Hello,

I have a few questions about homemade yogurt. I just tried making it
myself last week for the first time, so I haven't quite gotten the
hang of it yet. I didn't use a yogurt maker. I just heated the milk
until it reached 190 deg. F, and then cooled it to approximately 110F
(but see my question about thermometers below). Then I poured it into
a big thermos, added the culture, and let it sit overnight.

It was successful - what I ended up with was yogurt - but I didn't
care for the texture, which was kind of grainy. I'd like it to have a
really smooth texture. As far as viscosity, it was perfect - not too
runny, but also not "gelatinous", as some commercial yogurts seem to
be. For comparison, my favorite commercial yogurt is the 2% organic I
buy at Trader Joe's.

So, here are the questions, in no particular order:

1. How do I get a smoother texture? Should I try a different starter
culture? For this batch I used Brown Cow plain yogurt, and I put it
into 2% fat, pasteurized milk. Maybe I should just try using the
Trader Joe's yogurt as a starter, since I like that kind so much? Do
different starters yield differently textured results?

BTW, I tried making this batch a little smoother by using my
immersion blender on it. That was a mistake - I now have a
yogurt-flavored beverage.

2. I don't have a thermometer that covers temperatures between about
106 to 140F. For the heating phase, I used a meat thermometer, and I
used that for part of the cooling phase also. But when it got well
below 140, I switched to a fever thermometer, which turned out not to
be very helpful, as it simply displayed "H". (I assume this means
"HIGH, get your ass to the ER", etc. ) Can anyone suggest a useful
thermometer that will measure liquids between, say, 100 and 140F?

By the way, I did do plenty of sterilization before using any of the
equipment I did use. Just saying that so I won't be deluged by tons
of warnings about that.

Thanks!
Joyce

--
There is no alternative to being yourself.

On 16 Feb 2010 20:10:22 GMT, wrote:

>Hello,
>
>I have a few questions about homemade yogurt. I just tried making it
>myself last week for the first time, so I haven't quite gotten the
>hang of it yet. I didn't use a yogurt maker. I just heated the milk
>until it reached 190 deg. F, and then cooled it to approximately 110F
>(but see my question about thermometers below). Then I poured it into
>a big thermos, added the culture, and let it sit overnight.
>
>It was successful - what I ended up with was yogurt - but I didn't
>care for the texture, which was kind of grainy. I'd like it to have a
>really smooth texture. As far as viscosity, it was perfect - not too
>runny, but also not "gelatinous", as some commercial yogurts seem to
>be. For comparison, my favorite commercial yogurt is the 2% organic I
>buy at Trader Joe's.
>
>So, here are the questions, in no particular order:
>
>1. How do I get a smoother texture? Should I try a different starter
>culture? For this batch I used Brown Cow plain yogurt, and I put it
>into 2% fat, pasteurized milk. Maybe I should just try using the
>Trader Joe's yogurt as a starter, since I like that kind so much? Do
>different starters yield differently textured results?
>
>BTW, I tried making this batch a little smoother by using my
>immersion blender on it. That was a mistake - I now have a
>yogurt-flavored beverage.
>
>2. I don't have a thermometer that covers temperatures between about
>106 to 140F. For the heating phase, I used a meat thermometer, and I
>used that for part of the cooling phase also. But when it got well
>below 140, I switched to a fever thermometer, which turned out not to
>be very helpful, as it simply displayed "H". (I assume this means
>"HIGH, get your ass to the ER", etc. ) Can anyone suggest a useful
>thermometer that will measure liquids between, say, 100 and 140F?
>
>By the way, I did do plenty of sterilization before using any of the
>equipment I did use. Just saying that so I won't be deluged by tons
>of warnings about that.
>
>Thanks!
>Joyce


Joyce,

I've made yogurt a number of times, but haven't experienced the
graininess you describe.

First, check out Dr. Fankhauser's instructions:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser...YOGURT2000.htm

Since your yogurt tasted OK, the Brown Cow was probably as good as any
as a starter. What counts is that you have active cultures of
lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. Did you
check the "best eaten by" date? It's possible the Brown Cow had been
sitting on the shelf for a while and that the cultures weren't very
active.

The thermometer I use is CDN brand. I picked it up for about $10 at
one of the local stores that specialize in kitchen tools. It has a
large round dial and goes from 60-220. Just the right range for
yogurt and cheese making.

- Mark

Mark A.Meggs wrote:

> I've made yogurt a number of times, but haven't experienced the
> graininess you describe.

> First, check out Dr. Fankhauser's instructions:

> http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser...YOGURT2000.htm

Thanks, that was very clear. And now I don't feel like I was a nutcase
for boiling the thermos for 10 minutes in a large pot. I also boiled
the spoon I planned to use. For the thermometer, I sterilized it with
alcohol prior to use.

> Since your yogurt tasted OK, the Brown Cow was probably as good as any
> as a starter. What counts is that you have active cultures of
> lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. Did you
> check the "best eaten by" date? It's possible the Brown Cow had been
> sitting on the shelf for a while and that the cultures weren't very
> active.

That might be true. I might've checked, and if so, it must have seemed
acceptable to me. But I didn't actually make the yogurt until several
days after buying the milk and the starter.

> The thermometer I use is CDN brand. I picked it up for about $10 at
> one of the local stores that specialize in kitchen tools. It has a
> large round dial and goes from 60-220. Just the right range for
> yogurt and cheese making.

The site mentioned a candy thermometer. At least now I know what to
look for and where to look for it.

I'm surprised that this site says to let it sit for only 3 hours. Other
recipes I've seen say 8-12 hours. I left mine overnight and that seemed
to work fine.

One question: why did it revert to a liquid when I used the immersion
blender? I thought it would just be a little more creamy.

Thanks,
Joyce

--
Mother teach me to walk again
Milk and honey, so intoxicating
-- Sarah McLaughlin

Mark A.Meggs wrote:

>> One question: why did it revert to a liquid when I used the immersion
>> blender? I thought it would just be a little more creamy.

> Just a guess - milk is basically water and protein. As milk, the
> protein molecules stay tightly coiled up. The acid makes them unwind
> and "stick together". The water molecules get bound up in the mesh of
> protein molecules and the whole thing thickens. When you blended it,
> you broke up the chains of protein and released the water.

Oh, that makes a lot of sense, thanks!

> Whole milk - I know it's got more calories, but the way to get really
> creamy yogurt at home is whole milk. Dannon or Yoplait can do it fat
> free because they use emulsifiers and/or have industrial techniques we
> don't have at home.

Sorry, I should have used clearer language. When I said "creamy", I
didn't literally mean "like cream". I just meant having a smooth
consistency, not grainy. (So why didn't I just say "smooth"? )

I prefer 2% milk over whole milk for most things. I'm going to try
it again with a different starter yogurt to see if that turns out
better.

Also, I bought another thermometer that measures temperatures in
the 100-140F range, which is not covered by my other one - no more
guessing.

Joyce

--
I'm in favor of animal liberation. Why? Because I'm an animal.
-- Edward Abbey

bulka wrote:

> Yogurt-flavored beverage - not exactly kefir, but probably nothing
> that should be tossed. Some lime, garlic, maybe even water or ice -
> surprisingly refreshiing on a hot day.

Sure! Bananas, raspberries - I could make a smoothie. But next time,
because I finished this one already.

> My few experiments years ago had very varied results - I remember a
> beautiful, sweet creamy batch, and one horrible bitter one that I
> assume had visitors from the ambient air, and others in between. A
> long time ago, in college. I think I had a cheap dedicated machine
> and also tried it with pots, bowls, jars. Probably a commercial
> yogurt as starter. Long since decided that on the few occasions I
> want yogurt, it is easiest to go to the grocery and try to find one
> not filled with jelly.

If I didn't eat a lot of yogurt, I wouldn't bother, either. But I eat
it every day, and I hate generating so much plastic waste. My city
doesn't even recycle that type of container, so I have to sneak over
to a neighboring city that does, and deposit them into a friend's
recycle bin. I've sometimes given them away on freecycle - art teachers
often take them - but even after they're reused, they still end up in
a landfill somewhere. So that's my reason for making my own. I just
hope I can make some that tastes really good.

Joyce

--
I'm in favor of animal liberation. Why? Because I'm an animal.
-- Edward Abbey