I’m trying to avoid buying a yogurt incubator. Anyone have any suggestions?
I’ve made some great yogurt just mixing a quart of milk and one quarter cup commercially prepared yogurt, stirred together, and sitting it outside in the shade on a 100 degree day and it was wonderful! But of course, that only works in the summer.

Just brainstorming here, since I haven’t done it myself, but how about a crock pot on low heat?

I’m trying to avoid buying a yogurt incubator. Anyone have any suggestions?
I’ve made some great yogurt just mixing a quart of milk and one quarter cup commercially prepared yogurt, stirred together, and sitting it outside in the shade on a 100 degree day and it was wonderful! But of course, that only works in the summer.

Please don’t buy a yogurt incubator it’s realy not necessary

I have good experience with the following procedure:

(Quantities in liters and temperatures in deg C)

1 liter milk (I use only fresh raw milk, for store bought milk(*) you may add some CaCl)
1 ts yogurt (the freshest possible)
1 drop enzyme

Pasteurize the milk at 88-92 deg C
Cool to 45-47 deg C, it’s higher then you did it (if store bought milk, just heat it to that temperature)
Add the yogurt and stir well
Add the enzyme and stir thoroughly for 5 seconds

Cover the pot with a lid an wrap the whole “package” all around with a wool blanket or two (depends on the blanket).
Leave to incubate for 6-7 hours, more time left, you’ll get a sourer yogurt or even “labne’h”.
Now you have to refrigerate the freshly made yogurt.
I promise, you’ll love it.

(*)Store bought milk-should not be ultra pasteurized!!!!!

I have never used an incubator, I have been making yogurt for many years. I guy a gall of milk (at least 3%) and add a tub (750g) of natural yogurt, here i use Astro. I mix them up, place in tubs, and leave on the counter over night, then in the morning I place in the fridge. U have to make sure though that the milk is not UP like Alex said.

Alex, what is the enzyme you referred to?

Neil, does it matter what temperture your counter is?  I like that idea, simple and easy!
Rich, I have tried my crock pot and even my portable roaster, but getting the right temperature is hard.  Usually it is too hot and the yogurt either curdles or is way too sour!

basically room temp.

Green Cheese MakerPosted: 23 May 2009 05:17 PM

Alex, what is the enzyme you referred to?

The enzyme I use for all my cheeses: Maxiren veg liquid. You may use any type of rennet/enzyme per manufacturer’s instructions.

I put 120 degree (what comes out of the hot water tap) water in a cooler about 2 inches deep. Make my yogurt put it in quart jars and set the quart jars in the cooler. With the lid shut by the end of the incubation period the water will still be at least 110 degrees. I can also make a very LARGE volume this way which is really nice. Especially since I sell it too. You probably could just set the quart jars into the cooler as well and do just fine, it would be just like the yogotherm incubator only more useful.. lol

Hey Susan, welcome to the forum.  I’ve been eating a lot of yogurt of late, but until this thread got going I hadn’t really thought too much about making it myself.  All my milk has been going to cheese.  But I’m going to go for it now; I’ve got the yogurt culture and as soon as I use up the supply of yogurt in my refrigerator, I’ll be making some.  Thanks again to all.

I made two quarts of yogurt this weekend.  One sat on the counter per Neil and one was in the oven with only the lightbulb to provide heat.  Both ways turned out wonderful!  And this time I didn’t re-pasturize the milk.  Thanks to all for their advice.

Glad to hear it worked great !!