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Home ยป Gluten-Free

How to Make Yogurt

Dec 3, 2008 · 21 Comments

Comfy Belly: Yogurt and berries

Making yogurt is easier than you might think. While it's not necessary to own a yogurt makerโˆ’there are many techniques, from using a dehydrator to using a heating pad or placing a jar in a cabinet with a lampโˆ’it does make the process easier and some of them come with nice glass jars you can use to store and transport the yogurt in.

For the past several years I have used an Excalibur dehydrator to make yogurt, which is great to have if you want to make other things like dried herbs, dehydrated veggies and fruits, and fruit roll-ups.

Keep the yogurt at a steady low heat between 100ยฐF/38ยฐC and 110ยฐF/43ยฐC to give it time to culture. You can also use an Instant Pot to make yogurt, and just extend the time to culture the yogurt for 24 hours if you're making SCD yogurt.

For a quick read on culturing for between 4 to 8 hours, here is a good online source: Harold McGee on Yogurt, The New York Times. When culturing for 24 hours (lactose-free yogurt that is used for the SCD diet) check out Breaking the vicious cycle.

Yogurt Starters

Along with milk, you need a yogurt starter that kicks off the growth of good bacteria (cultures) and turns the milk into yogurt. The yogurt starter contains the bacteria that will digest the lactose (milk sugar).

You can use a plain, high quality yogurt that doesn't contain any additives other than bacterial cultures. For SCD use a yogurt starter that contains only the following bacterial strains: Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bulgaricus, and Streptococcus Thermophilus.

I use the yogurt starter from GIProHealth and they also sell a dairy-based and a dairy-free yogurt starter. If you want to use store-bought yogurt, here is a list of SCD-compatible commercial brand yogurt starters.

You can also use heavy cream in the yogurt making process to create a sour cream, crรจme fraรฎche, and whipped crรจme fraรฎche.

As featured in
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
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How to Make Yogurt

Iโ€™ve listed exact temperatures below for accuracy, however I usually make it without testing the temperatures by just looking for a few signs. I know the milk is sufficiently warmed in step 1 when it has a film on top and it is simmering and on the edge of a low boil. I then cool it for 15 minutes at room temperature and then go on to step 2.
Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 cups milk cow, goat and sheep milk work well
  • about 1 tablespoon yogurt starter
  • Sterile container and cover

Instructions

  • Pour the milk into a saucepan, place it on a low to medium heat and bring the milk to a steady simmer. When the milk reaches about 180ยฐF/90ยฐC, remove it from the heat off and let cool to room temperature.
  • Pour about ยผ cup of the cooled milk into a sterile container that has a cover. Add the yogurt starter and stir to blend well. Pour in the rest of the milk and blend well.
  • Place in a yogurt maker or other warm environment, between 100ยฐF/38ยฐC and 110ยฐF/43ยฐC.
  • After 4 to 8 hours for regular yogurt (or 24 hours for lactose-free yogurt), refrigerate the yogurt until youโ€™re ready to use it. It will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

How to Drip Yogurt (Greek Yogurt)

To drip yogurt (also referred to as Greek yogurt for it's thickness), I place a strainer in a saucepan, then place a paper towel (cheesecloth, or coffee filter) in the strainer, and finally place the yogurt in the paper towel. I put the saucepan top on and let it drip away, sometimes over night in the refrigerator. Or, you can purchase equipment to strain your yogurt. The longer you drip it the more water drips out, so you can control how thick (and dry) you want your yogurt by how long you let it drip.

Dripped Yogurt
As featured in
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
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Dripped Yogurt {Greek style}

Dripped yogurtโ€”also called strained or Greek yogurtโ€”is thick yogurt thatโ€™s had a lot of its moisture dripped out of it. I use dripped yogurt whenever a recipe calls for Greek yogurt, or when I want to reduce the amount of moisture added to a recipe. It also makes an excellent substitute for cream cheese or farmerโ€™s cheese (pot cheese).
Dripping the yogurt for just a short time, say 30 minutes, will give you Greek-style yogurt. Dripping it longerโ€”at least 6 hoursโ€”will give you yogurt with a cream-cheese consistency. Once you have cream cheese, you can add salt and herbs to create a tasty dip or a spread for sandwiches.
Servings: 1 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups yogurt
  • bowl to catch the dripping liquid whey
  • strainer of some kind mesh strainer or colander
  • paper towel cheese cloth, or coffee filter

Instructions

  • Set a mesh strainer or colander over a bowl to catch the dripping liquid from the yogurt (whey). Line the strainer with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a few sheets of paper towels.
  • Place the yogurt in the lined strainer. Let it drip for at least 30 minutes, or up to at least 6 hours for cream cheese consistency. You donโ€™t need to refrigerate the dripping yogurt, but I tend to do so in case I donโ€™t use it right away.
  • Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks.
As featured in
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Erica Kerwien - Comfy Belly
Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
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Make Yogurt in an Instant Pot

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot

Instructions

  • Sterilze the Instant Pot container by adding 2 cups of water, place the top on and set it to steam it for about 3 minutes.
  • Pour out the water.
  • Add the milk to the container and with the top off of the instant Pot, boil it by using a "Boil" setting or a "Saute" setting. Use a thermometer to measure when the milk reaches 180โ„‰ and then turn it off and let it cool to 80 to 90โ„‰.
  • Add your yogurt starter to the milk and place the top on the Instant Pot.
  • Press the yogurt button and set the time for 24 hours.
  • Refrigerate the yogurt for at least 8 hours.
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  1. Briget Porteus says

    April 11, 2024 at 1:07 pm

    Hi Erica! This will be my first time making yogurt. I have an Excalibur dehydrator and will be using that. Iโ€™d like to make at least 8 cups. Can I just use a really large sterile bowl that will fit in the dehydrator? Also, I noticed you said to make sure your container has a lid. Am I to cover the container while itโ€™s in the dehydrator?

    Thank you
    Briget

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 11, 2024 at 4:11 pm

      Hi Bridget! Yes, you can definitely use one large sterile jar or bowl that fits in the dehydrator. Yes, fully cover the yogurt it while it's in the dehydrator to protect it while it's fermenting.

      Reply
      • Briget says

        April 12, 2024 at 7:32 am

        Sorry just one more question. Can I use Green Valleyโ€™s Lactose Free Organic Plain Yogurt as the starter? Itโ€™s their whole milk yogurt

        Thank you
        Briget

        Reply
        • Erica says

          April 12, 2024 at 10:44 am

          Hi Bridget, no worries, I love questions. I just updated this post with newer information about yogurt starter and SCD. I recommend staying with SCD-approved yogurt starters, and avoid lactose-free products in general. Take a look at the info I added for yogurt starters.

          Reply
  2. Katie tellez says

    July 01, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    Can you recommend a good yogurt maker, Iโ€™m new to this and want to try it out. Also where is a good place to get starters for Scd diet?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      July 02, 2020 at 9:17 am

      I use a dehydrator or my Instant Pot, but read all the ways I describe in this post on how to make yogurt. I don't use a yogurt maker but you can read reviews on shopping sites like Amazon. This post also recommends 2 types of yogurt starter, so see the links in the post here.

      Reply
  3. CBC says

    February 07, 2020 at 5:46 am

    Can coconut milk/cream be used in making scd yogurt? I need dairy free.
    Thanks ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
    • Erica says

      February 08, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Coconut milk for sure. I haven't tried just the cream. I have a recipe for it in my SCD book for almond and coconut milk, and it's basically the same recipe for yogurt using cashew, almond, or coconut milk.

      Reply
  4. Emma C says

    August 21, 2019 at 11:13 am

    I've been making yogurt since the 70's and started originally by wrapping the pan of milk in towels and storing in a dark place. (after the usual heating and cooling of the milk to room temp) I was taught to open it daily and create a small impression to remove some of the whey to make the yogurt thicker.
    I've worked my way through 3 liter-sized Salton yogurt makers that each lasted about 7 years. When the third maker broke several years ago, I began just using my oven as the incubator. Leave the light on and it stays warm enough. I do a 12-24 hour incubation.
    At this point, I prefer to purchase powdered starter. My current faves are the Yogourmet combined with ABY-2C. I get the tartness of Yogourmet with the low price of the ABY-2C.
    I've also experimented with creating my own starter and after some research, stumbled across using pepper stems. You can see the results at https://www.flickr.com/photos/marypatcollins/albums/72157631048207202

    Reply
    • Erica says

      August 21, 2019 at 10:03 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Caresse says

    April 06, 2018 at 9:09 am

    I have two of your books and want to try making the yogurt, creme fraiche, etc. I donโ€™t have a yogurt maker, but I do have an instant pot that has a yogurt function. Do you have any tips on how I can adapt this recipe for my instant pot? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 07, 2018 at 3:56 pm

      I haven't used an Instant Pot yet, but now that you ask I'm going to try it. I have an older Instant Pot that doesn't have a Yogurt setting, so I would have to boil the yogurt in the Instant Pot first. If you have a newer Instant Pot that has the Yogurt settings, I found this recipe: http://createyourjoy.net/2017/10/24-hour-greek-yogurt-instant-pot-recipe/.

      Reply
  6. carrie says

    October 11, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    I love making homemade yogurt. I have added a vanilla bean while heating the milk and then remove it before adding the starter. Do you know if you can do this with other spices? ie. cinnamon

    Reply
    • Erica says

      October 11, 2017 at 9:46 pm

      I haven't tried but I don't see why not.

      Reply
  7. Lauren says

    June 26, 2014 at 10:37 pm

    My yogurt starter (from GI Pro Health, recommended in your SCD book) says that I should put 1/8 tsp of starter per 2 quarts of milk. I am completely new to this - should I disregard that and put in 1 tbsp? What would be the differences and benefits? (I don't need it to be SCD legal, but SCD meshes well with some of the nutritional guidelines I follow to keep my blood pressure normal. We have many new family favorites from your website!)

    Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Natalie says

    May 26, 2014 at 2:48 am

    Can I make this recipe using coconut milk instead of other milks listed? Will I have the same outcome?

    Reply
    • Erica says

      May 26, 2014 at 7:35 am

      While you probably can, it's not the easiest way to make it. I'm actually experimenting with that now, and may post my recipe in the near future, but my favorite two examples for making non-dairy yogurt, so far, are these: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/free-ebooks-fermented-cultured-foods and http://www.giprohealth.com/makingyogurt-2.aspx. Stay tuned!

      Reply
  9. Hannah says

    April 30, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    I am working on my first batch of SCD yogurt with a yogurt maker. Towards the end we realized the temperature rose to 116.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Do we need to start over again? Have the good bacteria been killed? Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 30, 2014 at 9:15 pm

      Based on my experience, your yogurt is probably fine. If it's sour and firmer (not as fluid as milk) you've done it and it's good to go. In general, I try to stay on the lower side of the range.

      Reply
  10. Needful Things says

    April 27, 2012 at 12:07 am

    Any tips for making yogurt without a yogurt maker? My grandmother used to make ours each night by heating up some milk & stirring in a teaspoon or so of starter taken from the yogurt she'd made the night before. She'd leave it, covered, on the kitchen counter and we had perfect, creamy yogurt for breakfast each morning. She made it look so easy. I've never tried it myself but am eager to because I know it tastes so much better than store-bought.

    Reply
    • Erica says

      April 29, 2012 at 8:41 am

      Yes, as long as you leave the yogurt overnight in a warm place it will culture (technically you need it to be at least 100 degrees F, but I think putting near a source of heat will be enough). Good luck!

      Reply

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Welcome! I'm Erica, a cookbook author and writer. I offer whole food, grain-free, and gluten-free recipes, tips, and more. I'm passionate about food and the human microbiome. Also, I love vegetables.

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