Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is not only delicious, but is very healthy for you. Cultured (fermented) dairy products produce beneficial bacteria that aid in digestion, as well as lowering cholesterol. If you are looking for ways to improve your health, this should be added to your diet.

Homemade Yogurt
1/2 gallon milk (If you live in a state that allows the purchase of raw milk, this is the best!)
1/2 cup commercial yogurt (Dannon plain is the best, or 1/2 cup from a previous batch of homemade yogurt)

Store-bought milk: Heat milk to 180F and allow to cool to 110F. Add yogurt culture to the milk, stir gently to blend. Cover the container, wrap in thick bath towels, and allow to sit in a warm area (95F) for 8 hours, or overnight. Transfer to jars, or other containers, and place in the refrigerator.

Raw Milk: Heat milk to 110F and follow the instructions above.

There are several ways to maintain the 95F temperature.

• Preheat the oven to "warm", then turn off. Place wrapped container in the oven. If you have a gas oven, the pilot light should maintain a sufficient temperature.
• Preheat a crock pot to "warm", transfer the yogurt to glass jars, line the warmed crock pot with towels and place the jars in the crock pot, overlapping the jars with the towels. I usually reheat the crock pot to warm about half way through the culturing time. Do not overheat, or you will end up with a thinner yogurt.
• Transfer yogurt to glass jars and place in a large stock pot containing hot tap water. Wrap with towels to maintain warm temperature.
• Purchase a thermal container specifically made for maintaining the warm temperatures.

You may have additional ways to culture your yogurt. Please share!


UPDATE:  We recently purchased an Excalibur Dehydrator. I removed the trays and placed the yogurt on the bottom shelf, set the temperature to 90-95 degrees and left for 8 hours. PERFECT yogurt...thick and creamy!