YO............get

[Kim_NC]

I make 8-9 quarts at a time...takes the same amount of effort as making one cup! And it keeps beautifully. I use the picnic cooler method from BYC, I think, or was it BYH?

It's BYC - or at least that's where I found it.

I like the cooler method too. It's easy. I use a medium size styrofoam cooler and make 3-4 quarts at a time. I strain some to use as a replacement for sour cream - and we like to add herbs, minced onion or garlic to the strained for a soft cheese spread as well.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I make a gallon batch every Friday. I fill my unplugged slowcooker with hot water & let it get warm, then dump the water & add my milk & starter. I pile a bunch of blankets on top of it & let it sit over night.

I drain mine too, through a strainer lined with a wet bar towel.
That way I get whey for fermenting & thick, tangy yogurt. Yum yum!

 

[ORChick]

I use a cooler as well, but I just put a quart of really hot water in it to keep things warm while the yogurt is working. I think the BYC technique was to fill the whole cooler with hot water, and then dump it out. I started making yogurt during one of California's periodic droughts, and couldn't justify the waste of water. After 4 hours or so, if the yogurt needs more time, I will reheat the water (one of the few things I use the microwave for). I have had 2 different yogurt makers; the first (Salton) had specific sized jars, and when they broke it was hard to find replacements that fit. The second (don't remember the brand) had a hot spot, so I could only make 7 little jars worth, not eight. They worked just fine, mostly, but IMO are too expensive for what they do. Now I make a quart or two at a time. And I also freeze some of the fresh yogurt in ice cube trays to use as starter. When I want it thicker I drain it through a square of unbleached muslin, which gets tossed in the wash and re-used.

 

[chipmunk]

I tried to make Greek yogurt using some store-bought as a starter and some reconstituted powdered milk for the milk. It was really horrible tasting!

So next time I try, I'll use real milk. Do y'all recommend whole or 2% milk, or will it turn out ok with skim? I'm trying to cut down on the fat if possible.

 

[Jamsoundsgood]

I use two percent and it turns out just fine. I've used whole milk in the past and honestly I can't tell the difference between the two. But then, I really don't taste much difference in the two milks either. My husband says I have the worst taste buds ever. Everything tastes good to me.

 

[Wifezilla]

Fat doesn't make you fat. There is no need to cut fat. Skim milk isn't milk, it is industrial waste. Powdered milk is not only nasty tasting, it is downright unhealthy!

"A note on the production of skim milk powder: liquid milk is forced through a tiny hole at high pressure, and then blown out into the air. This causes a lot of nitrates to form and the cholesterol in the milk is oxidized. Those of you who are familiar with my work know that cholesterol is your best friend; you don't have to worry about natural cholesterol in your food; however, you do not want to eat oxidized cholesterol. Oxidized cholesterol contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, to atherosclerosis. So when you drink reduced-fat milk thinking that it will help you avoid heart disease, you are actually consuming oxidized cholesterol, which initiates the process of heart disease."

"The dairy industry loves to sell low fat milk and skim milk because they can make a lot more money from the butterfat when consumers buy it as ice cream. When they remove the fat to make reduced fat milks, they replace the fat with powdered milk concentrate, which is formed by high temperature spray drying. All reduced-fat milks have dried skim milk added to give them body, although this ingredient is not usually on the labels. The result is a very high-protein, lowfat product. Because the body uses up many nutrients to assimilate proteinespecially the nutrients contained in animal fatsuch doctored milk can quickly lead to nutrient deficiencies."
http://www.westonaprice.org/Dirty-Secrets-of-the-Food-Processing-Industry.html

If you want real greek style yogurt, you need to use not just milk, but cream.

 

[Jamsoundsgood]

I love Wifezilla. She takes the guilt out of everything. Bring on the cream.

Seriously though, my grandparents put half-n-half on their cereal every morning for like eighty years. Their doctors said that they had the hearts of thirty year olds.

 

[buckeye lady]

I learned how to make yogurt here:

http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2009/10/28/homemade-yogurt-in-a-crock-pot-and-yogurt-cheese/

I make a batch every 2 weeks. DH takes it to work and is the envy at the lunch table. I put about a tablespoon of homeade jam in the bottom of a re-usable lidded cup, cover with1/2 cup of yogurt. For around $3.00 I can make about 2 quarts of yogurt. I've used skim,2% and whole milk. The more fat the thicker the yogurt.

 

[vachicks]

Can you use almond milk???? I agree low fat is NOT the way to go, almost everything "low fat" is full of sugar or other junk to make it taste better.....I go Paleo anyway, I shouldn't be eating dairy but I like my yogurt I thought if I used almond milk or how about coconut milk? it would be more in line with my diet....thanks

 

[vachicks]

Well my yogurt is in the crock pot wrapped in towels it should be done around 8, that is 8 hours after I mixed in the greek yogurt. Do you wait longer or is 8 good? hopefully the towels and blankets kept it warm enough, it was hot today too and we haven't turned the a/c on yet. keeping my fingers crossed