Making yogurt at home may seem like a lot of work, but it is easier than you think! Plus, it only takes three ingredients and will save you money!
The three ingredients you need to make your own yogurt -- milk, unflavored yogurt, and sweetened condensed milk -- cost about $5 to make about 16 servings, while a quality Greek-style yogurt, even on sale, costs me about $1.50 per container. I figure it saves me about $19 a batch to make my own yogurt!
Along with saving money, you will have the peace of mind knowing exactly what you are feeding your family.
Follow these simple instructions to make your own yogurt that your family will love -- and, if they're like mine, will prefer over the store-bought kind!
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon milk (I use whole, but you can use whatever you prefer)
- 1 six oz. container of unflavored yogurt (for cultures)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (optional for sweetening)
Tools:
- Pressure cooker with yogurt setting
- Large wire whisk
- Instant read cooking thermometer
- Large colander
- Large bowl
- Large square of cotton cloth or muslin
- String to tie cloth
- Glass jars for storing
Prep your pressure cooker and tools
- Sterilize your pressure cooker by placing 2 to 3 cups of water in the liner. Close lid and set pressure valve to seal. Press the steam button and steam for 5 minutes. Use a quick release to open.
- Clean whisk and thermometer in the steamed water.
- Dry liner and tools.
Make your yogurt!
- Pour the milk into the pressure cooker's liner. Secure the lid and set the pressure cooker to the yogurt setting, then boil.
- When the cycle is complete, whisk thoroughly then test temperature with an instant-read thermometer. (If the temperature is not yet at 185 degrees, set the pressure cooker to saute, and whisk constantly until it reaches 185 degrees.)
- Remove the liner and place in a sink filled with ice water.
- Whisk constantly until the temperature cools to 110 degrees.
- Remove about two cups of boiled milk from the liner and pour into a bowl. Add plain yogurt and whisk well.
- Add the milk and yogurt back to the full batch and whisk.
- Once it's well mixed, remove about 2 cups of boiled milk/yogurt mixture and pour into a bowl.
- Add sweetened condensed milk to the bowl and whisk. Then add back to the full batch, whisking until completely mixed.
- Place the liner back into your pressure cooker. Secure the lid, select the yogurt setting and adjust the time to 9 hours.
Cool and strain
- After the nine hours is up, remove the liner from the pressure cooker, cover with a plate and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- After enough time has elapsed, place the cotton cloth/muslin over a colander set over a large bowl.
- Pour your cooled yogurt into the prepared colander. Tie the top of your muslin and place the colander and bowl back in the refrigerator to strain. Strain for 2-4 hours.
Store your yogurt!
- Pour the strained liquid (called whey) into a glass jar and save for another recipe. It's great in smoothies!
- Pour the strained yogurt into a large bowl and stir to smooth out any lumps.
- Ladle into jars or containers for storage and easy serving. (Optional: frozen fruit can be added to jars before adding yogurt!)
Want to see how easy it is? Check out my video:
Author Julie Dikken lives in Colorado and is the publisher of Macaroni Kid Evergreen and Macaroni Kid Arvada.
