Make your own homemade Greek style yoghurt without tears
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Basics | 31 comments
Poor Danny got ticked off by the Tightwad Queen for dolloping too much Greek yoghurt on his chick pea cakes last week. TTQ wanted to use the rest of the pot for another meal. The Greek yoghurt that we like is expensive.
I hate being scratchy about money. Would far rather work a longer day and be lavish but the 2008 budget challenge has me checking outgoings like a deranged accountant. I decided that I’d put the rationed yoghurt topping in a bowl on the table rather than plonking the carton beside D, next time. I only had myself to blame.
Hours later, feeling guilty for my outburst, I cruised the internet in the hope of finding how to make Greek style yoghurt. I imagined that it would be a tricky process . I would probably have to buy a starter culture and sterilise the kitchen.
Within minutes I was amazed to find that I could make my on homemade Greek style yoghurt easily, thanks to the Bean-sprouts blog. This site is packed with interesting, useful posts. Melanie Rimmer’s smiling photograph makes me feel that someone sensible and practical is at the helm. Especially comforting when I discovered that she actually makes yoghurt in an ordinary Thermos.
I didn’t want to post this discovery until I had made the yoghurt myself. It’s easy to make. Especially if you have an unemployed jam thermometer (I tried using it once for jam and found the cold plate test to be a better option for me). From my decorating sojourns, I have a plethora of Thermoses (Thermii?) to choose from. *I selected one with a glass interior as they hold the heat better than the unbreakable stainless steel ones. I scalded it with boiling water as everything needs to be ultra clean.
Our jam thermometer suddenly came into its own and indicated exactly when I needed to add the remaining dollop of the prized carton of Deluxe Greek yoghurt. By morning we had tasty yoghurt. Pukka stuff, for a quarter of the price. The deranged accountant in me finally relaxed and took a long bath as the yoghurt strained though the muslin (this allows the slightly bitter fluid to drain away and produced a creamy Greek style yoghurt).
I finally dressed and called up the stairs.
“Danny do you want Greek yoghurt for breakfast?”
There was a flash as he passed me and laid the table with two bowls and a large jar of honey.
* Update: I tried making it in a stainless steel unbreakable thermos night last and it worked fine altough the set is not as thick. I’m going to experiment with warming the thermos before adding the milk and the culture.
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I have only just converted to making my own Yoghurt and have done quite a bit of experementation. The best one was useing the pure filtered milk now avaiable from Tesco Sainsburys etc. Instead of boiling this you only need to bring to the temperature as the milk is so pure. Just to make sure I contacted the milk marketing and a technician said it would be OK as long as I/you do not add bacteria. I just put it in my microwave. Save having to wait for it to boil.
I filter my yoghurt through a coffee filter paper
Has anyone tried making youhurt with soya milk?
Hi Sue
I haven’t tried making soya yoghurt but this looks like a good recipe
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/02/new-homemade-soy-yogurt-recipe-easier.html
I’ve made good yoghurt but find that i need a new starter every couple of batches. Is the way to keep it going longer?
Thank you, thank you, thank you and to your blog Mel…My husband recently had colon surgery and greek yogurt is soooo expensive where I live. I make greek yogurt twice a week now with my stainless steel wide mouth thermos. Per another page I use a glass pot watcher while heating milk, and a candy thermometer. Never a failure yet. I love this method.
Thanks to Melanie Rimmer’s patient instructions, I found a solution to making yogurt in the winter. After I prepare it, I put the 2 half liter jars in a warm oven. By morning , the yogurt is congealed and ready for refrigeration.
Hi Alisa
Do you have an airing supboard with a hot water tank?
If you do you could try putting it in there or use a thermos as described in the post above.
I make my yogurt exactly how Frank makes it and so far during the summer months here in sunny Israel my yogurt came out perfect. After I prepare it, I set it on the window sill and wrap a towel around the jars. But now that the nights are getting cooler, my yogurt is not as thick. Do any of you have any solutions?
Hello Roni
Yu need to follow the link on the post to the recipe for instructions. I use the beansprouts recipe and it works well for me.
You can buy muslin from John Lewis and most kitchen supplies type of shop (often called jelly bags and handy when you actually want to make jelly!. In desperation I’ve used kitchen role to strain jelly and it would work for making Greek yoghurt too.
I really enjoyed reading your instructions – but i didnt see anywhere how much milk to use and how much yogurt etc.
I have a mellerware yogurt maker and have lost the instructions. I would love some help for how to make yogurt and assume i just strain it to make it greek style. Where can i get muslin though?
Thanks