Yogurt Makers

[MTS04]

Does anyone have one? If so, do you like it? Do you make one large batch or several little jars? Is it efficient given the amount of electricity it will use, etc?

Thank you :-)

[Grainlady]

I've had several different brands over 35 years and they all worked well for making yogurt. When I had one that made the individual portions, it gave me more options, and the yogurt ferments a little faster than large batches. Plus you can also make smaller amounts, or make half the batch plain yogurt and half flavored if you like. All yogurt makers take very little electricity to use. I might make a batch and put the Kill-A-Watt meter on it to give you the exact use for my particular yogurt maker. I'll post or PM you the results if I can get that done...

The one I have now is a Yogourmet and it's as nice as any I've owned.

I'd suggest you use Stonyfield Farm Yogurt for a starter, if you have that brand available to you. In most brands of yogurt there are two strains of bacteria, but Stonyfield Farms has 6 live, active cultures. I used to purchase it 2 hours from here and bring it home in an ice chest to use as my starter. Portioned it into an ice cube tray in the amounts of yogurt I needed for a starter, and froze the yogurt cubes. Thaw in the refrigerator and they bring it to room temperature before using it for a starter.

You can start your yogurt from a previous batch for many batches, but eventually the activity level dies (you'll notice your yogurt isn't setting as well - more watery and a loose curd), which means you need to give it a boost with a new starter.

There are all kinds of tips and tricks to making yogurt, so PM me if you get a yogurt maker and I'll share those with you.

After making yogurt for all those years, I bought a book about kefir - Kefir Rediscovered! by Klaus Kaufmann and I've been into kefir making ever since.

Once I located real kefir grains (you have to get them from someone who has them, they aren't sold commercially), I've rarely made yogurt again. You can find Yogurmet Kefir Starter (powdered form) available, but it has little in common with real kefir grains. The commercial kefir drinks also have little in common with real kefir.

Kefir grains last forever and they grow, so you never need to purchase another starter. Kefir grains are a live food and always renewing themselves.

Kefir is easier to make than yogurt. You add the kefir grains to milk (cold from the refrigerator - whatever kind you like - no more tricky temperatures to watch) and allow it to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours until it develops a curd the consistency you desire.

Kefir is actually much better for you than yogurt, and much easier to digest. There's really not a down-side to kefir that I've found. We use it daily in our morning smoothie, as a substitute for buttermilk, sour cream, cream cheese, and plain yogurt, so it's very versitile.

The whey (liquid) portion is also a valuable, high nutrition, high protein part of kefir. When you drain the kefir curd you will soon discover many uses for the whey. We make "whey lemonade" when working out or working outside in the heat. Much better for you than Gatorade when it comes to electrolytes, lower in sugar, and higher in protein and nutrients.

I use the whey for lacto-fermentation of a variety of foods.

What's old is new, and traditional foods like kefir would benefit a lot of people.

[Grainlady]

I made 1-quart of yogurt, which is the least amount I can make in the Yogourmet Yogurt Maker. It took 4 hours and 45 minutes, used .06 kWh, and didn't register even 1 cent of power used.

Now I'll make Honey Whole-Wheat English Muffins tomorrow, which has 1-1/2 c. of yogurt in the recipe. That's one recipe I make that is best made with yogurt. The smell of the English Muffins baking is to die for (LOL)!

Hope that helps you out.

[MTS04]

Thank you Grainlady! I think you just sealed the deal. I'm going to get me a yogurt maker!

[zakity]

I just make it in my crockpot. One less thing to have around.

[MTS04]

I just make it in my crockpot. One less thing to have around.

How do you keep your crock pot from getting too hot and killing off the beneficial bacteria? I'm curious and still looking into makers. If i can crock this, it would be handy.
Thanks!

[redmaples]

grainlady, do you strain the kefir to get your cream cheese from it?
i can make yogurt & want to learn kefir next, but seems like it will be hard to get started with finding the grains.


A yogurt maker sounds efficient...4 hours is good. I passed up a nice one a a rummage sale last summer!

[Grainlady]

grainlady, do you strain the kefir to get your cream cheese from it?
i can make yogurt & want to learn kefir next, but seems like it will be hard to get started with finding the grains.


A yogurt maker sounds efficient...4 hours is good. I passed up a nice one a a rummage sale last summer!

When you make kefir, the whey separates from the curd depending on how long you allow the kefir to ferment. You remove the grains before you drain the curd. I use a permanent coffee basket (they look like this-http://www.amazon.com/Medelco-Basket-Permanent-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000TD1L6K) or a yogurt cheese strainer to drain the rest of the whey from the curd to the consistency I need. It takes the least amount of time to get a plain yogurt-like consistency, then longer for sour cream and longer yet for cream cheese. You can let it drain so long you'll get kefir curd that will substitute for cottage cheese.

Here's a world-wide source for kefir grains. This is how I found a source in Kansas, perhaps you can find a source close to you. I've kefir grains offered on free-cycle.

http://www.torontoadvisors.com/Kefir/kefir-list.php

[2ndGenGranola]

How do you keep your crock pot from getting too hot and killing off the beneficial bacteria? I'm curious and still looking into makers. If i can crock this, it would be handy.
Thanks!

The crockpot is off after the bacteria is added.

I made my first batch this weekend. It was a huge success!!!

[Vanilla]

I used to make kefir (a few years ago), DH loves it, I couldn't bring myself to like it, believe me, I've tried.
The only problem in my area is, the summer can gets very hot, not good for leaving the kefir at room temp.
We like to make kefir again, but I need to think of a way to resolve the high temp problem & how to store the excess kefir.
I would greatly appreciate for suggestions/advices. Thanks.

[Trishagirl]

The crockpot is off after the bacteria is added.

I made my first batch this weekend. It was a huge success!!!

That is so interesting how yogurt can be made. We use alot around here and cottage cheese and cream cheese also. So is the yogurt the right consistency when you add the bacteria then? Do you drain off the whey?

[2ndGenGranola]

That is so interesting how yogurt can be made. We use alot around here and cottage cheese and cream cheese also. So is the yogurt the right consistency when you add the bacteria then? Do you drain off the whey?

There are many recipes online. For milk and non milk yogurts. The basic steps are pretty much...add 1/2 gallon of milk (whatever kind) to the crockpot...turn crockpot on low for 2.5 hours...turn off and let sit for 3 hours...take out 2 cups of milk and add culture into it (1/4 t acidophilius, 1/2 c yogurt with active cultures) yogurt does not solidify like storebought so if you like it jelled use some Knox (or whatever) at this point. I used 2 pkgs of Knox...add this mix back into the crockpot and mix with milk in the crockpot...cover with beach towels for overnight...in the morning put it in the fridge.

[zakity]

and add culture into it (1/4 t acidophilius, 1/2 c yogurt with active cultures)

I just use a cup of plain yogurt as culture.


I also make a double batch most of the time. My three guys and wipe out a single batch in a meal.

Also, keep some of your batch to use as culture for your next batch. And, it can be frozen and thawed. I buy a 32 oz container of good yogurt (has six yogurt bacteria instead of just two) and freeze it in cup portions.

[MTS04]

i did it! i made my first batch of yogurt! I have'nt tasted it yet, it's still draining in the cheese bag (going greek style!) but it did thicken and ferment

[zakity]

Cool! I can't wait to hear how it turned out.