Friday, February 11, 2011

Crockin' The 'Gurt

If the crock pot's a-crockin', don't come a-knockin'!

A friend gave me her recipe for homemade 'gurt in the crock.

Crock Pot Yogurt
Recipe Notes - I add 1/2 cup of powdered milk to help thicken my yogurt slightly. It’s completely optional.

•Heat 1/2 gallon of milk (with optional 1/2 cup of powdered milk mixed in) on high for approx 2 hours (temp must be above 180 degrees).
•Turn off your crock pot off and let the milk cool in the pot with the lid on for approx 2 1/2 hours (until liquid cools to 110 degrees).
•Add container of plain yogurt or yogurt cultures (you can buy this at Amazon for a very reasonable price). Use a whisk to mix well.
•Place the cover back on the crock and wrap the entire crock pot in a thick bath towel or blanket.
•Let it culture overnight, 8-12 hours.
•In the morning stir yogurt (if desired) and store in glass quart jars or a container of your choice.
•For optimum texture, refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.

Homemade yogurt isn’t as thick as the store bought kind because they add gelatin and preservatives to firm it up.

Mix your sweetener and fruits of choice in to the yogurt before eating.

ETA: 2/18/11 I made a batch last night. I varied the proportions a bit, as I have a smaller crock pot. I used a little more than 1 quart of skim milk, plus added an entire envelope of dried milk to it. Brought it to a boil on the stove, stirring to keep from getting burnt. Meanwhile I had my crock pot heating up. My crock doesn't have different settings. I tempered a bit of the hot milk w/the yogurt I was using as a culture (1/2 Greek type; 1/2 Indian "dahi"), then mixed it in once the milk had cooled a bit, wasn't boiling hot but still considerably warm. I poured it into the hot crock. Unplugged the crock, and wrapped it with a thick towel to retain the heat, and left it overnight. I woke up this a.m. with a crock full of 'gurt. It's in the fridge cooling off.

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