Crockpot Greek Yogurt

Today is all about yogurt...Greek yogurt. Yummy, thick, full of goodness, Greek yogurt.  I used to dislike the tanginess of Greek yogurt until about 6 months ago.  I don't really know why I decided to give it another try, but I'm so glad I did.  The problem?  It's pretty pricey!  Generic brands from local discount stores can run almost $5, while the organic or higher quality brands closer to $10.  When you can eat through a container as fast as I can...let's just say that I was thrilled to learn I could make this at home for a fraction of the cost.  All you need is milk, powdered milk, some Greek yogurt (I know, why do you need yogurt to make yogurt you ask...for the healthy bacteria.  But thankfully, you only need it once...the next batch you can use your homemade yogurt).

Crockpot Greek Yogurt

This is a super super easy way to have homemade Greek yogurt without spending a fortune at the stores.  Only 3 ingredients plus a crock pot are needed.  Making it in a crock pot does take time, however.  But it's not time consuming...you can pour it in the crock pot and let the magic happen.  So, while some planning is needed to have yummy Greek yogurt, it's not hard work. 

Here's what you need:

8 cups milk (I used non-fat, any will work)
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (store-bought...you will need this to start your yogurt.  It contains all the bacteria needed to make yogurt.  Once you make your own you can use 1/2 cup of the homemade for future batches)
Candy thermometer (you don't HAVE to have one, but I find it very important to understand how long you need to cook your yogurt.  Once you know how long it takes to hit a certain temperature, you won't have to use it again)

To start:  Pour 8 cups of milk into your crockpot and turn on high.  You want the milk to heat to 180 degrees F (this is why you use the candy thermometer).  My crockpot took 2 1/2 hrs to reach this temp.  Since I know how long it took, I won't have to use the thermometer the next time. Once the milk reaches 180 F, turn off the crockpot, remove the lid and let it cool to 110 F (again, use the candy thermometer and keep track of how long it takes...mine took about 1 1/2hrs).

Once the milk has cooled, add 1 cup of powdered milk and 1/2 cup of yogurt to the milk and mix well. 

Then put the lid back on and wrap the unplugged crock pot in towels to keep warm.  I used 2 towels and wrapped the sides and top.  Now, you can go to bed, or just walk away for the day.  Let the crockpot sit for about 9 hours (I wrapped my crockpot last night at 11pm and uncovered it at 7am this morning...I have read that you can leave it sit anywhere from 8-12hrs...the longer it sits, the tangier it gets).

Wake up in the morning and uncover to find beautiful, homemade yogurt!  See how thick it is?!  At this point the yogurt is "officially" done and can be eaten any way you like yogurt.  If, however, you checked out this post because, like me, you love Greek yogurt and wanted to make Greek yogurt, there is one more step.

 

Dig out your colander and a large bowl.  You are going to drain the whey out of the yogurt (this is the clear liquid you see on the top of yogurt...you can keep it and add it to smoothies for extra protein and nutrients). 

If you have cheesecloth, you can line the colander with that, but I don't, so I just used coffee filters.

Then just pour in the yogurt and put in the refrigerator for as long as it takes to get the consistency you prefer.  I like my yogurt really thick so I usually leave it for about 6-8hrs.  Your choice though :)

Here is a picture of the whey in the bottom bowl.  It has the consistency of egg whites, in my opinion.  It's fully of healthy stuff and many people use it in their smoothies for extra protein.  I don't make smoothies much at all so I usually don't keep it.

And here it is!  Lot's of yummy homemade Greek yogurt!  I love it with a teaspoon of agave and vanilla...mmmm...now I can't wait for breakfast!  I hope you enjoy it just as much!  Be sure to tell me how you like to eat your yogurt.

 

 

Happily Homemade

Sandra