Edited on 10/5/09 to add: Since posting this I have also discovered that you can make raw yogurt on your counter top, without the use of a crock pot or yogurt maker. All you need is a starter and the super clear directions that come with it. Not only is it easier since you simply leave it on your counter top, but you also retain the benefits of the raw enzymes! You can find culture starters here.
I have tried other methods for making yogurt, but this is by far the easiest. I originally got this idea from Stephanie and use her basic recipe. Making your own yogurt is a frugal way to get some good probiotics into your family.
Here is the cost savings breakdown for us:
- Before: we would buy organic plain yogurt from Trader Joe’s: $3/quart
- Now: I make it out of our grass-fed raw milk from the farmer: $1.75/quart
- Savings = $1.25/quart x 2/week = savings of $2.50/week = savings of $130/year
Trader Joe’s is the cheapest organic yogurt you can find. The health food store sells it for $4.50/quart. For me, it is definitely worth the savings to do the five minutes of total work involved in making yogurt in the crock pot.
Crock Pot Yogurt
Recipe notes: This recipe uses a 2 quart crock. In using a 4 or 4 1/2 quart crock I found the yogurt to have a bit of a "springy" texture. I was able to alleviate this by heating the milk an additional 15 minutes for a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Turn your crock pot to low and pour in 1/2 gallon of milk.
- Heat on low for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- Once 2 hours and 30 minutes have elapsed turn your crock pot off and unplug it. Let the milk cool in the crock with the lid on for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours remove 1-2 cups of the warmed milk and place in a bowl. To that add 1/2 cup of yogurt with live active cultures and mix very well.
- Pour the yogurt-milk mixture back into the milk and whisk thoroughly.
- Place the cover back on the crock and wrap the entire crock pot in a thick bath towel or two.
- Let it culture overnight, 8-12 hours.
- In the morning stir yogurt (if desired) and store in glass quart jars or a container of your choice.
- For optimum texture, refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.
I think the advantage to heating and cooling in the crockpot is that there is no effort involved! You just turn it on and wait for the beep. When I make it on the stove top, I am keeping an eye on it, checking temp, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn. This crockpot method requires little time and turns out great every time for me. I follow her time recommendations exactly in my four quart crockpot. I do let it culture for 12-15 hours to get a slightly thicker and more sour yogurt.
can you double this…I have a gallon of raw milk I would like to use??
This looks like something I want to try. Does anyone know if I can cut the recipe in half and it will still come out correctly?
Vicki – I had this problem, too.
Today, I’m going to try again, but this time, get a heat measurement of where the milk is before I add the culture into it.
I think external temperature — of the kitchen — may factor into this. I’m doing this in winter, in New England, and no matter how warm the house gets — the kitchen is often a bit cooler (unless we’re cooking in the oven, too.)
Still, we’ll see how this next batch goes.
If it doesn’t work the second time, I’ll just go buy a yogurt maker. The problem of the crock pot method is that if it doesn’t work, you’ve spent — essentially — a full day waiting to find out it hasn’t worked.
But I’m hopeful that by monitoring the temperature before the culture goes into the milk, it’ll work this time.
Doug – Thanks for sharing your experience. The tricky thing with this recipe, though it is a simple one if it can work, is that all crocks are different and like you said the air temperature can effect the whole process.
Teresa – I think this would be a gamble as the heating and cooling times are based on a certain volume. If you’re going to do this I would heat it up for half the time, check the temperature (you’re looking for 180 degrees) and continue to heat as needed until you reach the desired temp. Then do the same thing with the cooling (you’re looking for 110 degrees). Let us know how it goes!
Tracy – If you do double it I would check the temperature after the allotted cooking time. You’re looking for 180 degrees. Continue to heat until you reach that point and then do the same for cooling (you want 110 degrees).
I used this recipe and it was perfect! The next time I heated the milk on the stove with a candy thermometer. When the milk reached 180 degrees F, I poured into the crockpot, already warmed on low. Then I pulled the plug and followed the rest of the recipe. So delicious.
Meal Planning « The Cleopatra Chronicles // Feb 5, 2010 at 12:31 pm
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