How to make homemade yogurt

Take a pot, fill with whole milk, bring to boil on a low to medium heat, then let it sit (uncovered at first and then covered so things won't get to it). Once it has reached close to room temperature to lukewarm, add two - three tablespoons full of yogurt and whisk, and cover again and leave it in the previously warmed up oven overnight. Voila! Yogurt.  put it in the fridge in the morning.

If the steps above dont work, google it.!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OMKGP1w6lc

^^^ I pretty much do what the video above says, except i dont use a thermometer nor do i stand on top of the pot, and i dont use the starter powder, but use yogurt instead.  And I keep it in the same pot and dont transfer anything.

If you are an Indian, especially a South Indian - then a day does not pass without you having eaten yogurt.  It forms a part of our meal and our typical day to day menu is finished with yogurt (not dessert). When I first came to the US, I couldn't digest the fact that Yogurt was not a part of a meal here, leave alone having a daily presence. It amuses me to see Probiotics capsules and pills adorning the shelves of all the stores (P.S This amusement is not directed to people with specific requirements like No Dairy diet, Vegans etc, but for those who opt for it inspite of being able to afford/digest yogurt).

But it also made me realise how I took humble yogurt for granted back in the days in India."Curd" [in Indian English], "Dahi" [in Hindi], "Thayir" [in Tamil], "Perugu" [in Telugu], "da'i [in Bengali], "Mosaru" [in Kannada] enjoys a grand reception in India and no meal is complete without some yogurt preparation. Every family makes their own yogurt and I never heard of store bought yogurt until well into my 20's.  I remember my mother buying yogurt (in small earthen pots) only 2 times and that too 'cos of dire emergencies.  Oh yes, if you don't have enough yogurt at home, its indeed an emergency.

It took me quite a while to start making my own yogurt in the US and now that I have, I desist the ones from the store.

Points worth knowing

1. Type of Milk: The type of milk you use [Goat Milk, Full fat milk, Pasteurized Milk, Homogenized Milk, Raw Milk, 2% Milk, 1% Milk, Fat free] will dictate how your yogurt will turn out.  The lower the fat, thinner the yogurt. 
2. Is Thermometer Required: No. I have never known my mom or grandmothers to ever use one. The heat of the milk should be warm not hot. Feel it on your wrists before adding the yogurt to the milk.
3. Can you use Slow Cooker (Crockpot) to make Yogurt: Yes, if your slow cooker can keep the milk temperature at 105-110F for around 6-8 hours.
4. My Yogurt is thin, why?:  See Point 1.
5. My Yogurt is not set - its still Milk. Help!: You probably used UHT (Ultra High Temperature) processed milk. Though at times, it still makes yogurt, I have had trouble with it.And/or You probably used a yogurt culture that did not have live cultures and/or had loads of additives (that's a norm in the US market). And/or You probably did not keep the milk at 105-110 F temperature or added the culture when the milk was too hot/too cold.

References

my kitchen notes (plus loads of online references)

Basic Information

Prep Time: 4 to 8 hours

Cook Time: Under 15 min

Serves: 4 people

Yield: Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups Raw Milk, See Tips
• 1/4 cup Yogurt from the store or previous batch - See Tips

Tips

1. Raw Milk: Once you taste the yogurt made from Unpasteurized and unhomogenized (in other words Raw Milk), you will never buy yogurt from the store again. Extremely nutritious, extremely creamy and extremely delicious. If you think I am going overboard with the word "extremely", have to insist to let this yogurt do the talking for me. If you are not up to using the real deal yet and/or do not get it in your place, I would suggest using Vat Pasteurized Milk with Cream top (which is Unhomogenized Milk) instead. If even that is not available, use any milk of your choosing in this recipe. It will still make a decent yogurt.
2. Yogurt:Make sure to get the yogurt that is plain, unsweetened and addictive free with live cultures. Or ask a friendly Indian neighbor/Indian restaurant that makes its own yogurt for a little amount - most of us are generous with our homemade stuff ;). Or else, look for a Yogurt Starter (freeze dried powder) and use it as per the instructions in the packet.

Method

1

Heat the Raw milk to 110F. When heating it to just 110F, the Milk is still considered to be in its Raw state.

Note: It is not necessary to use Raw Milk for this recipe.

2

If you are not comfortable using Raw Milk, you can either pasteurize it at home yourself or use an already pasteurized milk from the store. I would suggest using unhomogenized milk but you can still enjoy yogurt either ways (albeit with less fat and creaminess) - Please refer Tip 1 for more details.

Note: If you are using already boiled Milk, then make sure to bring down the temperature to 110F before the next step.

3

I had some yogurt from my previous batch and hence used the same. Please refer Tip 2 for more details

4

Add it to the milk. Usually the amount of starter varies depending on the climate of the region. Back in India (esp. in the South), a wee little amount is only needed for a large batch of milk to make yogurt (which would set in like 5-6 hours before turning sour if you don't refrigerate it soon owing to humidity). If you are in colder regions with little or barely any humidity, you would require more starter. Ideally you would require around 1 tbsp starter to 1 cup raw milk.

5

Stir and whisk it so that it dissolves and is well distributed  throughout.

6

Close with a lid and keep it in a place where it's temperature is anywhere between 105F to 110F for it to incubate. I preheat the Oven for couple of minutes, switch it off and leave the pan inside it overnight. It takes around 6-8 hours to set.  [will take less in humid places and more in very cold places]

7

See that set yogurt with a yellow layer on top?.

8

Because this milk is not homogenized, the cream rises to the top and is thick. This is the stuff that we used to fight for, back in home. It tastes -'oh so delicious'. This has chock full of beneficial bacteria to help your system get its act together.

Point to consider before making Raw Milk yogurt:

1. Raw Milk Yogurt will be of thinner consistency when compared to Yogurt made using Pasteurized milk. This is because, pasteurization damages the proteins in the milk and the byproduct  of it leads to thicker yogurt.
2. If you want thicker yogurt, I would recommend straining the yogurt using a cheesecloth to drain out some of the whey (yes, the liquid is whey) thereby leaving a thicker yogurt. Don't throw that precious precious whey away. Its magical liquid. Refer this link to see  How to use Whey.  Commercial method of thickening yogurt is by adding Dry Milk powder or Agar Agar (China Grass)/Gelatin or Tapioca Starch. I do not personally opt for these.

Next time, you think of popping in some Pro biotic pills, consider making this natural powerhouse a staple in your house (of course, provided you can afford/digest yogurt). Your gut, your immune system - overall your whole being will thank you for it.