Homemade Greek Yogurt Recipe
This homemade Greek yogurt recipe will help the new yogurt maker gain the confidence and skills to make yogurt at home. With just 2 ingredients and a home oven, ferment milk into thick and creamy Greek yogurt.
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Ingredients
- 8 cups Milk
- ½ cup yogurt starter or yogurt with live cultures
Instructions
Heat and Cool the Milk
- Pour 8 cups of milk into a large pot.
- Place the pot on the stove and heat it over medium heat. While stirring occasionally, slowly warm the milk, but don't let it boil. Heat until the milk reaches 195°F/91°C.
- Continue stirring and hold the milk at this temperature for 10 minutes.
- Remove the milk from the stove and let the milk cool to 100°F/38°C - 110°F/43°C. This takes about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the pot in a sink filled with ice water to cool quickly.
Add Yogurt Culture
- Once the milk is cool, add ½ cup of store-bought yogurt into a small bowl.
- Ladle about 1 cup warm milk into the bowl and stir to thin the yogurt. Pour the thin yogurt mixture into the pot of warm milk. Stir to distribute the starter culture into the milk.
- If you find yourself making yogurt often, it may be beneficial to invest in a special yogurt proofer. However, it's one more thing to buy and store. I find that the oven with the light on creates the ideal warm place for the yogurt to ferment.
Ferment | Incubate
- Cover the pot with the lid and place it in an oven with the oven light on.
- Let the milk sit, undisturbed, for 8 to 24 hours. Check the yogurt at the 6-hour mark if you want a mild flavor. The yogurt is done when its set, and holds its shape when you jiggle the bowl. The longer the yogurt sits, the tangier it becomes.
- Be sure to save a little bit of yogurt to act as the starter for your next batch of yogurt.
Strain
- Once the yogurt is done fermenting to your liking, add it to a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a large bowl to catch the whey. Cover the top of the strainer with a plate or a piece of plastic wrap to keep the yogurt from forming a skin on top. Place the bowl and straining set up in the fridge. This will let the whey separate from the yogurt.
- Check the yogurt after an hour or two. The yogurt is done when it reaches your desired consistency. The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker it will be!
- Next, gently spoon the yogurt from the cloth lining and place it into a clean container. I like to use wide-mouth pint-sized mason jars.
- The finished yogurt will have a creamy, thick texture.
- There will be a few cups of whey at the bottom of the bowl, depending on how long you've let the yogurt strain.
Store
- Place the fresh yogurt into the fridge, covered, and store it for up to a month. If you added fresh fruit, the yogurt won't last as long. If it smells off, throw it out. Like many fermented foods, the yogurt will become more acidic the longer it sits.
Notes
What's the Difference Between Greek Yogurt and Homemade Yogurt?
Greek yogurt has been strained, allowing the whey to separate from the rest of the yogurt, resulting in a thick, creamy yogurt.
What Kind of Milk is Best for Homemade Yogurt?
Yogurt made with whole milk will have a thicker consistency and more flavor. Using milk with a lower fat content will produce a thinner yogurt.
Can I Use Store-Bought Greek Yogurt as a Starter?
Yes, as long at the yogurt has live, active cultures in it.
Can You Turn Plain Yogurt into Greek Yogurt?
Greek yogurt is the same as regular yogurt, but thicker. After going through the straining process, the whey separates from plain yogurt, leaving behind a thick and creamy Greek-style yogurt.
Tips
- Like any fermented food, it's important to start with clean equipment.
- Use good quality milk. Like most recipes that have just a few ingredients, it's best to choose high quality ingredients because each one counts.
- If you are fermenting any other foods, like sourdough or kombucha, it's important that each type of food has some distance from other ferments.
- Add sweeteners after the yogurt is done fermenting to avoid feeding the wrong bacteria. The lactic acid-loving bacteria will feed on lactose present in the milk.
Nutrition
Calories: 292.8kcalCarbohydrates: 22.8gProtein: 16gFat: 15.6gSaturated Fat: 9.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.4gCholesterol: 58.6mgSodium: 185.4mgPotassium: 732mgSugar: 23.5gVitamin A: 790.6IUCalcium: 600.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
