Yogurt. So many uses, such little time. And that's generally the problem with making your own. It takes so much time! Here's how the recipe I used goes:
Put milk in crock pot on low for 2.5 hours.
Turn crock pot off and let sit for 3 hours.
Add yogurt culture.
Wrap whole thing in towel and let sit 8 hours.
Basically the stuff sits, and the cook waits.
My first attempt last Thursday was fraught with many worries. I was worried my crock pot wouldn't hold the heat properly. I was worried about having bought ultra-pasteurized milk when the recipe explicitly stated: "pasteurized and homogenized is fine, but do not use ultra-pasteurized." Whoops. I turned the crock pot on. I turned it off. And I waited. And I worried. And for all that worrying, I forgot about it.
I called my husband at work: "Did you check the yogurt when you got up this morning?" He forgot too. I fretted to my co-workers: "It probably completely flopped. I bet it's just warm milk." And so on . . .
At 11:00 am--well after the stuff had been sitting for 8 hours--I finally saw the results of my (well, the yogurt's, really) labors.
Put milk in crock pot on low for 2.5 hours.
Turn crock pot off and let sit for 3 hours.
Add yogurt culture.
Wrap whole thing in towel and let sit 8 hours.
Basically the stuff sits, and the cook waits.
My first attempt last Thursday was fraught with many worries. I was worried my crock pot wouldn't hold the heat properly. I was worried about having bought ultra-pasteurized milk when the recipe explicitly stated: "pasteurized and homogenized is fine, but do not use ultra-pasteurized." Whoops. I turned the crock pot on. I turned it off. And I waited. And I worried. And for all that worrying, I forgot about it.
I called my husband at work: "Did you check the yogurt when you got up this morning?" He forgot too. I fretted to my co-workers: "It probably completely flopped. I bet it's just warm milk." And so on . . .
At 11:00 am--well after the stuff had been sitting for 8 hours--I finally saw the results of my (well, the yogurt's, really) labors.
Not bad. The recipe had forewarned that homemade yogurt is thinner than what you buy in the store. And so it is. I was ecstatic! Right off I mixed some of that lovely, runny yogurt with water and salt and drank some ("ayran" is a very refreshing drink when you get used to it). More of it was dumped into a colander for making labane (check back later), and the rest went into the fridge. I have wisely kept 1/2 cup in a separate container labeled: "Yogurt Starter: Please do not eat!" for my next batch tonight.
If you want to try this crock pot version of yogurt visit Nourishing Days. I originally got the recipe off of a blog called "Keeping the Home" which has fascinating instructions for making your own toothpaste, deoderant and the like, but the yogurt recipe is no longer available there. The one I'm sending you to has the same directions.
Enjoy!
If you want to try this crock pot version of yogurt visit Nourishing Days. I originally got the recipe off of a blog called "Keeping the Home" which has fascinating instructions for making your own toothpaste, deoderant and the like, but the yogurt recipe is no longer available there. The one I'm sending you to has the same directions.
Enjoy!
Cook's Word: This is too much fun!
P.S. My apologies to Keeping the Home. The yogurt recipe is indeed still available there.
you've totally inspired me to make yogurt. except i want to try it with goat's milk since i have issues with regular milk. and then i may just try making ice cream or even cheese. i think this is my summer food project.
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