DIY: Yogurt {kind of a boring post but I love stuff like thisl}

I will share with you how I make mine. Be warned, there are a *few* involved steps but it really is easy. I gain such satisfaction giving Jude food that is not full of Red #40. And right now I have the time and energy to do it, so why not? Dan and I make it together and call it our Yogurt Date. Ahhh, a nice mid-week yogurt date. Sexy things going on over here.

There are no pictures. I could say maybe I'll post some but I know I won't. I'm lazy. But, it is easy and I think you will all do just fine should you choose to embark on the journey of yogurt.


Materials Needed:

1. half gallon of milk (I use Vitamin D but any kind of dairy milk can be used, even sheep or goat.) 
2. 1 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
3. 1/4 cup of sugar (I use Stevia/Truvia)
4. 3 ounces of starter yogurt (any variety of plain yogurt purchased at your grocery store, with or without fat, the fresher the better) 
5. large pot
6. meat thermometer (mine is digital)
7. wooden spoon
8. whisk
9. fine mesh strainer
10. two 1 quart sized mason jars and one pint sized jar with seals and rings (you can use old seals, they do not have to be new)
11. cooler and hot water
12. sink full of cold water

Method:

1.  Sterilize your mason jars, rings, seals. There are lots of ways to do this. I put them in a big pot on the stove, add an inch or two of water (not in the jars, around them), bring the water to a boil and let them boil for 10 minutes. Place on clean kitchen towel, set aside. 
2. Measure out your starter yogurt and sweetener, have it ready.
3. Put milk in large pot on the stove.  Very slowly, stirring constantly with your wooden spoon, without boiling, bring your milk to 190F. Once it reaches 190F keep it there for exactly 10 minutes. You will have to increase and decrease the heat to keep it there and mine usually goes between 189F and 191F for the 10 minutes, which if fine. Don't freak out. I actually tape my meat thermometer to my wooden spoon so I don't have to use both hands. Be sure that the thermometer is not touching the hot pot.
4. With your free hand, fill up the kitchen sink with cold cold water from your tap. Assuming your stove and sink are near each other like mine are. Or your hot yogurt date can do this. Once your milk has been at 190F for 10 minutes, transfer the pot into the sink. The milk needs to cool to 120F. While waiting for it to cool you may want to drain some of the now warm water in the sink and replace it with some fresh cold water. Keep stirring so the milk doesn't get clumpy because of the dramatic heat change.
5. Once the milk is at 120F remove the pot from the cold water. Add your starter yogurt and use the whisk to incorporate it well. 
6. Add sweetener and incorporate well with whisk.
7. Temper the vanilla extract- put some in a small dish and add some of the milk (I eyeball this). Incorporate well with whisk (will be a little lumpy) and poor into pot of milk. Even though the vanilla is tempered it may still be a little lumpy when poured into the pot. This is okay and life will go on. Whisk, whisk, whisk!
8. Set the fine mesh strainer over mouth of mason jar and pour the milk in! I don't always use the strainer as it can be a pain in the youknowwhat. Skim off all the bubbles. Place seals and rings on and tighten those jars up. Set aside.
9. Fill cooler with water that is 120F. I tested the temperature of my tap water which wasn't quite this hot so I used some boiling water with my hot tap water to achieve this temperature. This would explain why I feel like my showers are never hot enough- I need to do something about this :).
10. Place jars in cooler of hot water. The water should go up to the mouth of the jars. It is best for the water not to cover the lids, but for the pint sized jar it will be submerged. This is not the end of the world. A little water may get in but honestly, no biggie. Secure cooler lid and let incubate for 6-8 hours. Some people say it only needs 4 but I think they are liars. 
11. After 6-8 hours take the jars out of the cooler and put them in the fridge and let them set overnight (or 10-12 hours). For the love of everything don't open the jars yet. You may want to, but be patient and let them settle.
12. Boom! Yogurt! Boom! No red #40!Yum!

This recipe is for a half gallon, or 2 liters. Easy peasy to double it for a gallon or 4 liters- more vanilla, sweetener, jars and maybe a bigger pot. I have only used full fat milk but have read that it even turns out great with skim- just not as creamy. You can also use your homemade yogurt as starter yogurt for your next batch. Some people measure out the needed ounces and put it in the freezer then defrost when they make more. I have yet to try this. This is vanilla yogurt and can be additionally flavored with fresh fruit, fruit purees, or jams/jellies. I usually use the yogurt in 2-3 weeks as I just make it for Jude right now. He loves it. The yogurt seems to have no problem going over the expiration date of the milk. I believe the mason jars help with this as even though you don't have to use fresh seals, they still seal up pretty good which makes them somewhat stable (they must be refrigerated though). Once the jar is opened I would recommend eating it within a week. I would really like to try this using actual vanilla beans- slicing them open and scraping them in. Soon!

Yogurt for one and all. Have fun.