Next to salad in a jar, homemade fat-free Greek yogurt is one of my most powerful weapons in the war against extra poundage. I eat it a minimum of twice a day–with my breakfast cereal and as an afternoon snack.
Top Seven Reasons to eat homemade fat-free Greek yogurt:
- It’s satisfying. (Similar to milk–see Got Milk?)
- It has luxuriously creamy texure.
- It’s mild.
- It’s full of calcium.
- It’s good for the digestive system.
- It lends itself to many flavor variations.
- It’s inexpensive when you make it yourself.
I honestly can’t think of a better snack. It’s that good!
This yogurt even helped me kick my ice cream habit and that’s saying something.
But it’s expensive to buy. So I make it myself at least twice a week. Now that I have my system down, actual hands-on time is less than 10 minutes.
I use non-fat milk to keep the calories low. Adding 1/4-1/3 cup nonfat dried milk solids increases the calcium content and richness without extra fat. Milk higher in fat will also work if you prefer.
My directions are perfect for making large batches as opposed to the individual servings produced by an electric yogurt maker. However, the yogurt maker is easy and foolproof if your needs are small.
Directions:
First: Fill Pyrex batter bowl (my preference) or 2-quart glass container with skim milk. Microwave till bubbles begin to appear around the edge. (In my microwave, it takes 17 minutes on HIGH). Do not skip this step. It is important to unravel the proteins so they will behave during the incubation process.
Stir milk once or twice during the heating process to prevent skin from forming. If a skin does form, remove it.
Second: Allow milk to cool until temperature drops to between 110 and 120 degrees. This can take 30-45 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer to check. I like this one with an alarm that goes off when mixture reaches a preset temperature. If you are in a hurry, fill sink or large bowl with ice and set the container of milk in it.
Third: Whisk in 1/4 to 1/2 cup nonfat dried milk and 1-2 teaspoons yogurt as a starter from your favorite brand of plain yogurt (but it must contain live cultures and should not have any additives). You may use yogurt from a previous batch of your own homemade yogurt. I started out with nonfat Fage Greek yogurt. If you buy this stuff, take note of the price and then pat yourself on the back for all the money you saved by making your own.
Fourth: Cover milk and place in a conventional oven that has been preheated for only one minute. Wrap in towels. Turn the oven light on. In a gas oven, the pilot light may keep it warm enough. Other ways to keep the yogurt warm during incubation include an ice chest, heating pad, electric yogurt maker or an unusually warm spot in the house. If it is a hot summer day in Texas, just stick it on the porch! Let sit for at least 10 hours but it may need up to 11-14 hours. It’s difficult to make a hard and fast rule here since each environment is slightly different.
Editor’s Note: The more I hear from people who have tried this, the more I’m convinced of the importance of keeping a steady incubation temperature around 100 degrees. Many newer ovens can be set to 100 degrees which is perfect.
How can you tell when it’s finished? Good question and the hardest part of the entire process. You will learn by experience when it “looks right.” It should be set–as in slightly gelatinous, even though you have put no gelatin in it. There will most likely be a watery, slightly yellow liquid on top called whey. I haven’t figured out a good use for the whey but let me know if you think of one.
At this point you could chill the yogurt and eat as is. It is your choice to pour off the whey or stir it back in. Straining makes the yogurt thicker and less tart resulting in Greek yogurt.
From regular yogurt to Greek yogurt:
Fifth: Very carefully pour yogurt into a bouillon strainer. This is where I part company with other directions I’ve seen for Greek yogurt. Most suggest using several layers of cheesecloth to line a strainer or even a coffee filter (for a small amount). What a mess to clean up!
Although a bouillon strainer is pricey, it is well worth it. You will lose very few solids if yogurt has set up thick enough. If the solids flow through the strainer, you need to put it back in the oven for a few hours to thicken. (If it still doesn’t get thick, see troubleshooting tips at the end). Just to be clear, a bouillon strainer has a very, very fine mesh. The only place I know to purchase one is a restaurant supply or online (see link above). A standard grocery store strainer is not fine enough.
Let yogurt sit in the strainer till the yogurt is reduced by approximately half. Time will vary according to the thickness of the yogurt out of the oven and your own preference regarding texture and sourness. Tip the strainer or stir very gently if whey has pooled on top while straining.
Empty whey from batter bowl and pour yogurt out of strainer back into the original bowl. Use a good whisk to beat until smooth. (Tip: Rinse the strainer immediately. Do no let any residue from the yogurt dry on the mesh or it may be impossible to get clean.)
At this point you have several options. Pour into glass jars as is. Mixture will be very thick when cold (and reportedly keeps longer when thicker). Or you can continue with one of the following:
* Add sugar, sweetener, honey, flavorings, or Torani Syrup–sugar-free or not. My personal favorite is a combination of almond and vanilla sugar-free syrup.
* Since I like my yogurt mellow (one reason why I strain the whey out of it) and not quite as thick as sour cream, I add some kind of milk back to it until it is the perfect consistency for my tastes. Good choices would be skim milk, sugar-free vanilla flavored soy milk, sugar-free vanilla almond milk or splurge with heavy cream.
Suggestions for stir-ins before eating:
* sugar-free jelly
* fresh fruit
* banana and a small crumbled cookie (reminiscent of banana pudding)
Please don’t be discouraged if at first you don’t succeed. Check out the troubleshooting guide and try again. If you have time, reading through the comments may give you some additional hints.
Troubleshooting Failed Yogurt
* Did the milk cool below 120 degrees but not below 105? Too hot and the bacteria in the yogurt starter will be murdered.
* Where did you incubate your yogurt? Is it too warm or not warm enough? In the past, I have forgotten to turn on the light in my oven. Didn’t work. Not warm enough. Temperature needs to stay around 100 degrees.
* Was your yogurt starter too old? Did it have active cultures? Don’t forget to save some yogurt from a previous batch so you won’t have to buy it again. Some people recommend you start over with commercial yogurt every 3-4 batches but I find it unnecessary.
* Did it incubate long enough? Times will vary. 12-14 hours may be necessary. Watch for gelatinous texure.
* Did you add too much starter to the warm milk? Only 1-2 teaspoons are needed. More is not better. The bacteria need room to grow. (Sorry about that last sentence. I know it doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s true. That’s why yogurt is so good for the digestive system.)
* Are you using a strainer with a very, very fine mesh? If you don’t have one, you must use several layers of cheesecloth to line your strainer instead.
* When pouring the yogurt into the strainer, did you pour it too rapidly or let it fall a long way to the strainer? This can cause you to lose too many solids through the strainer.
* Do you feel little bits of “skin” in the yogurt? You may have missed some attached to the side of the bowl as the milk was cooling.
Not working out for you? Email me, leave a question in the comments, OR …break down and buy yourself some Fage Greek Yogurt. Just be sure you get the Total 0% variety for lowest calories. At least it’s cheaper than a bag of chips.
Nutritional Stats per 6 ounce serving:
- Calories 90
- Total Fat 0
- Cholesterol 0
- Sodium 65 mg
- Carbohydrates 7 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Sugars 7 g
- Protein 15 g
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We use the whey in protein shakes. it is very healthy. i sometimes drain the whey off for 48 hours, making a low fat yogurt cheese. this can be used for a low fat cheesecake.
Good idea about the protein shakes. But is it a little bitter/sour?
hello,
is there any particular reason that you decided to use the torani sugar free syrup? also would it be possible to add the torani syrup to the hot milk mixture before it cools and before adding the yogurt and dry milk? please email me at if you have any tips. i would like to try the vanilla syrup because i have been adding vanilla extract to my homemade yogurt and all i can taste is the alcohol.
You mention “Cover milk and place in a conventional oven that has been preheated for only one minute. Wrap in towels. Turn the oven light on”. I have a question about the preheated point. In my oven I have to set the temperature to 350 or 400 or whatever. I’m assuming it doesn’t matter what temperature you pick since it’s only preheating for one minute?
Barb, you are correct. You just want to take the chill out of the oven.
Where do you buy Fage Greek yogurt?
I’ve seen it at Krogers, Central Market, Whole Foods and Target. Walmart sells Oikos which my sister likes but I like Fage better.
I use a simpler method because I don’t have so many appareil available: I heat the milk to about 60-70 degrees, mix into it some probiotic yoghurt, cover the pot with thick layers of clothes all around, let it sit overnight, then let it strain for 45min-1h. I get 70% of greek yoghurt and 30% of whey. though my greek yoghurt (from full-fat milk) has 95 kcal/100g. It’s a great idea to add some milk if it gets too thick, you’re very smart! I’ll see how much thicker it will get this time (I’ve just put it in the fridge). Actually I was looking for another weblog about greek yoghurt but as there are so many entries in google, I was curious to see your page too! Here greek yoghurt is expensive too, 150g (5oz) costs 1.2eur – I bought it once only where there was a special offer 2 for the price of one but I was not too persuaded by it – it was not so tasty but it was very thick, yes. Sorry for such a long comment
I found it, it was this one: http://spaininiowa.blogspot.com/2009/07/homemade-whey-and-cream-cheesegreek.html
I am a bit skiddish about making my own, not sure but maybe someday. I do love the greek yogurt but price does keep me away.
Thank you for the tips! I eat a lot of yogurt and I make my own with skim milk also. I’m going to look for a fine strainer and give that a try. I use coffee filters and it’s gross to have that soggy paper and try to scrape the yogurt off of it! I never thought of adding milk to thin it out if it’s too thick – another great tip.
I love mixing in some all-fruit jelly and I’m going to try your suggestion of espresso powder. I haven’t had a problem with skin on the milk. I stir it a couple of times during the microwaving time – not sure if that would help or not.
Really? You never get a skin on the milk? I’m going to try stirring mine next time and see if that does the trick. I usually just put it in the microwave and forget about it. I’ll let you know.
Something else I’m going to try is steeping some chai tea bags in the milk after it has reached 180 and is cooling down. Think it may have possibilities. Today I put sugar-free lime Torani syrup in my yogurt and crumbled up a gingersnap on top. Very close to Key Lime Pie.
I have been making yogurt myself for 15 years now. Keep stirring the milk as you heat it up and do NOT let it boil. Keep stirring it as you cool it down in your sink filled with cold water, that way no skin will form.
By the way, there are yogurt cultures that do not require heat, so you can make them on the counter top. Google “Fil Mjolk” – I just got my culture and am already making the second batch, but it may be too soft to make strained yogurt with it. Maybe something for your readers?
FYI If you use organic milk, it only needs to be heated to 110/120 before adding the yogurt starter. This is because organic milk undergoes UHT (ultra high temperature) processing rather than just pasteurization so all the bacteria are already dead. Just check your milk and if it says UHT, you’re good to go.
After a few attempts making this yogart, with only moderate success, I finally made a great batch the last time. Yeah! What I learned along the way was the importance of temperature, temperature, temperature. My first two attempts were fairly decent, but then I moved to a different house, different oven, different microwave, etc. things didn’t go as well. Then I discovered while I was making candy for Thanksgiving that my candy thermometer had a place marked at 150 degrees for scalding milk. So armed with my thermometer and a new 2 qt. heavy glass mixing/ measuring bowl with a tight lid like Romaine’s picture, I microwaved my milk for 16 minutes on high. Wonder of wonders, when I stuck the thermometer in, it was almost right on 150 degrees. Meanwhile, I also discovered that I could set my baking oven on exactly 100 degrees and it would maintain that temperature. Thanks for digital controls! It was very convenient to just clip the candy thermometer to the side of the bowl as the milk cooled, and I knew precisely when the milk reached 110 degrees. After adding the dried milk and yogart culture, I placed the lid on it, forgot to wrap it in a towel, and left it in the oven for 13 hrs. It did perfectly what it was suppose to do. The moral of the story – forget the towel! :+) No, I think it was just maintaining the proper, consistent temperature. My oven just didn’t get hot enough with only the light on, and the heavy glass bowl holds the heat really well. I feel sooooo healthy now that I can make yogart!
eeks! this looks like way too much work for me!
Being a true Greek, of course I have a use for the whey from the yogurt. If you like feta cheese, you can buy your favorite when it’s on sale and then keep it fresh by submerging it in the whey. It lasts a really long time like this. The whey keeps it fresh. If you have ever noticed at a Greek deli counter, the feta is always in a yellowish water. That’s what this is, the whey from the yogurt.
I just bought a yogurt machine at Tuesday Morning for $25; well worth the money. It gets the yogurt to the perfect temperature and shuts off automatically after preset hours. I always warm the milk on the stove using a electronic kitchen thermometer then cool it using the same. My yogurt is perfect every time. When eating it, I like to add some of the sugar free liquid coffee flavorings like vanille, hazelnut, or chocolate. I have added fresh and frozen berries and sweeten with stevia, a natural sweetener. This is the best yogurt I’ve ever eaten. I strained mine with a tea strainer since it’s finer mesh.
Thanks for the recipe although we do not have a microwave, I am assuming that heating on the stove slowly until bubbles appear will do just as well?
Stephanie, Heating on the stove works great–but requires a little more attention. Hope it turns out well for you.
Hello Romaine,
I just found your delightful website. I was especially pleased to see the scripture on your pages… bless your heart.. I found the site looking for the reason for my utter and complete failure in making greek yogurt. I had found a recipe online from someone with a greek last name and was so excited, I ran to the store, bought the ingredients, and followed the very vague and inadequate instructions… which by the way said 70 degrees for 8-12 hours…. and to my dismay… as I am sure you have already guessed….I still have liquid. After reading your fabuous detailed instructions, I am encouraged and can’t wait to go try again. I look forward to trying some of your other recipes, and maybe have an opportunity to share with you as well… I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you and God bless you.
Oh I do hope it works for you. Let me know. IMHO, it’s worth the effort to try and try again until you get it–if you really like Greek yogurt. Also thanks for your kind words about my website.
Well… I am truly excited. After reading your “troubleshooting” section, I put my failure back in the oven and this morning Voila! Yogurt! My only issue is the texture which is mostly like ricotta cheese… I think it is probably because it is a do over…. but before I whisked it… it was beautiful…. creamy with no “grainy” look or texture… not sure why the whisking changed that … also… did not cover with a towel… gas oven …worried about fire?? Hoping the next batch, with your instructions, will be creamy and wonderful… any specific instructions for towels in gas oven? and creamy issue? Thanks so much!
Congratulations on making yogurt. But have you strained it yet? That is how you get Greek yogurt, which is much thicker than regular yogurt. After straining (for about an hour) you will have 50% or more whey–which I throw away. Whisk the solids that are left and add only a little milk or soy milk for maximum creaminess. At this point I also add Torani syrup to sweeten. Write back and let me know how it goes.
Yes I had strained it… muslin cloth. After being refrigerated it is nearly like a thick ricotta cheese, or a textured cream cheese. I think there may have been a little skin on the top since I didn’t cover it… it cracked on the side and the whey was around the sides. It has a good flavor… I think the next batch will do well. I will let you know. I probably won’t sweeten it, hubby is a newly diagnosed diabetic, hates the taste of the stevia, etc… I have already used it as a substitute for mayo in our chicken salad… dill for him and curry for me… and it is fabulous! Thanks again!
Romaine,
Please forgive but I just want to clarify how much milk you started with. It states to use a 2 quart container; is that the amount of milk I would need? I would like to make my own yogurt to save money.
Thanks so much!
Donna
Romaine,
I made the yogur this weekend.. It turned out great. I let it strain for 24 hrs very thick and creamy. Next time I may not strain for as long. Instructions were very clear and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Regards
Donna
Thank-you for reporting back on your success. 24 hours is a very long time. Sounds like you had cheese. I usually drain for about 1-2 hours. No matter, if you add a little milk and whip it with a whisk, you will have the smoothest, creamiest yogurt ever.
Thank you for sharing the easy yogurt recipe. I’ve found a good bread recipe that uses whey – see my recent post on Italian Feather Bread. I’m not sure if it’s part of the skinny diet, but it is really delicious.