Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 3 tbsp starter culture (whey from a previous batch or yogurt with live and active cultures)
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat milk over medium-low heat to 185-200°F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching or a skin from forming on the top.
- Cool the milk to 110°F. I do this by putting the pot in my sink filled with cold water, then stirring the milk frequently.
- Once the milk reaches 110°F, mix about a 1/2 cup of the milk with the starter culture, then add that back to the pot.
- Put the pot of milk (or transfer the milk to another container and put that) into the oven on the “bread proof” setting, if you have that, or just turn the oven light on. The goal is to keep it at about 100°F.
- Let the yogurt sit for 6-10 hours (or longer, if you like). The longer it sits, the tangier it will be. Check it at six hours – it should be noticeably thicker than it was when you started and should pull away from the sides of the pot when you tilt it. Taste and see if you like the flavor.
- Transfer the yogurt to mason jars. Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks.
- For Greek yogurt: Before transferring the yogurt to mason jars, line a colander or mesh strainer with coffee filters or a cheese cloth, then spoon the yogurt into it. Set the colander/strainer over a bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to overnight, until yogurt has thickened to your desired thickness. If it’s too thick, add some of the whey (the yellow liquid in the bowl below the strainer) back in. Save some of the strained whey for your starter culture (and don’t throw out the rest of the whey – there’s plenty of other good uses for it).
Notes
- If you like smoother yogurt, use an electric whisk or milk frother to whisk it to your desired texture. An immersion blender is too harsh and will cause your yogurt to become too runny for my taste, even after straining.
- Reserve some whey (or yogurt) to be your starter culture for the next batch.
- Prep Time: 5 minute
- Fermentation Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Fermentation
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean