Make Yogurt In Your Crock Pot
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.
Does anyone know if you can just leave it in the crockpot on the “warm” setting for the 8 hours? Or is that too hot? Thanks!
I just left mine on at 110-120 for twelve hours.
This is great! The only concern I have is that I recently heard that many CrockPots have lead in the enamel. There are certain ones that are safe, but the jury seems to be out. Someone did find a glass insert CrockPot at Target I think… this info was on Debra Lynn Dadd’s website. http://www.debralynndadd.com
I just successfully used a 1 gal crock pot with temp knob to successfully make regular yogurt, Greek style yogurt, yogurt spread (like on toast) and yogurt cheese. Crock pot was $6.40 at Value Village, the starter was GNC probotic tablets (100/$8) crushed in a $6 pill grinder at the drug store, added 5 cups p milk – to drain used a 12 qt pot (with large lip), a white cotton tee shirt and velco buckle strap – pot lid fit tightly down because of large lip. I think the key is temperature control, which I got with my latte thermometer. Up to 180, down to 110 -120, cool in refrig, , transfer, for Greek or cheese drain in refrig. Even for regular yogurt though I would still drain a little. E-mail me for specifics and any questions. Would be glad to help though, remember, I am no expert.
For Shannon – just realized I had not said “Thanks!” You really encouraged me to try using a crock pot and has it worked out for me! Thanks again.
Wondering how to do raw yogurt. Any advice?
Do you not drain the yogurt? I’ve made it before and during the 8-12 hours it would be in coffee filters to drain the whey…
Also, how do you ensure that it gets to 180 degrees in the crock pot?
Natasha from Today’s Gift: days-of-natasha.blogspot.com
Natasha – I do not drain the yogurt until it is done incubating. I have had troubles with my crock not heating up to 180 recently, so I do have to watch it. I suggest others do the same as every crock is different.
I make my yogurt by heating raw milk to 180-185 degrees (if using store bought milk, only heat to 110-115 degrees) in a double boiler. I’ve tried not heating the raw milk to this temp. but the enzymes in the milk overcome the yogurt cultures and it won’t turn into yogurt. Then I cool it to 110-115 degrees (which is the temperature needed for the culture to make yogurt) and add 1 tablespoon store bought yogurt to each 2 cups of milk. I make sure it is blended in well with the milk, then pour the milk into pint jars (I don’t sterilize, just handwash the jars) and put the lids on. Then wrap the pints with kitchen towells and put into my oven with just the light turned on. I cluster the jars around the light and leave them there for 8-10 hours. Refrigerate the jars until cool and enjoy the yogurt. This is much simpler than the crockpot method and takes much less time. You can make as much or as little as you want, just make sure to use only 1 tablelspoon of starter yogurt per 2 cups of milk.
I tried this recipe and added some vanilla and let it set in the fridge. After trying it it smells overly fermented. I was wondering if that is normal or if I possibly had some bad vanilla?
Katrina – Did it smell like alcohol? That could be due to the vanilla extract. If it tasted good then it should be fine.
I have a Salton Yogurt Maker with no instructions. Can you help?
I have had no luck contacting Salton or YouAsk.com…
Thanks, Barbara
Is it important to use raw milk? I mean, it would be great, but I’m working on saving money to make whole-milk yogurt for the little and don’t want to spring for yo baby. Thanks!
Sarah – No, it’s not so important because you are essentially pasteurizing it anyways. The next best milk option is a unhomogenized whole milk. After that just a regular old organic whole milk that is not ultra pasteurized.
I’m excited to try this! I can only find ultra-pasteurized, organic milk in my area. Is there any way to successfully make yogurt with ultra-pasteurized milk? Would increasing the amount of the starter help?
I wish I could say for sure, but I can’t. I doubt upping the starter would make a difference. Do you have access to non-organic, non ultrapasteurized milk? I would actually choose that over the organic ultrapasteurized if I had to. Sorry I don’t know more.
I have always made yogurt with regular milk from the grocery store and it always came out fine. Do not see the need for raw milk or any of the others mentioned unless you really are into that kind of thing, which we are not. If I could afford that expensive milk, I would not be making yogurt with it.
Marlene
Why doesn’t ultra-pasteurized milk work?
My ultra-pasterized. lactose-free fat-free milk yogurt came out fine. It is a bit runny, but with a few drops of vanilla and 1/2 t nutmeg, it tasted great. There are two reasons for making this yogurt: to reduce the sugar content of the milk, and to get the beneficial bacteria which will help heal my intestine. Unpasteurized lactose free milk is not available here and if I use regular milk I have to take tons of lactase pills which are full of sugar!
If you start out with pasteurized milk, couldn’t you just heat to 110F and add culture?
I am addicted to this yogurt. I have made it with whole milk & it was great. But this week I made it with low fat half & half & it was spectacular!! The only thing I did differently is after the eight hours that it sits in the crock pot overnight I poured it into a cloth lined strainer for a few hours & the whey separates out & the yogurt is so creamy & smooth.
Can I turn crock to keep warm? I have a very cold kitchen. If not I would maybe stick it behind the wood stove which is where I culture kefir in winter!
can you use milk that is close to souring? i always seem to end up with milk that is about to sour. i hate to throw it out. thanks for any info. i am new to yogurt making.
I am going to try this tonight. I hope it works. I heart yogurt!
Can you lead me to the on the counter method please?
Thanks for such a great website!
Is there a method I can use to make my RAW milk yogurt WITHOUT a starter? I do have Nancy’s whole milk honey yogurt on hand, as well as greek yogurt (nonfat), but not the starters that seem to be online only. I’d prefer to not use a heating method, but think I may be forced to use my crockpot this time. TIA!
i tried this last night for the first time and for some reason it hasn’t set.. did everything by the recipe.. should i add more yoghurt?
If you don’t have a crock, just place your yogurt
In a glass mason jar with a loose lid, in the oven with the oven light on. This will add enough warmth to give you great yogurt by the time you get home from work. Pop in the fridge to chill before serving.
Teresa – Excellent tips!
can you use skim milk?
I LOVE this recipe, the simplicity makes it even more tasty! I was wondering if there was way to make it a bit thicker w/o adding pectin or something like that? I’m open to any ideas…thank you!
I use a large double boiler for yogurt making but will try this soon. A Russian woman I work with uses the crock pot method to great success.
Marsha: Skim milk works fine and produces a non-fat yogurt
Any idea of how much milk should be used at a higher altitude? We just moved to 6300ft and I’ve noticed that if I don’t add more liquid to my crockpot recipes I won’t have any at the end of the cooking time.
Michelle – Sorry, no I am not familiar with conversions of that sort.
This is a great way to make yogurt, and if you strain it with some cheese cloth you get Greek yogurt and whey which you can use in lots of things to add protein and moisture. Thanks
I made this and it’s great! However, the second time I made it, the yogurt looked slightly stringy as I was spooning it out of the crockpot…Any ideas as to why this would happen? I did heat it an additional 15 min as suggested. (the only difference was that I used the first batch as the 1/2 cup starter, rather than store bought for the first time starter)The taste is the same, just the consistency is a little bit different. thoughts?
Turned out brilliant!! Thanks for such a great recipe.
I made 1/2 recipe in a smaller crockpot using greek yogurt for the active part and it turned out nice and thick. I put the crockpot bowl in the microwave and wrapped it in towels so it wouldn’t get any drafts, and left it overnight. It tastes good, not too sour like some of the store bought plain yogurts, but I added the vanilla and honey and afterwards added in blueberries. I will make this again!
I’m excited to make this! How long does this stay good in the refrigerator?
I made yesterday and we had some for breakfast this am. It is a bit runny but the kids are loving it with a little agave and granola. Wondering what I need to do to make thicker. Any suggestions? I let it culture for 9 hs then I wanted to sleep so I put in fridge. ? it needs to go longer next time. I will keep working on this recipe to get it right :o)
Can I make this recipe using less milk, but the same times in a 1 1/2 quart stock pot??
Thanks!!
Ashley
I’ve been making this yogurt for a while now, and I love it! I wanted to share my experience for those who think like me…I’m not really into exact measurements, so I thought “the more yogurt starter, the better!” but this is not the case. You will end up with a thinner, more sour yogurt if you use more starter.
I didn’t pay attention with my current batch and added the culture after the 2 1/2 hrs of warming, not after the 3 hrs of cooling, ugh….Do you think I can save the yogurt or should I toss it out and start over?