Crock Pot Homemade Yogurt Food

CROCK-POT HOMEMADE YOGURT RECIPE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours or until the temperature of the milk reaches 180° F (82° C) on an instant read thermometer or candy thermometer.
• Unplug the slow cooker and let the milk sit with the lid on undisturbed for 3 hours.
• Remove lid from slow cooker and gently whisk in the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with live cultures
• Place lid back on slow cooker and wrap the entire slow cooker with heavy towels to insulate the slow cooker.
• Let sit unplugged on the counter for 8 hours or overnight.
• For a thicker yogurt (Greek style) set a colander over a large bowl and line the a colander with several layers of cheesecloth, clean tea towel or coffee filters and place the bowl with colander and yogurt in it in the refrigerator and strain the whey off the yogurt until the yogurt is as thick as you like it. 2 to 3 hours should be sufficient.
• Serve yogurt with fresh fruit, yogurt and sweetener of your choice.

YOGURT (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Combine milk and powdered milk in crockpot set on high; heat until temperature reaches 200 degrees F. (A small sauce pan can be used, however watch carefully that the milk does not burn.).
• Allow milk to cool until it is warm, not hot (110 degrees F).
• Add the plain yogurt and stir well.
• Fill thermos with hot water.
• Drain hot water from wide-mouthed thermos and fill with yogurt mixture.
• Cap and set aside for 4 to 8 hours.
• The longer the yogurt sets the sharper the flavor.
• Store in the refrigerator; the yogurt will continue to thicken.
• Sweeten with fruit or honey.

CROCK POT YOGURT

Steps:

• Pour the milk into the crock pot and turn it on low. Let sit 2.5 hours.
• Unplug crock pot, leave lid on. Let sit for 3 hours.
• Ladle out a bit of the milk and stir it in with the yogurt starter. This yogurt MUST have live cultures. I used nonfat, plain Greek yogurt.
• Mix in pudding mix.
• Return the mixture to the crock pot and the rest of the milk; stir. Put lid back on and cover with a heavy bath towel or blanket (pot still unplugged). This is its insulator. Leave it like this at least 8 hours.
• The longer it sits, the tart-er it gets. I like mine nice and tart.
• It will be thin. If you want it thicker, place coffee filters in a colander and drain off whey. You can save the whey for cooking, as it is very healthy!
• You can use 2 tbs fat free dry milk or 1 packet plain gelatin in place of pudding mix. I just happened to have pudding mix on hand.
• Mix some jam, fresh fruit, etc. into it when you serve. If you don't use vanilla pudding mix, it could also be a great base for dips or sauces.

SLOW COOKER YOGURT

Steps:

• Place four 10-ounce jars in a slow cooker. Fill slow cooker with water up to 1/3 inch of the jar rims. Remove jars and set aside.
• Cover slow cooker and preheat on High while you prepare the yogurt for about 20 minutes.
• Pour milk and milk powder into a saucepan and whisk to dissolve. Heat over medium heat until just steaming and a thermometer reads 179 degrees F (82 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place the bottom of the pan into a bowl of ice water. Cool milk mixture until the temperature has dropped to 114 degrees F (46 degrees C). Lift pan out of the ice water.
• Measure about 1 cup of milk and pour into a bowl. Stir in yogurt until thoroughly blended. Return yogurt mixture to the pan of milk. Pour milk mixture into the 4 glass jars, filling up to 1/2 inch of the rims.
• Check the temperature of the water in the slow cooker is no higher than 114 degrees F (46 degrees C). If it is cooler, cover slow cooker again, and allow to come to temperature. If it is too hot, uncover and turn off slow cooker.
• Set jars in the warm water; the water level should be up to the level of the yogurt in the jars. Cover with a folded dish towel and then with the slow cooker lid. Turn slow cooker off. Allow to set for 6 hours, keeping the water at 114 degrees F (46 degrees C) as best you can. Check the temperature with your thermometer after about 2 hours, taking care not to disturb the yogurt. If the water is lower than 114 degrees F (46 degrees C), turn slow cooker to Warm for 10 minutes, then shut off again. Check temperature again at the 4-hour mark and repeat. Do not stir or poke the yogurt at all during this time.
• Check the yogurt after 6 hours 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. Top with clean lids and place in the refrigerator.