Yogurt Made With Raw Milk
Our family uses raw milk for making yogurt. This recipe is the simplest way I know how to make a lot of yogurt in the shortest amount of time. I try and make 3-4 gallons at least once every week and a half.
I place all my jars and funnel by the sink.
I pour all 3-4 gallons of milk in a huge stockpot and bring it to 110 degrees F (not any warmer if you want your milk to be raw.) I then stir in 3/4 of a cup of previous (or organic store bought) yogurt. You can also use a yogurt starter, but that is more expensive. Whisk really well until all the lumps of the yogurt are incorporated. Check the temperature to make sure it is still close to 110 degrees.
I then funnel the milk in gallon glass jars.
Place the lid on top of the jars and incubate them in a large cooler. I pour enough hot water in it to reach the neck of where my yogurt is in the jar. Do not submerge your jars. Check the temperature. You don’t want your water to dip below 90 degrees or your milk will not culture. My water is anywhere from 115-120 degrees when I close the lid. Incubate milk at least 12-24 hours, depending on how sour you want your yogurt to be.
The next morning, I check the temperature to make sure the milk was able to culture and place them in the fridge.
(I have some children who like it thicker and there are 2 ways to do this. First, you can pasteurize it. Or the second, I use gelatin to thicken it. If this is your preferable method, add 1 teaspoon per quart of cold milk before heating it up. Continue with above directions.)
I hope you find this doable and easy. Our older children are able to do this themselves now and have been such a blessing for our family to consistently have this available at a fraction of the cost in the stores.
Happy yogurt making friends!
Natalie