6 minutes), put a cover on it (otherwise water will condense all over the inside of the cooler), and put the jar in the cooler (with the lid on) to preheat it while I am heating and cooling the milk. I make yogurt a quart at a time; if I were doing more I might use 2-3 jars of hot water. Use the smallest cooler you can for the amount you are making. After 4 hours I check to see if the yogurt has set; sometimes it has, sometimes not. If not, I reheat the water, put it back in the cooler, and check every hour or two till it is ready (it will not be absolutely firm when ready; it firms up more in the fridge). The cooler keeps the air temperature warm enough for the yogurt; it also protects it from drafts, and (if put in an out of the way corner, as you should) it is also protected from jiggling or knocking. If I wait too long to start the yogurt, and it hasn't set up by the time I go to bed, I just leave it in the cooler, without reheating the water. It stays warm enough, long enough, to set up overnight, without getting too very tart (in my opinion, but then I like it a little tart ) If it hasn't set up by the morning then I know it was operator error of some sort.

Good luck!

 

[pinkfox]

i make my yogurt in th crockpot.
http://ourlifesimplified.com/kitchen/all-recipes/homemade-yogurt-in-a-crockpot/#axzz2R8JLK6Wr

or as long as it was "hot" id think it would be ok but i cant say or sure though :/

 

[moolie]

I make my yogurt pretty much the same way ORChick does, except that I usually make two pints at a time

 

[MaineChick218]

Alright, update- the yogurt was a success this time! I left it in out for 11 hours instead of the 6-8 called for in the recipe, as I too prefer a more tangy yogurt, and then put it in the fridge- tasted it this AM and it's super, and nice and thick! I appreciate all of the other suggestions too!

 

[Wannabefree]

Good job! This forum has been so helpful to me, love seeing it work for other folks too

 

[Marianne]

Good job! This forum has been so helpful to me, love seeing it work for other folks too

Ditto!

And welcome, MaineChick

 

[snapshot]

Glad you got it to make! I use a heating pad on medium and cover the pot with towels.

 

[MaineChick218]

thanks for the suggestions and support! I suppose Icould also try it over the mantle when I've got the woodstove burning.