Gastronomer

Homemade Yogurt

 

Your slow cooker can also function as a yogurt-maker.  Enjoy your homemade yogurt plain or dress it up with a variety of mix-ins like fruit, granola, honey, or jam.

 

Yield: 4 pints

Prep: 30 mins

Slow Cook: 5 mins (high)

Stand: 4 hrs

 

Ingredients

 

8 cups (1/2 gallon) low-fat milk

1 10 gram envelope yogurt starter or 1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt containing active yogurt cultures, at room temperature

 

 

Directions

 

In a 4-quart saucepan whisk together milk. Cook over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted in milk mixture registers 180 degrees F to 185 degrees F, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Cool at room temperature until thermometer registers 110 degrees F to 113 degrees F, stirring thoroughly before checking temperature. (The milk can be cooled more rapidly by placing the saucepan in ice water for a few minutes.)

 

In a small bowl stir together 1 cup of the warm milk mixture and the starter until smooth. While stirring constantly, slowly pour the milk-starter mixture back into the milk mixture in saucepan. Ladle mixture into four clean pint canning jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and screw bands.

 

Place filled jars in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour enough lukewarm water (about 108 degrees F) into the cooker to reach just over halfway up sides of jars. Cover cooker and cook on high-heat setting for 5 minutes. Turn off cooker, wrap with a thick towel, and let stand about 4 hours or until yogurt is thick, turning on cooker to high-heat setting for 5 minutes every hour. (Use a thermometer that can be attached to the cooker so you can monitor the temperature)

 

Remove jars from cooker. Chill about 4 hours or until yogurt is set. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If desired, reserve some of the yogurt for making a future batch.

 

 

Note:  For Greek yogurt, drain yogurt overnight through a strainer lined with cheesecloth.