31 Days of Green Little Things: Homemade Yogurt Recipe

Welcome back to my 31 Days of Green Little Things!  This is my place to talk about the little things that I do to help the environment.

This summer we started making our own yogurt. Right off the bat, today's green little thing seems like a big deal but it really is easier than it appears!  It's one of those little things we make at home to reduce our environmental impact.  I know it’s easy to just pick up a tub of it from the local grocer so let me explain why we bother.

First off, and most importantly for me, I don’t like that stuff from the store.  I actually thought I just didn’t like yogurt.  Boy, was I wrong!  I just don’t like “low fat” or flavored yogurt.  It was always either too tangy or too fake-tasting for me.  This last part might be from all the ingredients in that little tub.  This way only uses milk and yogurt cultures.  (I don’t know about you but I can pronounce both of those ingredients, which is something I look for in my food.)  Anyway, I had heard that it tastes better when it’s homemade so I thought if Mr. Green Stuff would help, I’d give it a try. 

Secondly, there’s no plastic waste.  (Yeah, for reducing plastic consumption!)  Well, there is that little plastic lid from the milk.  We drink milk that comes in returnable, glass bottles but if you can’t find that hopefully yours is recyclable.  I store the finished yogurt in glass jars that I reuse each time I make it.

Finally, making it from home is much, much cheaper.  I’ve figured out that a homemade batch (and it does make a lot) comes out to about a third of the price of the cost as my hormone-free, antibiotic-free milk brand’s yogurt in the big tub and less than half the price as the individual serving sizes.

 Without further ado, here’s what you need:

• Half gallon of milk (I recommend whole milk for it’s creaminess)
• ½ cup of yogurt with live, active cultures (I initially used store-bought yogurt now I just save ½ cup from the last jar I make)
• 5 sterilized pint jars (my favorite are old peanut butter jars because of their wide mouths)
• Stock pot
• Thermometer
• Kitchen sink ;)
• Cooler

Here’s where the magic happens:

Pour your half gallon of milk into your big stock pot.

Heat the milk to 185-190 degrees Fahrenheit. Stirring occasionally.

While milk heats, fill your sink a few inches with ice water.

Place stockpot with HOT milk into ice water to cool milk to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Stirring occasionally.

While the milk cools, pour hot water (about 120 degrees Fahrenheit) into your cooler a few inches deep.  Close the lid so the water stays hot.  (You may have to add more later.) 

Whisk in ½ cup of your yogurt starter (either store bought or homemade) into 120 degree milk.  I try to time it so that I can open the last jar of homemade yogurt at the time I make a new batch.

Pour thoroughly whisked milk/yogurt mixture into sterilized pint jars (your dishwasher probably has this feature but if not boil them) and seal tightly with lids.   

You’re welcome to use larger jars.  I prefer the smaller size so I don’t have to stick my whole hand into the jar to get the last serving of yogurt out of it.

Place jars into cooler with 120 degree Fahrenheit water bath.  I try to get the water right up to the neck of the jar so all the yogurt is covered.  This helps “cook” the yogurt more evenly.

Close the lid of the cooler.

Incubate at least 4 hours or overnight then move your yogurt to the refrigerator.  The longer it incubates typically makes it thicker but it should thicken up a bit more when it cools in the fridge.  

It will not thicken to “Greek” style yogurt.  That requires an extra step, which we have not attempted yet.

Once you’ve opened a jar, please eat it within a week.  Unopened yogurt can usually keep for about a month.  (Ours has yet to last that long!)

Remember, the first time for a new recipe is always the hardest.  I promise it gets easier!

At this point you can flavor it with vanilla, honey, jam, or however you like.  I leave it plain (and this from the girl who “didn’t like yogurt” last season), throw in some fruit (I miss blueberries), and top it with some of my homemade granola. 

What’s your favorite yogurt dish?

Peace,

Stacey

To follow other "31 Days" journeys, check out The Nester.  She's hosting this party.  Thanks for the motivation to join this year.
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