Yogurt making, the easy Homestead Moma way.

   This is so super easy that my 6yr old begged to be our in house yogurt maker, and loves the job. We could'nt be happier. Homesteading skills are not all hard, or I would not be doing them. Grab your little people and "grow together", in this case it's probiotics. Teach them this one easy trick and you'll have it made. It really takes 10 minutes to put together. Oh and please don't waste your time telling me, it might not be safe because you aren't using proper ($200) equipment. I like doing things the old fashion way, so thanks but we've done it like this for years. If it's bad, it's because there is bad Milk used, and you'll know it by the look(like cheese) and smell. Yogurt smells a little sour anyway, so you know it's bad when it really WREAKS! Very rarely does that happen. And again do you know your milk source?
Things Needed:
Pint or Quart Jar (must be glass)
Yogurt (I prefer/like Greek) when$ will allow
Milk
Sugar or Honey
Just place 1/2 Cup of your yogurt of choice into a pint jar or 1Cup into a quart.
Top with 2 Tblspn Sugar or Honey for pint, 4 Tblspn for quart. Top with milk.
Put on lid, shake VIGOROUSLY. To evenly disperse among milk. It may have clumps at the bottom of jar and not make as well if it's not mixed in good. Then simply place outside in a sunny spot. The glad will make a greenhouse/solar cooker for it and Viola! It's done. Really were all those gadgets to "make yogurt" used 100 yrs ago? No! So let it sit all day and at nightfall you'll have yogurt. If not, let it sit another day. The idea is to let it incubate or grow the good bacteria. And needs a temp in the upper nineties for about 12-18 hrs to do so. Don't put it out in the daytime(afternoon), because it's not getting all day sun. Don't start after say 12pm noon. Unless it's pretty warm outside. If you need to make with "them" in afternoon. Just put out next morning. If it is real hot and sunny, 90 degrees or more, put in a place that will give some shade/some sun. 1/2 and 1/2. You'll know it's done when it pulls away from the jar in a solid clump, or has the thick look of jelly. It can over cook. So watch it. Or if it's fall and cool outside, place in front window of a car that does not have tinted windows. Free solar cooker! I have mine here on the greenhouse shelf, and just left doors and window open to prevent overheating. Trick here is it takes getting direct sunlight! If your greenhouse is not translucent put in full sun. Like now in the fall, I'd do full sun on a piece of aluminum foil to help heat rise temp. ***Or place in oven with light on, and oven off. Another option is place in crockpot alternating between warm and off through the day. Idea is to keep warm. Once gelled, refrigerate and reserve a small amount to do again. If you can keep it going, it's like sour dough starter. In this manner you won't need to buy yogurt, at least for a long while.
   Occasionally it can go bad, but if it does it's because you've got bacteria in your milk. IE. Bad Milk. Yogurt is a natural process, like cheese of the good bacteria growing and "contaminating" the whole container of milk. If you end up with something that smells real bad, IT IS! It should not have a "cheesy look and smell", like a baby bottle that was left in the car on a hot day. Dump it and try again. It only costs pennies to do this anyway. In fact when these pictures were taken we did 2quarts and 1pint, and we saved about $15 in what we would spend at the store for that much yogurt.

  ****Homemade yogurt is a little runny because you don't add in all the "unhealthy" additives to thicken it up. Just put into frig till good and cold. A couple of hours. Just hold with spoon or cheese cloth and pour off whey to get the liquid off, if you would like. I usually don't bother. Also a good Greek yogurt to use as starter produces a better, less whey containing, end product!!! I don't mess with pouring of any whey when using a good Greek type to start with. When pouring off whey, easy or you'll loose the soft yogurt. Mix, and keep in frig. Throw in some fruit and it is soooo good! Happy "growing bacteria together".

Add Yogurt, milk, and sugar.

 

Lick spoon!

 

Shake well.

Let sit in warm spot 12 to 24hrs.