Yogurt has always been one of those foods that I knew was good for me, but one I was never able to palette. No matter how many times I tried to acquire a taste for store-bought yogurt, I could never stop from gagging at the chalky flavor. So gross! Shortly after I married Farmer Nathan, my sister-in-law began making her own yogurt at home and I wondered if homemade yogurt would taste any better. So I decided to learn how to make yogurt as well. Turns out it is super simple to make and no specialty tools or equipment was required to make homemade yogurt. Just a jug of milk and a starter. Oh, and tastes WAY better than the stuff at the store!
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Homemade yogurt with 2 ingredients
To make yogurt you only need two ingredients–milk and a starter culture. Don’t let the word culture scare you off though! Powdered starter cultures for yogurt can be bought online, but starter culture can be as simple as a scoop of store-bought plain yogurt that has active cultures. Super simple!
We personally make yogurt with whole milk, but you can make it with 2% or skim. If you decide to go with a low/no fat option, your yogurt will not end up quite as thick as full-fat yogurt. Some people add gelatin into lowfat yogurt to give it a thicker texture. Totally a personal preference!
How to make yogurt
Ingredients
Supplies
- Mason jar + lids
- Stock pot (large enough to fit 3-4 mason jars)
- Tea towel (or other cloth)
- Jar lifter
- Thermometer (optional)
- Oven with lightbulb
Instructions
Place a tea towel or other cloth in the bottom of a large stock pot and set 3-4 mason jars (whatever fits best in your pot)
Pour milk into the mason jar with some generous headspace (nearly 2 inches). Then fill the stock pot up with water until it comes about ¾ of the way up the mason jar (need some space to allow the water to boil without splashing out too much)
Turn on the burner to medium-high heat and wait for the water to start boiling. If you have a thermometer, you want to heat up the milk to 180-185 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, no problem! You will see a “skin” begin forming on the top of the milk as it heats up and when it covers the entire top it’s ready. Conveniently it’s usually the exact same time as the water boils. Super simple!
Turn off heat, and remove the jars from the pot of boiling water and allow them to cool down to between 110-120 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, you want the jar to be on the warm side–able to grip it without getting burned, but not room temperature. Depending on the ambient temperature in your kitchen, it will take about an hour.
Now is time to stir in the starter culture (1-2 tablespoons of yogurt, not an exact science) and gently screw on the lids
Place your jars into your oven with the light on and let the milk begin culturing. I suggest placing a note on the oven so you don’t accidentally start preheating for dinner and roast your yogurt…
8-12 hours later stir and give your yogurt a taste and see if it is tangy enough for you. If it is, place it in the refrigerator and enjoy with all your favorite toppings. If you like it a bit stronger, allow it to culture for a few more hours.
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