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Hey guys! I have something new for you today. My mom and I have been making our own Greek yogurt for awhile now and I think we have it pretty much down to a science, so I thought I’d share with y’all how we do it in case there are other Greek-yogurt-maker-wannabees that need a little help getting started. This video here helped me get started; but I do things a little differently than they do nowadays, so I made my own video. However, that video I just linked to has some great info in it and is a great resource.
I really prefer the taste of homemade Greek yogurt to store-bought because the homemade stuff isn’t so tangy. If you like, add some sweetener such as THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder.
Ways to use your Greek yogurt:
- Easy Full-Size Greek Yogurt Variations (vanilla, peanut butter, key lime pie, and orange)
- Seven Simple Single-Serve Greek Yogurt Variations
- Vanilla Yogurt, Blueberry Topping, and Yogurt Parfaits a Myriad of Ways
Pin this post here for future reference:
You can find yogurt tutorials in both of my cookbooks!
Steps:
Scroll down for some pictures.
1) Bring a gallon of skim milk to a boil over medium heat (approximately 45-55 minutes). Bringing the milk to a boil slowly helps the end product not be slimy.
Note: I’ve found that a stainless steel kettle with a moderately thick bottom works the best for this. On a gas range I turn the heat down to about 2 on a dial with 9 increments, so lower than I would an electric burner. It takes a little longer to come to a boil, but the milk doesn’t burn as badly to the bottom of the kettle.
2) Take the milk off the heat after it has achieved a slow boil; let the milk cool to bathwater temperature (approximately one hour).
3) Stir a heaping third cup of room temperature yogurt or Greek yogurt into the warm milk. The milk needs to be warm enough to allow the cultures to do their thing but not so hot that it kills them.
4) Cover the milk and put it in your oven with the light on overnight, or for at least six hours (until the milk comes together into one big curd).
5) Place a large piece of straining cloth (NOT cheesecloth, as that has big holes and your yogurt will run right through it; see the video or the pictures below for a description of what I used) over a strainer in a sink. Pour the yogurt into the cloth and tie the corners of the cloth up over a wooden spoon to form a bag. Don’t forget to save out some yogurt for your next batch! (Store this in the fridge in a sealed container.)
6) Hang the wooden spoon suspending the yogurt over a tall container to catch the whey.
7) Let the yogurt strain for 2-3 hours in the fridge, dumping the accumulated whey once or twice if necessary to keep the yogurt from hanging in whey. (I aim for 7-8 cups of strained yogurt from a gallon of milk for Greek-style yogurt.)
8) Store your strained yogurt in the fridge in your choice of container. Congratulations! You have made Greek yogurt!
Tip:
When choosing a yogurt to use for your initial starter culture, look for one with a texture that you like. I’ve gotten varying results from various yogurts in the past. They all work, but I like the texture of some better than others. It makes sense that different active cultures are used in different yogurts depending on the desired end result!
If you’re having trouble getting your yogurt to culture, try a different brand of yogurt and/or get some fresh starter yogurt.
Check out the yogurt tutorial in the back of my second cookbook, Convenient Food, for another technique to strain your yogurt!
Greek yogurt is a great source of protein; and if you use skim milk and strain until the yogurt achieves a Greek-style consistency, you can use it in any type of Trim Healthy Mama meal (click here to find out more about the THM plan).
Allie says
What if I’m using fresh milk with all the fat? Would it work to skim all the cream from the top, and still be on plan?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I’m sorry – I’m not sure if just skimming the cream from the top turns the milk into actual skim milk or not. Something a quick Google search would be able to tell you. 🙂 I’m also not sure if unpasteurized milk needs any special treatment to be turned into yogurt.
Vicki says
Hi Brianna. I came across you Greek yogurt tutorial video on YouTube last night and I have a few questions (I’m pretty challenged in the kitchen lol).
Can I make this with A2 milk? (My daughter is sensitive to dairy but can drink A2 milk.)
While it is on the stove warming to a slow boil, do I need to stir it often?
Can I use any dairy free Greek yogurt as the starter?
Looking forward to your reply and trying to make it myself.
Thank you.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I am very sorry, but I have not tried any alternative milks or dairy free yogurts so I can’t speak to that. 🙁 You don’t need to stir it when it’s warming on the stove as long as the heat is low enough.
Andrea says
What if I don’t have a light in my oven?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Then I recommend using a different method, like making yogurt in the Instant Pot. I don’t have a tutorial for that yet on my website, but you can find others online. =)
joe says
I have tried multiple different recipes for greek yogurt but have not achieved the thickness I am looking for. I will be giving this a try. Will whole raw goats milk work?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I think the bacteria in raw milk can sometimes affect the set. I would recommend using a recipe specifically made for raw milk. 🙂
Seth M. says
Hello I just tried your recipe and it has come out perfect! Currently its just draining and hanging. I did not find any type of thinner fabric but I used cheesecloth! For other readers using cheesecloth. Just unwrap it whole and two ply it on top of each other. Just add a few layers of cheesecloth just make sure you have enough fabric to two ply it.
Maynard says
I’m on my second batch from the first one I did (carry over yoghurt from the one I made) Thank you so much. I’m using a T-shirt to strain though… hope it works. Thank you for your simple tutorial. – Maynard (Paranaque, Philippines)
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
That’s a great idea! I’d love to hear how the tshirt works!
Daniel says
I noticed a post Inquiring about the type of fabric you used to strain the yogurt. As a kid I developed an interest in handicrafts, and silk screening was one of my first endeavors. Having little money I used organza. I believe this is probably the material used in your curtain. The synthetic versions are very inexpensive at any fabric store.
I intend to make my first batch this week and that’s what I will use. I’ll post again about my experience.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Thanks for the comment – I’d love to hear how it works for you! Mine was not organza, but it would be great to know if that works!
Jolene says
You can also use some of the whe you save to make the next batch, that way you don’t have to worry about saving back any yogurt. And you can freeze the whey so that’s no problem. It takes about a fourth of a cup for a gallon of milk. You can also use some of the wheyto add to water that you soak oatmeal in to cut out the phytic acid. Pearl and Serene have this recipe for soaking oatmeal in the cookbook, but with using rye flour. You can also use the way to add to the water you soak beans in. Briana you use the same recipe for making yogurt that I do.
Lilie says
My mom and grandmother would make homemade yogurt when I was growing up. I have just a couple of questions. 1st, how do you make yogurt a bit more tangy or tart? 2nd, when you put it in the oven over night, do you turn the oven on and if so, what temp?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
To make yogurt more tart you would probably just let it ferment longer? I’m not sure on that. I’m usually trying to make it taste as mild as possible. 😛 I put the milk with starter culture in the oven overnight with the oven light on. This is the perfect amount of heat in my experience. Do not turn the oven on – it’ll probably get too hot and kill the starter cultures. If I’m making yogurt in the winter and it’s really cold in the house, I MAY turn the oven on for just a few seconds to get it a little bit warm before putting the yogurt in.
Jolene says
I just turn the light on on the oven and wrap a towel around the pot with the lid on. Tightness depends on how long you let it set up and how long you leave it to strain. I generally let it set up for about eight hours and let it strain for about four. It gets really sick straining it for four hours, which is how I like it. Of course it depends on white cloth you used to strain it with.
Jolene says
Thick, not sick, lol. My talk to text doesn’t recognize my Ozark accent all the time,
Shameem Wagner says
Thanks for the Greek yogurt recipe! I can only find cheesecloth. May I ask where you found your cloth and what type of fabric this is? I’m in Germany. Also, do you wash the cloth with detergent afterwards? Do you need to sterilise the container it goes in to? Lots of questions ^_^
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
I am currently using a piece of an old curtain I bought from a thrift store. 😛 Just look for a fabric that has a loose enough weave that you can kind of see through it but not so loose that the yogurt solids will fall through when straining. Maybe try a double or triple layer of cheesecloth? I haven’t experimented with that personally. I just rinse the cloth out after straining and wash it with my regular laundry (with regular detergent). I don’t sterilize any containers – just wash them well with hot water and soap.
Tara says
Do you think this made with 1% milk would still be able to used with any meal type? Just thinking about the cottage cheese comparison – I think they said 1 or 2% would be okay. What are your thoughts?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Doing the math based on the nutrition in 1% milk, if you use a gallon of 1% milk to make yogurt and end up with 8 cups of strained Greek yogurt, there would be 4.8 grams of fat per cup, so that would just sneak in as a FP and could be used in any setting. 🙂
Jane D. says
Hi,
I found your youtube video on how to make Greek yogurt a week or so ago and decided to try it yesterday. This morning, after a taste test, I was absolutely thrilled! It is delicious!
I used a gallon of 2% dairy milk which I normally drink. I did not allow the milk to come to a boil, but after it began to steam and I saw foam on the top, I put it aside and let it cool to lukewarm which I tested with my finger. I then added 4 oz. of store bought plain yogurt, then followed the rest of your suggestions. I did not have a spoon long enough and I need to purchase larger cloths (flour sack cloths). I left the cloth in the colander for the whey to drain through into a large pot.
I used some of the whey in my morning fruit smoothie which was delicious. I also bake my own bread and will use the whey for the liquid portion, so the whey will not go to waste.
The only reason for me to ever buy manufacturer yogurt again is if I run out of my own homemade yogurt because I forgot to put some aside as a starter. It’s that good.
Thank you so very, very much!
Jane D., Dayton, OH
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Yay! I’m so glad the yogurt worked well for you!
Pat says
I HAVE BEEN MAKING YOUR YOGURT FOR QUITE A WHILE, UNTIL I FOUND OUT I WAS DAIRY SENSITIVE. ALSO, ALMOND, COCONUT, EGG WHITE, FLAX & RICE. WILL THE CASHEW MILK MAKE YOGURT? I REALLY MISS MY YOGURT IN MY OATMEAL. PLUS I need to find another mix to bake with. I would appreciate any help. I have both your books.
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
Hi Pat, I’m afraid a non dairy milk using this recipe will not culture properly. Here are a few recipes that may work for you (I found them just by Googling):
https://simpleveganblog.com/simple-vegan-cashew-yogurt/
https://holycowvegan.net/homemade-cultured-cashew-yogurt/
https://nurturemygut.com/homemade-vegan-yogurt-no-yogurt-maker-required.html/
I recommend that you just make your own baking mix out of a mixture of the flours that you *can* have, then do a little experimentation in a few recipes to see how your mix compares in texture and dryness to other common mixes out there. It can be hard to do a 1:1 substitute for flours like coconut flour because they’re so unique. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help!
Chasity Ferguson says
Hi! I use raw cow milk in our home and I’m wondering if I can use that to make greek yogurt? Will it be to fatty?
Briana Thomas Burkholder says
That would definitely be a THM S if you’re following THM. 🙂 You may want to do a quick Google search to see what other people say about making yogurt with raw milk to make sure it generally works because raw milk will have more bacteria in it than pasteurized milk.
Jeri Fulbright says
Hi Briana, congratulations on your wedding earlier this year. I have been making yogurt for years and for those that want temperatures for the best up if is 180 degrees. The cool down temp is 115 degrees. I also just recently found out that it you run down the inside of your kettle with ice before you put your milk in it will not stick to bottom and I could not believe it it works.
Briana Thomas says
Thanks for the tips, Jeri!
Gabrielle says
Do you think a flour sack type of towel would work for straining? Also, have you ever tried this with goat’s milk? The goat’s milk yogurt in the store has thickeners in it that I’d like to avoid.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Gabrielle! I’m afraid I’m not much help here because I’m not familiar with flour sack towels, and I’ve never tried goats’ milk. I’d say both would be worth a try, though!
Nancy says
First, thank you for posting this super easy yogurt recipe…only wish that I had known long ago how simple this is to do!
My question is why does the milk have to be heated up only to be cooled back down? Why can’t we just heat it to the appropriate temperature for the culture? I will continue to follow the recipe, but when using pasteurized milk I’m just curious as to the reasoning for this.
Briana Thomas says
It has to do with the texture of the yogurt in the end. I Googled it quickly and found a good explanation here: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/32783/making-yogurt-without-heating-milk
Naomi says
Hey Briana!
My sister found this recipe years ago, and it has completely changed our yogurt-making ways – we love it! That said, I have a food blog, and I would love to share the link to your site on my blog, using one of your photos if that’s ok? I’d love to recommend this to my readers! It’s a gem.
Thanks for sharing! Let me know if this is ok.
–Naomi
Briana Thomas says
Hi Naomi! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! Sure, a link and photo is fine. Thanks for stopping by…I had a great time looking through your site!
Carol Laury says
Briana, I love your recipes! The tutorial on making yogurt was very helpful. I tried once some time ago using another method but the end result was very grainy. I am just wondering about the texture of your yogurt. Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
It’s always very smooth for me!
Carol Laury says
Great! I am motivated to try again–this time with your method. Thanks so much!
Beth says
Would you happen to have a link to the straining cloth you use?
Briana Thomas says
I’m afraid I don’t! It’s just a piece of fabric we bought at Walmart a few years ago. It’s finer than cheesecloth but still has a fair amount of breathability.
Rosemary says
Which contributes most to the tartness of Greek yogurt, the length of time it is cultured or the length of time draining the whey? My Greek yogurt is more tart than I like, I culture it for 10 hours and drain it in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Briana Thomas says
The length of time out of the fridge (culturing) is what will affect the tartness, in my experience. 🙂
Rosemary says
I understand you to mean the time I have the yogurt wrapped up in a warm place? I culture the yogurt for about 10 hours, I’ll try shortening that to about 8 hours and see if it isn’t quite so tart. Thanks.
Briana Thomas says
Yes, that’s correct.
Liz says
I just came across this recipe, I’ve been wanting to make Greek Yogurt! Where do you suggest to buy a straining cloth? Thanks for sharing!
Briana Thomas says
We just bought a piece of fabric at Walmart, but I know some people buy paint straining bags from paint stores (or online). 🙂
Rosemary says
I’ve had good success following your steps to making Greek yogurt. I do let it drain in the refrigerator 5 hours to make it just a bit stiffer. My last batch turned out quite tart (first time). Which of the basic steps should be altered to lessen that tartness? Again, thanks for you help.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Rosemary! I’m really not sure on that! Mine is usually only tart if I leave it on the counter instead of the refrigerator to drain. I wonder if the milk you used was older than normal, or if you let it culture longer in the oven than you usually do?
Rosemary says
I place the cultured yogurt directly in the refrigerator, no counter time, to drain for the 5 hours. This last batch was cultured for about 11 hours, that might have been too long. I bought the milk and made the yogurt on Nov. 9, the Best By date is Nov. 24. That could have been a problem too. I think I’ll shorten the culture time first and see if it works. As I said, this is the first time that’s ever happened. Thanks for your input.
Briana Thomas says
I think you’re right – shorten the culture time and see if that helps. 🙂
Rosemary says
Since watching your tutorial I’ve been making my own yogurt very successfully and saving a fair amount of money. Recently I’ve had a problem with the end result being somewhat slimy. Searching around the internet some people suggest the first heating had gotten too hot and others say it hadn’t been heated to a high enough temp. I use whole milk and the resulting yogurt is creamy and tastes very good. What could I being doing wrong?
Briana Thomas says
Hi Rosemary! I’m afraid your guess is as good as mine. I’ve heard that if the milk is heated too quickly at the beginning, the end result can be slimy, so I would try bringing it to a boil at a lower temperature and see if that helps.
Rosemary says
Hi Briana, I tried your “best guess” about slimy yogurt. I heated 1/2 gal of milk very slowly to 185 degrees. It took about an hour and 15 minutes, but the result is smooth, creamy, slime-free yogurt. I also bought a new, small carton of starter yogurt and checked my thermometer for accuracy. Still I’m convinced that the very slow heating is what made the difference. I used a heavy, copper clad I think, pot and now I’m dealing with milk scorch that you wouldn’t believe. I intend to use my heavy, non-stick pot again instead. I still get the scorch but it lifts out like a thin round disk before I wrap the pot of yogurt and put it in the oven over night. Thanks for your input.
Briana Thomas says
Thanks so much for reporting back, Rosemary! I’m so glad it worked for you!
Cynthia says
I was wondering if u use 2 percent what would carb count be and is it a s? Love your blog better than any other..where is menonotite country ? I grew up in VA around Alot of menonotite folks live in PA now know a few…just wondering…..thanks
Briana Thomas says
Hi Cynthia! If you use 2 percent milk, I would keep the Greek yogurt in an S setting. The carb count should be comparable to storebought Greek yogurt if you drain enough whey out to make it the texture of storebought. (The more whey you drain, the more carbs you get rid of.) I’m so glad you enjoy the blog; thank you for your sweet comment. There are Mennonites all over the world, and especially all over the USA. Lancaster, PA, Harrisonburg, VA, and Holmes County, OH, would be some of the major population centers, but I’m actually located in South Carolina.
Della says
Do you know a rough estimate of what the nutritional facts for your homemade greek yogurt would be?
Briana Thomas says
If you use skim milk and strain it to the consistency of storebought Greek yogurt, I’m guessing that the nutritional info should be similar to storebought fat-free Greek yogurt. 🙂
Myra says
Hi Briana! I tried making yogurt for the second time ( last time worked pretty well) but it didn’t culture. I heated it yesterday and this morning, the milk is still thin. Any ideas what I could do with it or is it just trash??
Briana Thomas says
Hi Myra! I’m not sure what to tell you. If the milk has been unrefrigerated for this long, I’d be scared to tell you to try to reuse it!
Jasmine says
I was wondering how long the homemade yogurt can be kept before it is bad?
Briana Thomas says
As long as it smells fine, I’d use it. 🙂 Yogurt can often last for many weeks.
Sherrie says
We have a gas stove and no light. Do you think the heat from the pilot light would be enough to do this in the oven? Thanks.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Sherrie! I’m really not very familiar with gas stoves so I don’t know how much heat the pilot light gives off. I think it would be worth a try! Maybe do a small batch first to test it out.
Sherrie says
Thank you. I’ll try it this weekend.
Rosemary says
I cook only for me so I’m going to try just half the recipe. How long should this keep in the refrigerator?
Briana Thomas says
I’d say 2-3 weeks no problem, but if it starts to smell old or taste funny, throw it out. 😉
Rosemary says
It’s early morning and I just took the yogurt out of the oven (and remembered to turn the light off). It looks perfect and now it’s draining. I followed your recipe exactly and used skim milk. Letting the milk cool on the counter last night (I used 1/2 gal. skim) took about 2 hours. “Bathwater temp” is a little to general for me so I let it cool to 100 degrees and then stirred in the yogurt with active cultures. If there is a better temperature, up or down, would you suggest it? I plan to do this regularly and, hopefully, get it right every time.
Briana Thomas says
I’ve never measured the temperature of mine, so I’m afraid I don’t know. It just needs to be hot enough not to kill the yogurt culture, but warm enough to give it a good place to grow. Bathwater temperature always works great for me. 😛 (I’m not a very exact cook….) I hope it turns out well for you!
Rosemary says
The yogurt turned out beautifully. I caused a problem by over-draining the whey, I let it go 7 or 8 hours in the refrigerator. I expected to get about a quart from a half gal. of skim milk, instead, because I drained out so much whey, I would guess I got about 29. The texture was that of soft cream cheese. I love the less than very tart taste of store bought Greek yogurt. Since I’m partly making yogurt at home to save money, I’ll drain the yogurt only 2 – 3 hours for greater volume.
Briana Thomas says
Good! Yes, we usually do it about 2-3 hours as well.
LAURIE WOGGERMAN says
Can I use a 0% greek yogurt as the live culture for starting the batch with? Thanks in advance, Laurie
Briana Thomas says
Yes, we often use Greek yogurt left from the previous batch. 🙂
Lesia Hook says
Briana
Do you ever cook with the Instant Pot pressure cooker? I would love to see any on plan recipes that are cooked in this vessel. The IP even has a yogurt function!
Briana Thomas says
Hi Lesia! No, I don’t have an Instant Pot. I think a few other Trim Healthy Mama bloggers do, so you might be able to search Google or Pinterest for some ideas. 🙂
Jenika says
Hello! I just wanted to clarify that I could use yogurts from my previous batch as the addition to my new one? Thanks for the help!!!
Briana Thomas says
Absolutely!
Jenika says
Hello! I know that this recipe makes greek yogurt, but I am wondering if it is still high in protein? Also if I use 0% would a serving size still be FP? Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
Yes, the protein should be comparable to store bought Greek yogurt. If you use 0% fat milk, the Greek yogurt is Fuel Pull.
Adrienne says
I may have done something wrong, even though it made great yogurt. I used the crockpot, then put it in the fridge and drained the liquid, but there wasn’t too much liquid to drain, only about an inch at the top. It made 4 -32oz containers of yogurt. I’m thinking that’s more like regular, not Greek yogurt?
I also don’t understand how it can be FP if the gallon of skim milk has a lot of carbs (which are still in my yogurt I made)? Thanks
Briana Thomas says
It may not look like there’s much liquid to drain, but if you suspend it in a fine mesh cloth like I demonstrated in the video, after a couple of hours you’ll find that quite a lot of liquid has drained off! You made regular yogurt which still has most of the whey (and thus carbs) in it. This is on plan in a THM:E setting because it is cultured but still includes quite a few carbs. Draining more whey off to create Greek yogurt will leave you with a FP product. You can still drain it even after refrigeration if you want to make Greek yogurt. 🙂
Adrienne says
I had looked at crockpot recipes and some said they just drained off the liquid in the morning, but it wasn’t enough to count as Greek in my opinion. I’ll try straining it now, or the next batch, thanks!
Briana Thomas says
Yep, I think you’re right! Hope it works out for you!
Donna Hill says
Love your recipes. I’m making yogurt for the first time but I made mine in the crockpot. So easy. It’s now straining the whey off now.
Adrienne says
This may have been mentioned above, but can you do this with almond milk? I would guess not, but it would be great if I could!
Also, can you tell me about how many ounces this makes? Just trying to decide if it’s cheaper than a 32oz container at ALDI or Walmart. Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
I don’t believe that almond milk would culture because it doesn’t have the natural sugars of milk.
I’m guessing this makes about 48 oz. judging by the size of the container we usually use to store it.
Kayleigh says
So today I was trying the yogurt for the first time and got to about 58 minutes of bringing it a slow boil when all of a sudden a huge “scab” of burnt-ish milk let loose from the bottom and sent milk spewing like a guiser from my pan lol!! Not funny but it was funny actually and quit an experience to say the east ?. Anyway milk is cooling now and hopefully will turn out just fine. Anyone else experience that before?
Briana Thomas says
Whoa…that’s weird! Never had that happen before! The milk doesn’t actually have to be slow-boiling, just simmering (there needs to be some movement there, but it doesn’t actually have to be boiling). Maybe that would help.
Amanda says
I was trying to click on the link about the cultured recipes but it leads me to a page that says there an error?? Don’t know if I’m doing it wrong or not? Is there another link to see your cultured recipes.. Thanks
Briana Thomas says
Sorry about that! Try this one: https://www.briana-thomas.com/tag/lactofermentation-2/
There aren’t many there right now, but I hope to add more this summer!
LeeAnn says
Hi, Great youtube video and blog – we liked your video best for teaching how to make yogurt. Question: where did you get your straining cloth, how big is it and is there a make/model # ?
Thank you!
Briana Thomas says
We got our straining cloth at Walmart in the fabric section. It’s probably 2-3 feet square. My mom bought it a long time ago and I really don’t know what it’s called. It’s just a loose weave cloth, but finer than cheesecloth. I know some people use paint-straining bags available at paint stores.
Tina says
Briana I might have to attempt this! I just might be able to do it. (And I love that bowl ☺️)
Briana Thomas says
I KNOW you could do it!
windyindy says
Hi Briana! I LOVE you’re blog, it’s really been helping me in my THM journey! I have a question for you. I have a yogurt maker, can I use that instead of the oven?
Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
I’m afraid I have no idea how a yogurt maker works, but I’m guessing that should be fine if its purpose is to make yogurt. 🙂 Just follow the straining step to make Greek yogurt then.
Donna says
I’ve made yogurt this way for years, but could never get it to curd with anything less than whole milk. I just always keep it in S our use it for my crossover breakfasts. I was hoping you had some magic trick I didn’t know for making it work with skim milk. Guess I’ll just have to try again. 🙂
2 tricks I found after my first few failed attempts: 1) make sure your milk is only pasteurized, not ultra pasteurized. The ultra pasteurization kills all the good bacteria and prevents any new bacteria from growing. 2) a clean flat cloth diaper from Wal-Mart works great for straining. It saves me a trip to the hardware store and works great for me.
Briana Thomas says
Hmmm…that’s interesting. We’ve always used skim milk and never had any problem with it setting up (unless someone accidentally turns the oven on…). Thanks for the tips!
Jeanetta says
I messed up and put the yogurt in when it was too hot. Can I save it and still make yogurt out of it?
Briana Thomas says
I’m not sure. Maybe try adding more yogurt when it gets to the right temperature?
Brunella Brunet says
yes I did the same thing and added some yogurt when it got to the right temperature. it worked just fine.
Gladden Grace says
Ohmigoat, my mom and I LOVE this recipe! Soooo easy, soooo yummy, and sooooo much cheaper than our regular brand of store bought Greek yogurt! The first time I made this, it was a disaster….I used cheesecloth to strain it, and it started oozing out. When I finally got a cloth that wasn’t as hole-y, I let it strain too long, and it came out as Greek cream cheese. 😛 Figures. But I tried again and. made it this week and it was fabulous! My mom and I wiped it out in under two full days. One thing, though….after I strained it, I noticed it had little lumps of milk/yogurt/stuff in it, and I was just wondering if this has happened to you as well, and if so, what could I do next time to get a smoother end product? Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
I’m glad you figured it out. 🙂 Thankfully we lucked out on the first try and our cloth worked perfectly.
You’ll notice that the hot milk will form a skim over the top after you bring it to a boil and then let it cool to bathwater temperature. Take that off and that should fix the problem with the lumps. It happens to me sometimes too, but I guess it never really bothered me (I’m strange like that).
Viki Christensen says
Thank you for posting this. If you save the whey drippings, you can use them to ferment fruit!
Briana Thomas says
Yes, fermented fruit and veggies are some of my favorite ways to use the whey. 🙂 I have some recipes for that here on my site.
Joelle says
Hi Briana~
I am so happy to have found your blog! You have a gift with recipes and I have been enjoying trying them out! I find it interesting that you go to Holmes County for the summer~ I love it there and we have went many times! Wondering about making my own yogurt… I get raw cow milk from a local farmer and would like to use it for yogurt! Would this work?
Briana Thomas says
Hi Joelle! Holmes County is certainly beautiful country. I’ve never worked with raw milk, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use it to make yogurt. Obviously if you don’t skim the cream off it would not be low fat and therefore only acceptable in THM:S meals if you follow Trim Healthy Mama, like a lot of my readers do.
Rachel M. says
I tried making this for the first time yesterday (Note to self: Start right away in the morning next time, not the afternoon! You’ll be up late at night to put it into containers!) and am trying it now. I’m finding weird little skins in it. Is this a normal occurrence?
Briana Thomas says
Sometimes that happens if a thick skin forms on your milk as it cools after bringing it to a boil. Just skim that off next time and that should take care of the problem. 🙂
Sadi says
Briana I have made your yogurt 3 times already and whole family loves it! The first time I made it, it took a long time to come to a boil and the end result was a bit slimy. The second time the bottom burned and it almost burned the third time but half way through I switched pots. I wander maybe it may be the kind of pot it is (what is yours made of?). Anyway we have been enjoying it and I saved a bit of the whey from this batch and I’m going to try your lacto-fermented sauerkraut. Thanks so much!
Briana Thomas says
The kettle I use is stainless steel. It usually takes about an hour for a gallon of cold milk to come to a boil over medium heat. Often a little sticks to the bottom of the kettle, but not much.
Crystal says
Hey Brianna! So glad I found your blog!! It looks like it will be very helpful to me as I begin the THM way of eating! Thanks! I’m especially excited about your bread recipes and the greek yogurt recipe!!
katie says
I made yogurt for the first time last night/this morning…I forgot to buy plain Greek yogurt for the culture. I had a banana triple zero on hand…lol…it set up just fine, but the texture is very finely grainy…? Hard to explain. It took an hour to get the skim milk to a slow boil, so I didn’t heat it too fast. Could it be because I didn’t use plain yogurt?
Briana Thomas says
I’ve heard that the flavored triple zeros don’t work well as starter culture for yogurt – maybe because of the other ingredients they contain? I’m guessing that’s the problem.
Ydanis says
What type of yogurt do you use for the 1/3 cup addition? 0% Greek? Full fat Greek. Regular full fat yogurt? Thanks!
Briana Thomas says
Any plain yogurt (Greek or regular) with active cultures works fine. I often just use the last of my previous batch of Greek yogurt.
Tina says
Good Morning,
I LOVE YOU! And your blog of course. I grew up in a mennonite home and can relate to many of your stories and totally enjoy your recipes. I’m new to THM (about 3 months in) and today I’m trying this recipe out. I’m using 2% milk, do you know if that is considered S, or would i still be able to use it in an E setting?
I also made some of your ice cream yesterday. I got a zuko single serve ice cream maker and it’s perfect. Thanks for all you post. I enjoy making this stuff maybe as much as you do.
Cheers xo
Tina
Briana Thomas says
Hi Tina! Great to “meet” you! If you’re using 2% milk, I would keep it with an S setting to be safe.
Tina says
so i’m pretty sure i heated my milk a bit too fast… there were some brown bits at the bottom. so i strained it and used it anyway…. here’s hoping it doesn’t taste weird…. lol. But i’d hate to waste it. (maybe some of the fat is gone too… 😉
Lisa says
Tina, what did you use to strain it? I have trouble finding the right thing- either too open and it all runs through or too tight and doesn’t really strain.
Briana Thomas says
I think Tina is referring to straining the milk to get the burned bits out before culturing it. She probably just used a regular kitchen strainer, I’m guessing. What fabrics have you used? I’ve heard that paint strainers work well.
Lisa says
I tried a loose-ish tea towel that I had, and then I purchased a woven fabric but it didn’t really let much through. Just haven’t found a way to make it as easy as you !
Briana Thomas says
Now that you know what works and what doesn’t, I would suggest going to a fabric store and trying to find something in between. 🙂 Once you get something that works, it’s amazing how easy this is!
Tina says
i strained my milk with a kitchen strainer (to get the bits out… oops). But i used a linen cloth to strain the yoghurt once it was done doing it’s thing.
Rosemary says
You are using “skim” milk. Is that the same as non-fat milk?
Briana Thomas says
Close enough. 😉 I think skim may have slightly more fat (but still a very small amount).
Lisa says
Thanks, Brianna. I have some muslin I’m going to try. Not sure if it will be loose enough but I’m going to give it a shot. This may also be in the video, but I’m wondering at what stage I could add some sweetner or extacts for flavor? do you ever do that at all?
Briana Thomas says
I usually just do that when I dish it out to eat some. You could definitely sweeten/flavor the whole batch at the very end, though.
Lisa says
Thanks! That’s what I was thinking too!
Lisa says
I’m wondering about the straining cloth? Cheesecloth seems way too open? Is that what you use?
Briana Thomas says
If you watch the video, I show a closer-up view of the cloth. It’s more of a loose linen. Cheesecloth would probably be too open, you’re right.
Rosemary says
I use white dish towels, not the nubby type towel, the one they call “flour sacking”. I buy them in a package of 5, I think, at Wal-mart. I only make a half gal. of Greek yogurt at a time so I cut the dish towels in quarters and lay one in my mesh strainer for draining the whey.
Angie says
My favorite solution for the cheesecloth is to buy a large painters bag ($2?) from a paint store. I cut it open and lay it in a strainer. It’s washable and reuseable!
Julie says
I use several coffee filters to cover the holes of my colander. They won’t break down into the yogurt and they can easily be tossed.
Amber Crowe says
Can I do a 1/2 batch safely? We wouldn’t eat a gallon of yogurt, and it’s my first attempt.
Briana Thomas says
This actually doesn’t make a gallon of yogurt. All said and done, I don’t think it would leave you with much more than a half gallon. You can definitely do a half batch though; just adjust the proportions accordingly. 🙂
Vanessa Bushong says
Thank you so much for showing us how to make our own greek yogurt. I can’t wait to try it. I do have a couple of questions. If using skim milk, what is the fat content in the end? 2%, nonfat, etc? For THM, the full fat, and 4% are used, I think? Can you tell that I’m really new to the program? 🙂
Briana Thomas says
I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question. It’s such a small amount of fat that I guess I never really worried what percentage it would be. I stick with skim milk so I can use the yogurt in both S and E settings. 🙂
Brunella Brunet says
I use powdered milk to make mine in the crockpot. save some of my fresh yogurt and freeze it for the next batch. I love making it and it comes out perfect every time. Thanks Brianna for all your wonderful recipes. I love them.
Terry says
thank you for the recipe.When you leave it in the oven does there have to be a light? My oven does not have a light in it. Thanks
Briana Thomas says
Yes, the light adds just enough heat to culture the yogurt. If your oven light doesn’t work, I know that a lot of people make Greek yogurt in the crockpot. There are lots of tutorials to be found about it on the web.
julie says
I have always used a crock pot. Cook on low 2 1/2 hours. Then turn off for 3 hours. Then add yogurt 1/2 cup and whisk. Put top back on and cover with a towel with crock pot still off for 8-10 hours. Then drain.
Claire says
I also use my slow cooker. It turns out every time. Thank you for sharing!
Amanda says
Wow! I never would have known it was that easy to make! Great video 🙂
Briana Thomas says
Thanks, Amanda. 🙂
Joy says
Hey briana, is this the recipe for 0% Greek yogurt?
And how long can it stay in the refrigerator?
I started with THM and I would love to try some FP recipes made with 0% Greek yogurt.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Joy! This yogurt would be 0% fat if made with fat-free milk. ? It keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator, but ours never lasts very long so I don’t know an exact time.
lucy says
Oh my! I had no idea it was so easy!! Thank you!! Do you even know how much money I can save doing this??