Although we think few things are more delightful than a tall glass of fresh milk, we also enjoy other delicious things made from raw milk. One of the simplest things to do with milk is make yogurt. I’m going to give you the no-equipment-needed version and also the Instant Pot version.
A word of caution about using store-bought yogurt as a starter: Many store-bought yogurts, even organic brands, contain few live cultures or may contain fillers like pectin. When selecting a yogurt for your starter, make sure it lists "live active cultures" - the more the better! Make sure there are no other ingredients except milk and live culture. Always use Whole Milk Yogurt when possible.
1 quart of milk
2 tbs yogurt
OR
1 gallon of milk
For both methods, you need to understand what yogurt is. Yogurt is a fermented dairy product made by adding specific bacteria to milk, which thickens the milk and gives it a tangy flavor. This definition helps explain why the healthy, delicious, bacteria-filled milk must be heated to 180°F. This is the hardest part for many people, but if you understand that yogurt is a fermented product made by adding SPECIFIC BACTERIA to milk, you’ll see that without knocking back the good bacteria in the milk, your introduced bacteria won’t stand a chance.
To make the yogurt, heat your milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from sticking to the pan, until it steams and becomes slightly frothy at the edges. If it boils a bit, it’s not the end of the world, but you don’t want to scorch the milk. Remove from heat, and allow to cool to about 110 - 116 degrees (that's about the temperature of warm bath water - like the temperature of water you'd use to make something with yeast). Next, stir some of the warm milk into your starter yogurt until it's well mixed, and pour all of the milk and starter into your pot. I like to stir with a whisk to create a vortex in one direction, then the other, and then put your pot into an incubator. You’ll just need a way to ensure your milk mixture doesn't drop below 110 degrees - a styrofoam cooler filled with warm water, a crockpot set on low, or simply wrapping the milk mixture in a towel works well.
Now, let’s go with the Instant Pot method. Since both methods finish the same, I’ll put them together at the end.
This is how I make all of my yogurt now. It’s so easy and comes out perfect every time. Pour your milk into the IP pot and make sure you use the seal dedicated to making yogurt. Put your lid on and make sure your regulator is closed. Click on the Yogurt button until you see the word BOIL. Once your milk is heated, open the lid and wait for the temperature to drop to about 110-116 F. Again, this is just a nice, lukewarm temperature. Once it’s cooled, mix some of the warm milk into the yogurt starter and then add it to the pot. Stir with a whisk to create a vortex in one direction and then the other. I feel like the vortex really helps mix the yogurt culture into the milk. Put your lid back on and hit the Yogurt button until you see the desired time limit. I usually do 8-10 hours.
FINISHING
Whatever method you choose, prepare to keep the milk warm for about 8 hours. If you like a really sour yogurt, you can leave it longer, up to 24 hours. After that point, your yogurt will be set. One success tip is to handle the yogurt very gently at this point and transfer it to the refrigerator for 24 hours, so it will continue to set up. This is very important if you like thicker yogurt.
Make sure to reserve a half cup of yogurt for your next batch before adding fruit or honey.
