Let's make yogurt!

Yogurt making 101

I want you all to be able to enjoy yogurt like we do! So here is how I make it. First, I'll tell you with pasteurized cow's milk, then my favorite, RAW goat milk yogurt! I don't know how much a gallon of yogurt is at the store, especially raw, but I know this saves us so much money!

Cow's milk:

**What you'll need**

Thermometer
1 gallon whole cow's milk
Crockpot

1 cup yogurt or starter

Vanilla, honey or other flavoring

Cheesecloth or muslin baby blanket

Strainer

Instructions:

Take a gallon of whole milk and put it in the crockpot on warm. Wait 2.5 hours till the milk is 180 degrees. UNPLUG your crockpot! Then cool it for 2 hours until it reaches 80-100 degrees. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!! If you do not let the milk cool, it will kill the cultures and all your hard work will be for nothing! SO BE PATIENT! Check the temperature a couple times if you have to. Take either a cup of yogurt from the store or better yet, hopefully you saved a cup from your last yogurt batch. Add some of the warm milk to the yogurt in a separate container, mix well. Next add that mixture to your crockpot and mix. Place the lid back on your crockpot, wrap it in a towel and put it in your oven for 6-8 hours. After that time, your yogurt is done, but it will be thin. If you want it thicker, place cheesecloth over a strainer with a large pot underneath and pour the mixture onto the cheesecloth. I actually use a muslin baby blanket for this because I can reuse them and they're bigger. Tie your cheesecloth and place the entire thing in the fridge for a few hours. The longer you leave it to drain the thicker it will be. If you take too much whey out, you can always add it back to thin it out. (Whey is the liquid that has drained out. It is really good for you, so I like to leave quite a bit in. It's great for plants and animals, so don't just throw it out!) Once I have drained my yogurt I place it in a plastic container and add organic vanilla or raw honey. If you don't have these things, adding a package of instant pudding with thicken it up and add flavor so kids can enjoy it too. (They make really yummy popsicles too!)

You can see in this batch, I added vanilla pudding, that's the little yellow spots.

Raw goat's milk

**What you'll need**
Thermometer

1 gallon raw goat milk

Sauce pan

1 cup yogurt or starter

Vanilla, honey or other flavoring

Cheesecloth or muslin baby blanket

Strainer

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to the lowest setting, once it reaches that temp (usually around 170), turn the heat off but leave the oven light on. On low heat, warm your gallon of milk in a sauce pan on the stove stirring constantly warming to 80-86 degrees. Take either a cup of yogurt from the store or better yet hopefully you saved a cup from your last yogurt batch. Add some of the warm milk to the yogurt in a separate container and mix well.  Next add that mixture to your sauce pan and mix well. Place the lid on the pan and place the pan in the oven leaving the oven light on. Leave it there for 6 hours. Afterwards, you can drain it if you choose and add flavor it the same way as cow's yogurt.

Happy cooking!