How to Make Greek Yogurt | Homemade Greek Yogurt Recipes - Cultures For Health (2024)

INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AT CULTURES FOR HEALTH

GATHERING SUPPLIES FOR YOUR HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT RECIPE

Greek Yogurt Starter Culture

The Greek Yogurt Starter Culture is an heirloom-style culture. Unlike direct-set starter cultures, which are single-use cultures (1 packet of starter can make 1 batch of yogurt), anheirloom yogurt culture is re-usable, meaning, that with the proper care, you can use it to make batch after batch of yogurt - indefinitely!

HOW TO MAKE GREEK YOGURT: THE INGREDIENTS AND TOOLS

Milk

You can use nearly any type of dairy milk to make Greek yogurt, but for best results, we recommend using whole pasteurized milk.

Avoid ultra-pasteurized or UHT milk when making yogurt. You can learn more about different milks for yogurt making, in our articleChoosing Milk for Making Yogurt.

If you'd prefer to use raw milk yogurt, please review theseSpecial Considerations for Making Raw Milk Yogurt.

Yogurt Maker or Other Appliance

TheGreek Yogurt Starter is a heirloom thermophilic (heat-loving) culture which means it will require a yogurt maker or other appliance to keep the milk warm during culturing.

While there are a number ofyogurt makers available, you can also culture yogurt without one. Here are some ideas forother ways to incubate your milk during the culturing process.

Next, let's talk about how to make Greek yogurt in a yogurt maker. The process is quite straightforward. The key is maintaining a consistent temperature, which a yogurt maker can effortlessly do. This helps the live cultures in the starter to properly ferment and convert the milk into yogurt. With a yogurt maker, you have a controlled environment that can consistently produce the perfect temperature for your Greek yogurt.

Other Greek Yogurt Supplies

In addition to the above staples, you will also need:

• Stainless steel pot (for heating milk)
• Thermometer
• Non-aluminum mixing utensil
• Greek Yogurt Strainer, cotton bag, orbutter muslin todrain whey

OurBasic Supply List for Making Yogurtcovers more tools that can be helpful in the yogurt making process.

GREEK YOGURT RECIPE: ACTIVATING THE GREEK YOGURT STARTER

The first step to making Greek yogurt at home is activating the starter culture. Occasionally the activation batch may have a very thin consistency, it may even be liquid and that's perfectly fine. The texture and consistency will even out over the next several batches.

1. Slowly heat 1 quart of pasteurized milk to 160°F.
   
   
   
2. Removethe milk from the heat and allow to cool to110°F.
3. Add1 packet of starter culture andmix well.
4. Pourmilk into containers,coverthe mixture, andincubateit at110°Ffor5-12 hoursin a yogurt maker or similar appliance.
5. Checkafter5 hoursto see if it has set. If it has not set,leave it for up to 12 hours,checking every30-60 minutes.Once it has set, or at the end of 12 hours,turn offthe yogurt maker,coverthe yogurt andallow it to coolfor2 hours.
6. Refrigeratethe yogurt forat least 6 hours. You can eat it at any time (refrigerating helps set the yogurt).
7. Don’t forget tosave 2-3 Tbsp.for culturing the next batch!

How to Make Regular Batches of Greek Yogurt

To keep your yogurt starterhealthy, you'll want to make anew batchof greek yogurtat least once a weekusing the steps below. It is very similar to the activation process, but this time you will be using yogurt from the previous batch as the starter.

1. Slowly heat1 quart of pasteurized milk to160°F.
2. Removethe milk from the heat and allow to cool to110°F.
3. Add 2-3 Tbsp. of yogurt from the previous batch (per quart of milk) andmix well.

For Larger Batches:You can make up to 2 quarts of yogurt per container, but keep your ratios consistent - too much yogurt starter can lead to bitter, grainy yogurt, while too little may make the yogurt under-culture, leading to thin, more bland yogurt.

4. Pourthe milk into the container(s),coverthe mixture, andculturefor 5-8 hours at110°F.After 5 hours,check the yogurt frequently by tilting the jar gently. If the yogurt moves away from the side of the jar in one mass instead of running up the side, it is finished culturing.
5. Once it has set,allow it tocool for 2 hours.
6. After 2 hours,refrigerateit for at least6 hoursbefore eating.
7. Don’t forget tosave 2-3 Tbsp. for culturing the next batch!

STRAINING THE GREEK YOGURT TO THICKEN IT

To achieve the traditionalGreek-style yogurtconsistency, you'll need tostrain the wheyfrom the yogurt. (Check outideas for using leftover whey here!)

1. Pouryogurt into aGreek Yogurt Strainer.
2. Coverandrefrigeratefor few hours.
3. Storethe yogurt once it has achieved the desired consistency.

You can learnmore ways to thicken homemade yogurt in our tutorial onThickening Homemade Yogurtwhich outlines different thickener options.

Are you looking for a healthier, cheaper, and more delicious alternative to store-bought yogurt? Download our Yogurt Guide and Recipe Today!

TROUBLESHOOTING HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT

While making your own yogurt only requires a few yogurt supplies and a bit of know how, if it's your first time making yogurt at home, we understand that you might run into some hiccups along the way. Read through ourYogurt Starter Troubleshooting FAQand feel free to reach out if you still need a helping hand. You can do this!

GREEK YOGURT RECIPES

Once you've finished culturing your yogurt, learn how to make yogurt taste betteraccording to your taste preference, try using it in one of these recipes, or browse our collection ofrecipes using yogurtfor more inspiration!

• Tzatziki Sauce
• Tomato Raita
• Grilled Peaches with Yogurt Raspberry Sauce