Make your own regular or Greek yogurt at home with this easy method.
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.
Benefits to eating more yogurt:
- It’s satisfying. (Similar to milk–see Got Milk?)
- It has luxuriously creamy texture.
- It’s mild.
- It’s full of calcium and protein (See more extensive discussion about protein here.)
- 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 can be 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.
Editor’s Note as of 2/19/11: I no longer add dry milk solids. I find I like the texture better without it.
Check out the video below or keep reading for all the details.
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 2 quarts of milk. Use skim for fat-free.) Microwave ’til bubbles begin to appear around the edge. Temperature should reach 175-180 degrees after you stir it. (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 it, take note of the price and then pat yourself on the back for all the money you saved by making your own.
Editor’s Note: I have now been using my own yogurt as a starter for over six months. It seems to get better and better despite what some people say about using it only three or four times or even just once. Since I make yogurt at least twice a week, it never has a chance to get old.
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 6-10 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 100-110 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 aka chinois. 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 or chinois 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. (See editor’s note below and troubleshooting tips at the end of this post). 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 look online (see link above). A standard grocery store strainer is not fine enough. Read more about the process of straining here.
Editor’s Note: Because I know the process so well at my house, failed yogurt at this point usually means I have problems with the starter. Either I have killed it with too high of temperature or it was too old. So I simply stir in more starter and re-incubate.
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. However, they clean up beautifully after a trip through the dishwasher.)
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. Start with 2-3 tablespoons and mix to suit yourself. Good choices would be skim milk, sugar-free vanilla-flavored soy milk, sugar-free vanilla almond milk or splurge with heavy cream. I recently tried adding light coconut milk and it was oh so creamy and velvety smooth on the tongue. I couldn’t believe it!
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 F but not below 105 F? Above 120 degrees F, the bacteria in the yogurt starter will be murdered.
*Did you heat the milk sufficiently to kill the bacteria in it and rearrange the proteins? It should come just short of a boil.
* 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 if you use starter from your homemade yogurt not over a week old.
* Did it incubate long enough? Times will vary. 12-14 hours may be necessary. Watch for gelatinous texture.
*Was the yogurt mixture disturbed during incubation?
* Did you add too much starter to the warm milk? Only 1-2 teaspoons-not over a tablespoon– 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. Stirring at least 2-3 times during the heating process will help prevent a skin from forming.
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.
Want to read more about making yogurt? Check out these posts.
Answers to Your Questions About Making Homemade Yogurt
More Than Six Ways to Incubate Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker
A Discussion About Protein in Greek Yogurt
How to Strain Yogurt the Easy Way
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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Facial treatment? Considering how much of this stuff I pour down the drain, I should have no wrinkles at all if I could figure out a way to to use it on my face.
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. I’ve always loved yogurt but never realized how easy it is to make nor how expensive it is to buy (especially the greek style!). I was happy when my first batch turned out perfectly and am now looking forward to experimenting with some of the flavors you suggest.
So glad to hear it worked for you. Enjoy!
I’ve been straining regular lowfat yogurt to mimic greek yogurt. I was wondering how to estimate the amount of calories and the serving size. The yogurt definitely is reduced in size (I poured off more than 1 cup of liquid from 4 cups of yogurt) but I’m not sure if the end product is more calorie dense or less. I guess my question is what is the caloric value of the strained liquid?
I have a question.. please email me the answer….
I have been making yogurt this exact same way for some months now and it comes out ok, but I only let it set 4-6 hours. Will it be thicker if I let it set longer, or just tarter? I like the taste of my yogurt, but it can be a bit thin… I use fat free milk and do not add any powered, although I am thinking of trying that next batch. Thanks… will be looking for an answer in my email.
Naomi, Check out this page on my site for nutrition information on Greek yogurt. http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/a-discussion-about-protein-in-greek-yogurt. It contains a link to another page with specific information on whey itself.
Specifically, there are 59 calories in one cup of whey.
This summer is just speeding by! It seems like I was either out of yogurt starter or low on milk every time I went to make yogurt. Finally got it all together today.
My crock pot only has a low and high setting. I tested it, and the low was too high to maintain the right temp, so I used your oven method.
So far it all looks good. I strained it for a little over an hour. The texture was perfect after I whisked it, and the flavor is good. Can’t wait to try it in the morning after it has chilled.
Thanks for the recipe and method.
Congratulations on a successful batch. Most of the time it works perfectly for me but I still have the occasional fail when I don’t get my temperatures just right or my starter isn’t quite as fresh as it should be. The more you do it the easier it becomes. You will soon be totally spoiled with your own homemade yogurt.
Had it for breakfast with a spoonful of cherry preserves I canned two weeks ago and a handful of Trader Joe’s granola. It was delicious and a big hit with my 4-year-old. Thanks again!
Congratulations! You did it. Hope you enjoy as much as I do.
I have been dying to make greek yogurt so I ordered a strainer, and I’m not sure if it is fine enough,. It is a double mesh strainer, the outer mesh openings are approximately 4mm X 4mm and the inside mesh is about
2mm X 2mm. Is this fine enough? Thanks!!!
Lanette, I am skeptical. The mesh on mine looks like metal fabric. It is very, very tightly woven. Here’s the link. http://www.acemart.com/prod9922.html
I have no experience with any other strainer except the one above. The spaces in mine are way less than a millimeter. If you put your hand inside, you can not see it through the mesh unless you hold it up to a window and then you can only see a shadow.
Hi! I’ve made yogurt 4 or 5 times now thanks to your instructions, and it’s fantastic. I set the covered bowl on top of a heating pad on low, check it frequently with an infrared thermometer (a lovely gadget from my husband), and after about 11 hours, it’s ready to go.
I made about a quart of yogurt the other day from a half-gallon of milk I got for $0.99. (Take that, expensive grocery store brands!) I’ve been eating it for breakfast (and dessert!) sprinkled with some brown sugar, fresh blueberries, and homemade honey-walnut granola. Yum!
Infrared thermometer?? Do I need one of those? I think I might. So glad to hear you’re doing well with the yogurt. It is so addictive!
My thermometer is not a cooking gadget per se, but Alton Brown used one on his show a few times and then my computer-guy husband bought me one as a gift. It’s fantastic. I use it for the yogurt, frying oil, you name it. Apparently, they’re used in the food service industry to check walk-in temperatures and such. Genius!
http://errantcook.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-new-toy.html
I love your website and appreciate all your expertise in making greek yogurt. I spent the money on the strainer and intend to buy the thermometer with the timer. The cost of these items will soon be paid for with the savings I get making my own yogurt. I make a double batch each week and figure I easily save $12.50. I use my electric roaster oven (which I rarely used before) to incubate my yogurt. I tested the oven with a thermometer to 108 degrees and made a little mark with a Sharpie. No need to wrap in towels and my yogurt is perfect in 6 hours….love it!!!!!!
If you are feeling the budget crunch, and don’t mind fat-free yogurt, you can use only powdered milk and it works. Of course, you can probably taste a difference between the cheap powdered milk and the good brand(s). I, however, can’t taste a difference between real milk and the Similac powdered milk.
Hi, Romaine – I just discovered your website, am anxious to explore more . . . it looks as if you do many of the things I do, and I hope to learn some new shortcuts from you! I make two to three batches a week of greek yogurt – have a nice little Salton yogurt maker, and use adams’ peanut butter jars for my yogurt. I always use only nonfat dry milk, and use a greek yogurt starter. The brand differs depending on what grocery store I’m in when I need starter, but all of them make such a nice thick yogurt, I never need to strain (I do drain off the whey for my husband) – unless I want yogurt cheese, that is. My husband just absolutely loves the yogurt I make, the flavor is wonderful, and it is so thick, we eat it every day. I substitute it on occasion for mayonnaise or for sour cream in cold dishes, haven’t been brave enough to cook with it. I also culture my own buttermilk – it is even easier, because you don’t need the heating step, nor does it need to culture at 100-110 degrees – it will culture in a jar on the kitchen counter – room temp is fine, eight to twelve hours usually does it, sometimes longer – it “gels” in the jar, and you can easily tell when it is done. Buttermilk is one of my husband’s favorite comfort foods, and he is very happy with the home cultured product. One of my tricks for both my yogurt and my buttermilk cultures is to freeze the culture (newly cultured yogurt or buttermilk) in ice cube trays, pop them out and keep in freezer containers, and thaw a cube in the jar before adding the milk. (Don’t forget to label the containers, the cubes look the same!) I, too heat my yogurt milk in the microwave – in my mw, it takes 13 minutes at .8 power. That varies, of course, with the power of the microwave. Each person can determine for themselves how long, at what power, their microwave will bring the milk to 180 degrees.
Hi Vicki, Sounds like we may be kindred souls. Have never tried making buttermilk. We don’t drink it around here and I’ve found I can substitute yogurt for buttermilk in my baking. But will definitely give it a try. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you for listing this recipe- I’ll have to try it out.
I have finally gotten up the nerve to make my first batch! I have it in the crock-pot as other reader has done and I “borrowed” the hubby’s infrared thermometer. We shall see how it goes. I am super excited to see how it turns out! I have been buying tubs of this little pricey must have for a while and I never knew that it could be done with just a few little items that were already in the house.
Thank you for your blog!! It is great! 
Thank you, Romaine, for the wonderful instructions. My mother has a recipe that comes out perfectly for her, after 4.5 hrs in her incubator. She uses 1/2 gallon of 2% milk, 1/2 cup of powdered skim, and 1 cup of non-fat yogurt. I really want to use skim milk, so I’ve experimented with my own variations, and after discussing my attempts with Mom, I have some questions:
1) Does adding powdered milk to skim milk reduce the amount of whey strained off for making Greek yogurt?
2) Recipes that I see calling for much smaller amounts of starter all seem to incubate for much longer. Does the shorter incubation time that my mom uses (4.5 hrs) need the larger amount of starter that she uses (1 full cup)?
3) Does it make any difference if you use Greek yogurt for your starter?
4) You are straining your yogurt as soon as it finishes incubating. Do you put it into the refrigerator to strain, or leave it on the counter?
5) I read somewhere else that when the yogurt is finished incubating, if you stir it vigorously and refrigerate it, it will halt any further fermentation, which prevents it from becoming as tart over the next few days.
If you have time to answer any/all my questions, I would be so grateful. I LOVE homemade yogurt, and I especially like adding organic powdered recipe envelopes to the Greek yogurt for making dips for vegetables & chips. But my favorite way to eat yogurt is with stevia, almond extract, poppy seeds, and fresh strawberries or blueberries!!!!!
Laurel,
You pose some great questions. I will attempt to answer based on my experience but I’ve noticed that this whole yogurt making process tends to vary from house to house and what works for one may not work for another and I can’t always figure out why.
1. I don’t think powdered milk reduces the amount of whey. It just makes it a little richer which is good especially if you are using skim milk.
2. I do not have good luck when I use too much starter–seems to be too much competition for the “food”. If fact, I have made a half gallon of yogurt by scraping out the last of a jar–probably less than a teaspoon. Is your mom using her own yogurt as a starter? When it is fresh, you don’t need as much as using what you buy from the store. I usually ferment over night so 4 1/2 hours is a little short for my lifestyle.
3. No, not in my experience. Again, it just needs to be fresh. Those little bacteria don’t live forever.
4. Very good question. I strain my yogurt immediately–on the counter. Once you chill the yogurt, it takes MUCH longer to drain and won’t whip as smoothly. My goal is to reduce the finished yogurt by at least half when I drain the whey off. Usually takes an hour if you do it immediately. If you chill first, it can take many hours.
5. Cold temperatures will halt fermentation. I drain my yogurt till very thick and add milk back in to make it the thickness I like. Whisking vigorously after adding a little milk makes an extremely creamy, velvety smooth product that does not separate much and sends me over the moon every time I eat it. It also is not very tart because I have removed so much whey, which is just the way I like it.
Happy yogurt eating!
My understanding from a nutritionist is that the whey contains a lot of nutrients, including calcium (1/2 cup has 25 percent of the RDA for calcium), so if you want to retain more of the nutrition but still have a thicker yogurt, you can use some gelatin to thicken things up a bit and still have a very similar product to greek yogurt. I add the gelatin to 1/2 cup cold milk and stir in 1/2 cup hot milk, then add the dissolved gelatin and milk to about 3 cups of finished yogurt. If you want it thicker, just use less milk or more gelatin.
Whey can be used in baking and soups, it could be added to the liquid for preparing rice, noodles, etc. I wouldn’t toss it down the drain. At 25 percent of your RDA for calcium, add it to just about anything for a little extra of this hard to get mineral.
Something else the nutritionist told me that I didn’t know … you can only absorb about 500 mg of calcium in a single setting. Or about the amount of calcium in 1.5 cups of milk. Any more than that is not absorbed by your body, so those insanely high (and expensive) calcium supplements are not a very good value for your money. Buy the ones with less calcium per tablet and you can save a little bit, and get more of the calcium you need.
If I need to stir in more starter, can I do it at the 100 degrees or does the temperature need to be raised? And should the starter be at room temperature? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing the various ways to use whey. The only thing I had thought of using it for was smoothies. Also interesting about calcium and its absorption levels. Another thing to be aware of with calcium is to make sure one is taking enough. My friend was taking 1 capsule a day without realizing she needed to take multiple capsules to get 1,000 mgs.
Hen and Chickens, Yes, you may stir in starter as long as milk is below 120 degrees F. It is not necessary that starter be at room temperature although I have seen it printed that way. I mix it in straight out of the fridge and it works great.
What brand of timer do you have? I have bought two, and returned one so far, because it doesn’t sound the alarm when I am attempting to cool down my milk, only when I am heating it up. Am I not figuring out how to use them correctly, or is the cool down feature not found on most temperature alarms? Thank you so much for your help!
That’s a good idea! Do you put water in your oven?
Water? No. Why do you ask?
I have used whey for boiling noodles, for cooking rice, baking bread and when I have too too uch, I feed it to my outdoor plants, tomatos particularly need and benefit from the extra calcium. I have been using the crock pot for yogurt, heat the milk for 3 hours, let it cool for 2(or more if it is still too hot), add the starter and bundle the crockpot up in a quilt in a warm corner for 10-12 hours, it works better than my Salton ever did and I only have the one container to clean up…and I can make half gallon -1 gallon at a time. Thanks for the straining lesson, I am anxious to try this.
What great ideas for the whey! And thanks for your take on making yogurt. Heating the milk for 3 hours and then letting it cool for 2 is too fussy for me (I would rather do it quick in the microwave) but the crockpot idea is a possibility for those who don’t have or want to use their oven.
I’ve been making my own yogurt for a few years now. Like you, I can go through a couple (or more) 2 quart batches per week. Food of the Gods!
I own a Yogourmet — decided it was a worthwhile investment to make sure the temperature during incubation was consistent. I was successful at making yogurt in the crock pot — wrapped in a towel and placed in the oven, or in the corner of my dining room on a small table positioned over the heat vent (in the chilly Chicago winters!). The crock itself helps to retain the heat for quite a while, but if your room temperature is too cool, after 12 hours you will still have a runny crock full of milk.
Re: Uses for Whey
I use it to boil pasta, in place of other liquids when baking — gives breads, pancakes, etc a nice sourdough-ish taste. Its heavenly in anything with chocolate in the name. Sometimes I mix it half and half with iced tea — sort of an “Arnold Palmer without the lemonaid.” If I’m cooking I’ll grab my container of whey any time a recipe calls for chicken broth, or even as a replacement for wine in some cases. Use it to thin out a batch of homemade hummus or pesto. Use it to cook rice or quinoa. Boil your oatmeal in whey. Top with dried Montmorency cherries reconstituted in (you guessed it!) whey. I’m dying to try using whey as the base for a brine for my Thanksgiving turkey — an interesting experiment if you think about it. So many recipes call for marinating chicken in milk…why not turkey in whey?
Great post about yogurt. I used to make my own yogurt all the time when I was in college and on a budget crunch.
As far as the whey goes: with whey from both yogurt and cheese making, you can use it as the liquid in pizza dough, and it adds a wonderful flavor to the crust. It’s hard to describe, but give it a shot some time and see whether you like it! (I LOVE it)
Paul, I make LOTS of pizza dough so I’m definitely going to try your idea with the whey. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I made my first batch of Greek yogurt last night and tried it this morning–it was amazing! I can’t wait to make more and play around with the consistency and texture. I never realized making yogurt was this easy or delicious!
I love yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, and I tried to make my first batch yesterday with organic milk and a little bit of store-bought Greek yogurt for starter and I checked on it this morning…..and it’s basically just semi-gelatinous milk. Should I leave it in the oven? Since I’m in a dorm, I don’t have access to a glass bowl so I used a plastic one….does this make a difference?
Thanks!
It makes sense. I’m impressed that you would try it in your dorm room. I assume you had some way to heat the milk before letting it cool down and adding the yogurt “starter”. First, no reason to let it continue to incubate. Something’s not working. I’ve never done it in a plastic bowl but I seriously doubt if that is the problem. I suspect the yogurt you used for the starter is the culprit if everything else was done right. Often, it is just not fresh enough. Here is what I would do. Put some of the semi-gelatinous milk in the fridge for your next batch as long as it doesn’t smell spoiled. Heat another batch of milk and add some (maybe a cup) of the original batch. Then try some different yogurt from the grocery store for your starter–be sure it is fresh as possible with no flavoring or preservatives and it should claim to have live cultures. Coupled with your previous batch (that should have some very fresh “bacteria”) and the new grocery store yogurt, it might come out better. In a nice warm place, it should thicken within 5-6 hours.
Cat, this is a tricky process at first. Do not get discouraged. Try different things. Once you figure it out, it is well worth it and will take you very little hands on time. Now that I am using my own yogurt as the starter, I do not have “fails.” It’s only when I buy yogurt from the grocery store that I am disappointed. And just like sourdough starter, the more times I make yogurt from my own homemade stuff, the better my cultures.
Please write again and let me know how it turns out if you decide to try again. paula
Hi Paula, a million Kudos…!!! I couldn’t believe how EASY your recipe is! I thought for sure I’d have to try more than once, but it was a cinch! I didn’t get to strain my first batch (sadly) since I didn’t have a bouillon strainer or cheese cloth, still it was REALLY tasty, and I did so many things with it (plain, w/ stevia, w/ agave for and friut for smoothies, w/added fruit juice for popsicles, w/granola, sauces for meals etc). I’d like to strain the next batch, do you think a mesh coffee filter would work in substitute for the bouillon strainer? Also, can you confirm (a maybe otherwise obvious detail I think I missed), when you strain the whole batch, how do you do it (since the bouillon is not large enough to fit the entire amount at once), are you pouring smaller amounts from the batch in to strainer (is it a long process – how long does it take usually)? I can’t express you how HAPPY I am that I can make this at home now without all the added sugar and dangerous artifical colors, thanks again!!!
So glad it worked for you. Love to hear the success stories. Now about the straining process. Yes, the coffee filter would work but me oh my. It is so small. It would take me days to filter all the yogurt I make every week. That’s why I don’t do the cheesecloth either. What a mess! The bouillon strainer I use is BIG. I can pour the entire contents of my 2-quart batter bowl in it. No cheesecloth necessary. It’s pricey but well worth it. I strain it straight out of the incubation process because it gives up more liquid (whey). I usually let it sit at least an hour but less if I don’t have time and more if I forget about it. No big deal either way. I will usually get at least one quart of whey. The strained yogurt will resemble the consistency of ricotta cheese.
THEN, I whisk it good and thin with some milk to the perfect consistency for my tastes. It is perfectly creamy and dreamy when I get done–about the consistency of sour cream. Hope this helps. paula
Just completed my first batch. Amazing. It looks just like the pictures and tastes wonderful! I have to say Paula that your site is the most helpful and complete description of the yogurt making process that I have come across to date. Thank you (and your contributors) for such great hints and troubleshooting advice. I can’t wait to experiment with coconut milk and various flavorings.
Has anyone tried using the leftover whey in the facial/home made beauty products manner? I’m very curious how it works/feels.
Hello
Glad i found your site,i love greek yogurt,i have been buying Dannon plain yogurt and straining it for several hours then add flavoring.
That gets expensive buying 5 /32 oz every week.
My question is i’m planning on buying a yogurt machine,after i purchase one gallon
of non homogized milk how much yogurt will i have after i make the yogurt then strain and make greek yogurt?
Thanks in advance
Billy
Billy, It depends on how long you strain it and how thick it is to start with. I usually end up with a third to a half of the amount of milk I start with.
Yogurt machines are great but for the amount you are planning to make, I wouldn’t recommend them unless you have access to a really big one (which I have never seen). I would check how much you can make at one time with the model you are interested in. A glass or ceramic bowl and a dependably warm place are all that’s really necessary. Good luck. paula
I’m thrilled it worked for you. Watch out. The whole process from beginning to eating is addictive. Have not tried the whey in beauty products. If you find something that works, you could be on to something.
I just made my first batch using a similar recipe, didn’t find your site until after I had started the process… I used 2 quarts skim milk, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, no dry milk. Heating and gelling went just fine, but after I strained I wound up with only 19 oz of yogurt from the 64 oz of milk I started with. It is also really thick. Did I strain out too much liquid? Should I have saved some whey to stir back in? (Saw that in another recipe, too…)
Thanks!
Hi Paula! Your recipe looks simple, much more than a lot of the ones I’ve read…Definitely going to try it.
I’m wondering about the nutritional information? How did you figure out how many calories for the recipe? When I build the recipe my calorie calculator keeps running back to 720 cals for 64 oz of milk + 80 cals for 1/3 cup dry milk + 35ish cals yogurt starter = 32 oz. greek yogurt after straining if I reduce the volume by about half = 208.76 cals per 8 oz. serving, 20 grams of protein. I feel like I must not be accounting for the loss of the whey maybe?
Help me please before I make myself crazy with the numbers!
And I love your site.
I think I found it – USDA Nutritition Data lists ‘whey, liquid’ at 66 cals per cup, so I guess you can measure it and deduct that amount from the total. Makes sense.
Suzi, Check out this link to a discussion about yogurt nutrition elsewhere on my blog. http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/a-discussion-about-protein-in-greek-yogurt
Hi! I m soooo excited to try this recipe! My entire family loves yogurt, and I am a particular fan of greek yogurt. It has so much more to offer than the “regular” kind- it’s just so darn expensive to buy it! I am going to make a batch tomorrow and see how it turns out. Hooray for the internet and the ability to find such great pages as yours!
Candace, I hope to hear it worked out great for you but if not, try again. It’s worth it. Email if you have questions.
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