Best Homemade Plain Yogurt Recipes

HOMEMADE PLAIN WHOLE MILK YOGURT IN THE INSTANT POT RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the milk in the inner pot. Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing. Press the Yogurt button and then press the Yogurt or Adjust button until the display reads "Boil."
• Allow about 30 minutes for the program to finish. When it has finished, press Cancel until the display reads "Off." Use oven mitts to remove the inner pot (be careful-it's hot!) and place it on a trivet or other heat-resistant surface. Allow the milk to cool, stirring occasionally, until the temperature drops to 110°F as measured on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. (If you do not have a thermometer, use a small spoon to drip a few drops of the milk on the inside of your wrist. It should feel just above body temperature-very slightly warm but not hot. Err on the side of too cool, since too much heat will kill the necessary bacteria in the yogurt in the next step.)
• Add the yogurt to the inner pot and stir thoroughly.
• Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot. Press the Yogurt button and use the Yogurt or Adjust button to select the middle temperature ("Normal"). Use the − or + button to set the time to 8 hours. Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing.
• When the cycle ends, press Cancel and remove the lid. Stir the yogurt and then use a large spoon to scoop it into a container with a lid or single-serving containers with lids. Place the covered container(s) in the refrigerator to cool, about 3 hours, before serving.
• Whole Milk Yogurt will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

HOMEMADE PLAIN YOGURT

Steps:

• Place a large pot on the stovetop and place sterile 5 half-pint canning jars inside. Fill with enough water so that the jars are immersed up to their necks. Set the burner to low heat. The goal is to be able to maintain a consistent temperature between 110 degrees F and 115 degrees F (45 degrees C) for 4 to 6 hours. Check the temperature using a candy or meat thermometer periodically.
• Meanwhile, pour the milk and dry milk into a large saucepan. Stir to dissolve the powder and set over medium heat. Heat until just steaming; your thermometer should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from the heat and place the pan so the bottom is sitting in a bowl of ice water. Cool until the temperature has dropped to 115 degrees F (45 degrees C).
• When it reaches the temperature, remove it from the heat and stir about 1 cup of the milk into the plain yogurt until thoroughly blended. Stir this mixture back into the pan of milk.
• Pour the milk mixture into warm glass jars to within 1/2 inch of the rims. Set in the warm water bath. The water level should be up to the level of the yogurt in the jars. Cook uncovered and be sure to maintain the temperature at 110 to 115 degrees F (45 degrees C) for 4 to 6 hours. I like to do 6. Do not stir or poke the yogurt at all during this time - even if you are tempted! Doing this may cause it to become watery.
• When the time is about up, you can check the yogurt by pressing gently on the top or tipping the jars to see if it is set. It is done when the yogurt is firm and there is a thin layer of yellowish liquid on the top. Remove the jars from the water and dry off. Seal with clean lids and rings. They should be good to keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.
• Be sure to save a little extra out as a starter for the next batch. Over time your homemade yogurt will start to lose it's potency as starter (like making a copy of a copy of a copy), so every fourth or fifth batch you may want to use store-bought yogurt as starter. Just make sure it says ''live active cultures'' on the container. Good luck!