Homemade yogurt is surprisingly easy and keeps in the refrigerator for about a month. It’s a simple as heating milk, adding a starter, cooking the yogurt, then straining. The additional step of straining out as much of the whey as possible will result in a rich and creamy Greek yogurt (skip this step and you have regular yogurt). Keep it plain or add your favorite flavorings, such as jam or honey. For savory versions - which is excellent on baked potatoes or with lamb meatballs - add a blend of freshly chopped herbs, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Tip: save at least 3 tablespoons of your finished yogurt to use as a starter for your next batch.
Sous Vide Greek Yogurt
- 4 servings
- Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 115° F / 46° C
- 1 quart whole goat’s or cow’s milk, preferably organic
- 3 tablespoons full fat organic yogurt (with live active cultures) or yogurt starter
- Additional equipment: cheesecloth, strainer, and a bowl that the strainer can fit on.
Directions
- In a large saucepan heat milk until it reaches 185° F / 85° C on a digital or candy thermometer.
- Once the milk has reached temperature, remove from heat and allow to cool to 100°-110° F (39° - 43° C). To accelerate the cooling process, place jar of yogurt in a bath of cool water with ice. Keep an eye on the thermometer, as you do not want the temperature to fall below 100° F / 39° C.
- Whisk the room temperature plain yogurt (or starter) with the milk then seal the jar tightly.
- Place in the water bath and set the time for 24 hours. Keep an eye on the water level to ensure the jar remains submerged.
- After 24 hours, remove jar from water.
- Carefully pour the yogurt into a strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth.
- Place in the refrigerator until much of the whey is drained and the yogurt is thick, at least 4 hours.
- Spoon into a quart size container or four individual jars (~1 cup each) and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Next up Crispy, juicy, salty, and sometimes a little spicy. When done right, it's the guilty pleasure you would eat 7 nights out of the week, and maybe sometimes the next morning for breakfast...
