The Big Method: How We Make Our Yogurt

Everyone has their own methods, I guess. I tried the one where you pour your yogurt culture and milk into one of those automated yogurt-maker machines. I didn't like it because it was tedious and the yogurt containers that came with the set were too small. Therefore, I opted for The Big Method of yogurt making. 

Acquire Quality Milk

Number one. Our dairy goat, Edna, is a great animal. She produces about 1/2 gallon of raw goat milk daily, on average. If you want to make yogurt, you need a source for your raw milk. Dairy goats are the best source for us because the quantity they produce is manageable for a small family like ours. You should consider a dairy goat. 

Number two. Find a culture you like. We really have great success with Cultures for Health. Cultures for Health provides instructions for making yogurt. We followed them for a while, but have adjusted now to The Big Method. It has drawbacks. You cannot re-use the culture for one. But the culture packets only cost a few dollars and you can make about 10 pints of yogurt so that is still cost effective.

The Big Method

• Put a gallon of raw milk into a large enamel pot. Slowly heat the milk to a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Add the culture packet to the milk and stir it with a wooden spoon for about 10 seconds. No need to stir more.
  
• Put your pot in a warm spot in your home. Our home stays between 55 and 70. We put our yogurt next to bricks of our chimney, which is slightly warmer than ambient air. (The wood stove that heats our home is down below in our basement.)
  
• Take an electric heat blanket. Set it to low. Drape it across the top and around the pot.
  
• Cover the electric heat blanket and pot up with a cloth blanket.
  
• Let the concoction culture for at least 12 hours.
  
• Check it for viscosity. If it is creamy, it is ready.
  
• Prepare 10 or so pint storage jars. You need tops also.
  
• Stir the yogurt up with a wooden spoon.
  
• Pour yogurt into the pint jars and put the tops on them.
  
• Refrigerate for a few hours. 

Fantastic!