Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is so tasty, healthy, and  fairly inexpensive.

I don't have a yogurt maker so I have had to devise a different way...  Lets face it, people have been making yogurt - or cultured milk of some sort - for ages and they didn't have a yogurt maker either.

This is also a great thing to know if you are living off the grid or your power goes out.

I make my yogurt with powdered milk (rotating my food-storage) you could use regular milk too.  I like to make a large batch.  You can half this if you prefer just 1 quart at a time.

to use powdered milk:
2 quarts water into a large heavy pan
2 3/4 cups non-instant dry milk or 5 cups instant dry milk
Mix well, a wire whisk works great for this.

Or 2 quarts milk to heavy pan (add 1/2 to 3/4 cup dry milk for thicker yogurt and additional milk protein)

Warm on medium heat to 180 degrees (use a candy thermometer)
Now turn the burner off and allow to cool to 110 degrees

When the milk has cooled to 110 degrees
Add 1/2 to 1 cup yogurt starter
(This is plain yogurt from the store with live active cultures.   The yogurt must say live active cultures or it will not work.)

Mix well., put the lid on and set in a warm place to culture.  This can take 6 to 8 hours. The longer the tangier.


In the winter I set my pan out by the wood stove it stays all warm and toasty.  In the summer I set it out in a bright sunny area where it will stay all warm and cozy.  I say warm not hot.  I take a thermometer out and set it next to my pan just to make sure it isn't getting too hot.  Over 120 degrees and it will kill the cultures and you will just have bad milk.....


This makes a thick, almost Greek style yogurt.  You can have for breakfast, put a spoonful on the dogs food, they love it and it is a dairy product they can have and handle, make frozen yogurt, make yogurt cheese, use it as a sour cream replacement.  So many wonderful ways to use yogurt!!