Homemade Greek Yogurt
Thick, velvety smooth yogurt made with just two ingredients!
Servings: 8
Calories: 61kcal
Equipment
- 8 cup measure or glass container
- Stainless steel pot
- Stainless steel whisk or wooden spoon
- 2-3 glass jars or a glass container with a lid
- Yogurt strainer (or cheesecloth) OPTIONAL
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk , avoid ultra-pasteurized
- 1/4 cup active plain yogurt -- or granulated live starter , or active whey
Instructions
- HEAT THE MILK—Pour 8 cups of milk into a pot and heat it on low heat until it reaches between 175-180°F on an instant-read thermometer (this will take about 20 minutes). I do not bother watching or stirring it because it’s on low heat (3 out of 10 on my stove). Set a timer and check the temperature after 20 minutes; it may have to heat for a few more minutes, but I watch this more closely. It will begin to steam and may foam, but you don’t want it to boil.
- As soon as it is between 175-180°F, slide it off heat.
- COOL THE MILK—Pour the milk from the pot back into the glass measuring cup or container. It will cool faster out of the hot pan, and as you pour it, the thin skin that formed on the top should remain in the pot. Let the milk cool on the counter until it is 110°F—this takes about 45 minutes, depending on room temp. Set a timer and check the temp after 40 minutes. Reaching the right temp may take another 5-10 minutes, but I watch and check more closely.
- ADD THE STARTER—Use 2 fresh starter packets (check package for milk to starter ratio), OR use ¼ cup of yogurt or whey with live cultures (2 tablespoons per 4 cups milk) from a previous batch and whisk it into the cooled milk. The live cultures in the starter yogurt will ferment the milk and turn it into yogurt. Pour this mixture into glass mason jars—I use 2-quart jars and 1-pint jar (I strain the yogurt from the 2-quart jars for thicker, Greek style and leave the pint jar unstrained for my next batch or recipes).
- INCUBATE—I use the “proof” setting on my oven and set a timer for 5 hours (it may take up to 12 hours when using a granulated starter). Check to see if the yogurt is “set” by tilting the jar—set yogurt will pull away from the side of the jar and look solid instead of milky. Remove it from the oven and set it on the counter for 1-2 hours before refrigerating so it can cool. After that, it goes in the fridge to chill thoroughly (and continues to set up/thicken).
- CHILL—The yogurt will continue to set up upon refrigeration but is ready to eat anytime. Wait until it is thoroughly chilled before straining.
- STRAIN (optional)—Once chilled, pour the yogurt into a yogurt strainer basket and set it back in the refrigerator to drain the whey. My strainer is big enough for 2 quarts of yogurt and takes 3-5 hours to drain off the whey and thicken. You don’t have to be exact with this; I often let it sit overnight in the fridge. You can also use cheesecloth in a colander for this as well. NOTE: Yields about 4 cups of strained yogurt.
- STIR, MIX, & STORE—Once strained, transfer from the strainer into a bowl by tilting the strainer insert over a bowl and gently shaking it until the yogurt releases and plops into the bowl. Stir it well and mix in any sweetener and flavors (my favorite is honey, vanilla, and tangerine oil). NOTE: Don’t worry if the yogurt doesn’t look creamy; it must be stirred until it is smooth and silky.
Notes
• Yields about 4 cups of strained yogurt
• Heating temperatures vary based on the starter you use. I use Cultures For Health Heirloom Greek Style Yogurt Starter, which recommends heating to 160°F, but I find that the yogurt is thicker if the milk evaporates longer.
• Cooling temperatures vary based on the starter you use. I use Cultures For Health Heirloom Greek Style Yogurt Starter, which this recipe is based upon.
• Incubation temperature will depend on the type of yogurt starter. If using the granulated Greek yogurt starter packet from Cultures for Health, the initial incubation may take longer to set up. When using fresh active yogurt (from a prior batch), it will be set in less time. The longer it incubates (up to 12 hours), the tangier the yogurt will be. For me, the perfect set and flavor happens in just 5 hours.
• Don’t worry if the yogurt doesn’t look creamy; it must be stirred until it is smooth and silky.
• Heating temperatures vary based on the starter you use. I use Cultures For Health Heirloom Greek Style Yogurt Starter, which recommends heating to 160°F, but I find that the yogurt is thicker if the milk evaporates longer.
• Cooling temperatures vary based on the starter you use. I use Cultures For Health Heirloom Greek Style Yogurt Starter, which this recipe is based upon.
• Incubation temperature will depend on the type of yogurt starter. If using the granulated Greek yogurt starter packet from Cultures for Health, the initial incubation may take longer to set up. When using fresh active yogurt (from a prior batch), it will be set in less time. The longer it incubates (up to 12 hours), the tangier the yogurt will be. For me, the perfect set and flavor happens in just 5 hours.
• Don’t worry if the yogurt doesn’t look creamy; it must be stirred until it is smooth and silky.
Nutrition
Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 141mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 0.1mg