Introduction: How to Produce Inexpensive Natural Yogurt/Yoghurt

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Yoghurt/Yogurt is spelt two ways, either is the correct spelling, just personal preference.

How to produce inexpensive Natural Yoghurt

Yoghurt has been consumed by humans for hundreds of years.

However, it is not to everybody’s taste, natural yoghurt makes many people cringe, but what ever your taste yoghurt is good for you see the typical 7 Benefits of Yoghurt @ https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of...(unless you are lactose intolerant, of course).

It's very nutritious, and eating it regularly may boost several aspects of your health.
For example, yogurt has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as well as aid in weight management.

I have eaten yoghurt for many years mainly shop bought, ‘go to the supermarket and get what you like, take it home and enjoy’.

It then became apparent from many sources recently that commercial yoghurt had added sugar; much of the shop bought yoghurt especially the ‘low-fat’ is produced with added sugar to enhance the taste and flavour.

Being diagnosed as Type2 Diabetic I needed to find a solution from commercial yoghurt, after some research it was clear to me that yoghurt can be made at home, easily, very cost effectively and simply. Once the implements are bought the milk and culture are only pennies (0.59p 1L Long Life Milk: 0p your Live yoghurt [up to 30 batches from one packet dried culture]: 0.10p for dried Culture), which for me makes 7 150ml jars of natural yoghurt.

In this, my first 'Instructable' I will take you through the steps I use to produce my natural yoghurt...

Step 1:

Step 1. What you need

Ingredients

1 litre Long Life whole milk (in the UK this is in the Blue box){Organic, if that is your preference may be used but at 3 times the cost}

150ml of previous batch live yoghurt or sachet of dried starter culture (I got my starter from Ebay) or 150ml of shop bought LIVE yoghurt

150/200ml of pasteurised whole milk (not Raw milk)

Tools

1 Yoghurt makeror warm oven or consistently warm area in your home or homemade warm box (see links below from this site)

Appropriate containers (jars) to gently pour your fresh yoghurt mixture into (to incubate)

1 balloon whisk

2 litre plastic jug

Small spoon (teaspoon size) (I use a Latte spoon)

Microwave ({large enough to accept your jug} not absolutely necessary)

Step 2: ​Where to Start…

The first thing that needs to happen is ensure all your utensils are clean (they do not need to be disinfected) that is just washed and dried. Wash your hands and clean your work area.

I set up my yogurt maker, where it will need to stay, you may like to do the same, as it will sit for between 6 to 12hours (I make my mixture culture in the evening and leave until the morning about 12hours)

As I use a Severin (£20 Ebay) yoghurt maker I put the jars (with lids off) in the base unit and turn the unit on to start warming, before I make up the culture, the unit is away from where I mix the culture.

Step 3: ​Start of the Mixing Process

Open the box of Long Life whole milk and pore into the jug; (Long Life milk does not need to be brought to a high temperature like raw or pasteurised milk as it is Ultra Heat Treated and does not have the naughty bacteria that may cause stomach problems).

With the Long Life milk in the jug, put jug and milk into the microwave and ‘nuke’ for 30seconds (just to warm it a little, remove from the microwave and pore in some fresh pasteurised milk about 150ml; stir the milk with the balloon whisk (do not whisk to make bubbles) all you are doing is combining the two milks.

Step 4: Add the Culture

After a couple of minutes of back and forth stirring of the combined Long Life & Pasteurised Milk, leave the whisk standing in the jug and either tip in your dried starter culture from the packet that you have opened or add your live plain yoghurt by scraping it from the pot with the small spoon (please do not be tempted to lick the spoon whilst doing this). With either/or of your culture in the milk, using the whisk, stir (not vigorously) the new mixture so that the milk has been combined with the culture or live yoghurt.

One sachet is enough to make 1 litre of plain yogurt.

OK... What if?

If you are not able to get hold of Long Life milk but RAW milk is available, this would be the procedure...

  1. Boil 1 litre of RAW milk, then cool down to 43-44° C (not needed for Long Life milk)
  2. Pour in to cooled whole milk -- 1 sachet (1gram) of starter culture or 1 jar of live yoghurt.
  3. Stir with whisk for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Incubate for 6-12 hours, or until the yoghurt is thick.

The inoculated milk should be kept warm (ideally between 38°C and 44.5°C) throughout incubation period. Though slightly cooler temperatures may work.

Step 5: Where to Incubate

There are several options where to incubate your culture:

  • Use your oven. Keep the oven’s heat off but flip on the oven light. Place the covered pot in the oven and drape the top with a kitchen towel. (Don’t let the towel touch the light.) If your climate is especially cold, wrap the pot in a thicker towel.Be careful not to turn the oven on accidentally. Resist the temptation to open the oven during incubation. Depending on your climate and the oven’s insulation, the modest heat generated by the light is, in most cases, sufficient to incubate your yogurt in 6 to 12 hours, but it may take a bit longer. The longer you incubate the yogurt, the tarter it will be.
  • Find a warm spot in your home. If you’ve got a warm spot in the kitchen or elsewhere in your home—near (but not directly on top of ) a heating vent, or by a sunny and draft-free window—you can wrap your lidded pot with a thick towel and incubate it there. Depending on the warmth of your spot and the ambient temperature of your home, your yogurt should be ready in 6 to 12 hours, but it may take a bit longer.
  • Use a proprietary yoghurt maker with jars and lids

How do you know when the yogurt is ready?

Regardless of incubation method, your yogurt is ready when it’s thick and looks like 'not runny milk'. It’s really that simple. It should be set and wobble only slightly when you jiggle the pot. When you slip a clean spoon into the yogurt and push some gently aside, some watery whey will fill in the wake. This is perfectly normal, as is a layer of cloudy whey that may (in some cases) float on top. Don’t taste your yogurt yet. Yogurt will thicken further and, develop optimal flavour after chilling.

Step 6: Enjoy...

Your yoghurt is now finished, just chill to enhance the flavour

This introduces you to my inexpensive method for plain/natural yoghurt making, the cost I estimate for me to make 7 jars of plain natural live yoghurt is £0.75p sterling. Most shop bought live yoghurts are way more expensive than that.

Give it a go, it just requires 30min of your time and a little planning

Thanks for dropping by, hope you enjoyed looking through my first instructable, please vote for me in the First Time Author comp

Step 7: Update...

Well...

I found another culture that is Rose flavoured

It seems to be not as sharp as the Natural Yoghurt