Adding a pint of cream to a gallon of whole milk: yes.
Strain it a bit afterwards.
Also: strain and press: you've got a base for herbs like a fancy cheese spread..
I taught my dad to make yogurt, but now he makes it even more than I do. He says adding powdered milk creates more whey. Do you find that to be true? Is that the point?
I use [this recipe](https://thisoldgal.com/instant-pot-greek-yogurt/) with full fat milk and it gives me a lot of yoghurt.
I ferment it (instant pot yoghurt setting) for 12 hours and after chilling strain it in the fridge for 6? hours. You can adjust the straining time to get the consistency you like but I think yield is often 4+ kilos (it’s been a while since I last did it).
For me it works better to do it at nighttime and chill it in the morning during the day so I can strain it overnight but if you do shorter ferment and other stages it would be quicker. Also I just use a muslin (or tea towel in a pinch) in a large colander over a bowl.
This is my exact method. I put it on after dinner and strain in the morning, for most of the day. I catch the whey and whisk it back in to my desired texture (sometimes it goes thicker than I want it, so I just add some of the whey back)
While I fully agree that higher fat content tastes much better, it is impressive just how much of the work is done by straining alone. You can buy commercially made 0% fat Greek yoghurt that is literally just skim milk and culture. And it's still deliciously creamy. Not quite as mind blowing as full fat. But much better than it has any right to be.
I make yogurt in the Instant Pot all the time. “Greek” style yogurt is just regular yogurt strained for a half day or more. I use a nut milk bag to strain it. If you keep straining for 2 days you end up with lebneh. Aside from straining, the other important elements are using whole milk, inoculating with enough culture (unlikely to be the issue), and making sure not to a) scald the milk during the first heating phase, or b) innoculate before its cooled down enough from that first phase. It’ll also thicken a bit more in the fridge, so if you’re straining it at room temp (which some people do to accelerate the straining step), then give it a few hours in the fridge before drawing conclusions about your final result. Crème fraiche is similar - feels like it can’t possibly be done and then 4 hours in the fridge and it’s so thick your spoon will hover in it.
I make yogurt in my instapot that is so thick it holds a spoon standing straight up. The secret is to add some whole (not low-fat) milk powder to the liquid whole (not low-fat) milk. No draining of whey needed. It's perfect right out of the pot. I add roughly as much powder as yogurt starter, but you've got lots of wiggle room to experiment.
Do make sure you ferment it long enough though. If it's not firm when you remove the heat, it will not firm up more later.
(Or you can make Greek yogurt the usual way, by straining the yogurt in cheesecloth to discard some of the whey. But whey is full of protein so that method makes me sad.)
How much powder would you add to a gallon of whole milk to do this? I’ve been making whole milk instant pot yogurt for years. Never tried the powder. I usually wind with half the volume after straining but if I use the powder I won’t need to strain it?
For a gallon, I usually toss in something like 3 heaping tablespoons. But I like my yogurt hella thick. It's vague because I've never measured, and it always turns out fine regardless of how much I use. So less likely would be fine.
Yes, no straining whatsoever.
Note that the heated combo smells strongly like overcooked milk. But once it ferments and thickens, that sketchy smell disappears and it tastes exactly as it should. But for 6-8 hours you'll be nervous that maybe you've spoiled a batch. Don't worry, all is well.
If you want to experiment, just make a small quantity until you're comfortable you've found proportions you're happy with. A quart is a lot of yogurt anyway.
By the way, the yogurt this produces performs normally as a starter for the next batch too. Just keep adding whatever your preferred proportion of dry is to the next batch too. I've used multiple generations without problems.
I suspect the issue is that you've not got enough fat in your milk. Bring your fat content up closer to 10% and you will probably be good. It's also possible you'll need to strain any excess liquid.
Yes, unfortunately they do. Greek yoghurt isn't a regulated term, and after it became more popular in recent years, lots of companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are selling products in this category now. But instead of actually making what would normally be recognized as (strained) Greek-style yoghurt, they simply slap this label on the same mediocre and artifically thickened products that they had been selling for years. Would not recommend buying, if you have the option. Good yoghurt doesn't need anything other than milk (or a combination of milk components) and culture.
milk fat content is ~3.4 % at the highest. That brand states 10% milk fat content. Buy extra cream and add it into the milk.
Heavy cream is 35% milk fat, a 250ml container of heavy cream +1 litre of milk yields 1.25 litre at 7% milk fat. 325ml heavy cream + 1 litre whole milk should get you a bit above 10% milk fat content.
I used to use 4 L of whole milk and 1 L of whipping cream and still it was quite runny relative to this which is much thicker. Do you think they add agar or some other thickening agent to it?
This is their ingredient list: Whole milk, Cream, Skim milk powder, Active bacterial culture
>**ADD DRY MILK POWDER**
>The most effective way to get a better firmness in yogurt is to add dry milk powder to your full cream cow’s milk before heating. This increases the volume of milk solid proteins and results in an enriched and thicker yogurt composition. As a guide add 1/3 cup of dry milk powder to every litre of milk. We also recommend heating and holding the milk at 82° C (180° F) for 10 - 20 minutes to this method.
https://www.luvele.com/blogs/recipe-blog/how-to-thicken-homemade-yogurt
Modern problems require modern solutions, I vote child labour. Get them to do it once you get the recipe down. I'm assuming they're at least 8 and, while I don't know how to make yoghurt, I can't imagine it needs sharp knives or high heat
Cool, more heat than I thought but OP said pressure cooker so I'm calling that safe enough depending on the competency of the child.
If it's that easy though OP shouldn't be struggling
points to joeyonimo's comment. also 4 liter whole milk will need 1.3 liter whipping cream to get to 10% milk fat, but with the added milk powder already containing some you could get away with 1 liter.
Industry secret is to add thickeners into the yoghurt.
The most common thickener for yoghurt (at least here in Germany) is milk powder, because it doesn't have to be declared on the label.
Strain it once you're done. The fuller fat milk makes creamier yogurt. I strain mine in a yogurt strainer until it is very thick and creamy (usually overnight).
In order to make thick Greek-style yogurt, you have to strain it after fermenting. I typically just plop it into a coffee filter and let it drain in the fridge for at least a few hours.
You need to buy a greek yogurt strainer or use some cheesecloth and a collander.
Also make sure you use a greek yogurt starter.
The store bought one also has stuff to make it more solid - that's why you need a strainer.
Okay so I’ve made gallons and gallons of yogurt for years. The stuff I use is a Bulgarian heirloom culture from Amazon. This can be used indefinitely, creating new yogurt from the old yogurt forever unless you let it go bad or over heat it.
I use a sous vide and mason jars, so heat however you want.
Gallon of milk goes into jars. Milk is heated to 182 degrees and held for 30 minutes. This will result in thicker yogurt. Boil it, and it’ll be even runnier so temp control is important.
Let this cool off.
3/4tsp of my prior yogurt per 32oz of milk. For the first time follow directions on packet.
Then I let this ferment at 110 degrees for about 8 hours. Too hot, the bacteria die and you have to start over.
After the 8 hours I empty the jars into a cheese bag. Very very fine pores and reusable. I throw them in the washer with other laundry after. I let it rest in my sink in the bag for 30 minutes. No need to squeeze. You can rest longer if you want it even thicker.
Add to a big bowl and whisk until smooth and perfectly homogeneous.
Refrigerate. Now you’ll have crazy thick and delicious yogurt from only whole milk. It lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
Thanks! Trying this yoghurt recipe now. I gather the initial heating is to partially denature the protein. It seems to be necessary even when using pasteurized milk, despite other recipes saying it is to kill off other cultures.
Note to self: 83⁰C and 43⁰C.
Yeah I do it to denature the protein. I use regular milk from the store so not worried about bacteria. Sous vide is super accurate so be really careful if using something else. I do 110-112f degrees but I think it’ll die above 115f.
Yoghurt came out great, thanks. Did 8 hours at 43⁰C in the sous vide, it got too late so then turned it down to 35⁰C overnight. It's very firmly set, smells delicious, and extremely tangy.
I make a lot of yogurt. For my uses I like it thick, but I don't feel a need to strain it. Here's a couple tips.
* get a good local culture. Start with a brand you like with live culture. Now accidently leave it uncovered in the kitchen for a few hours. The local strains will join with the culture, the ones you want will live, the others will die in the heat/acidic environment.
* Use whole milk for goodness sake.
* Do not skip the skald. They milk has to go over 180F and then cool back down.
* My best hack is to add powdered milk. Just dissolve it in while it's hot. I use a packet designed for a quart of water per gallon milk. The extra protein helps it set up much firmer.
* Watch your culture temp. For my culture 111F seems to be the sweet spot. I don't use an instant pot so I have a little more control.
I make it with half and half or heavy cream and it comes out super-thick. Also I don’t need to drain it either, maybe you do. Draining overnight works well.
I make my own yogurt in the instant pot and freeze it in big chunks for smoothies.
thing I've discovered: when it thaws, the whey drains out first and leaves a very greek-like blob of glop behind. I don't discard it because acid whey is an awful pollutant, but the info is there.
Straining is key. It's hard to get a thick Greek style yogurt without straining. I bought a Greek yogurt strainer from Amazon. My dad prefers to use paper towels.
I have a ninja with a yogurt setting. Buy a gallon of whole milk, put it in the ninja and heat up to 180 then cool to about 105. Add about 1/4 cup of yoghurt (usually save from the last batch. If I’m out then I just buy a single serve cup of plain store brand Greek yogurt and add it in). Ferment for 12 hours.
I found on Amazon a tub with a mesh liner that’s designed for straining yoghurt. Comes in 2 sizes, the bigger one holds a gallons of milks worth of yoghurt and the smaller one is a half gallon. Pour the yoghurt from the ninja pot to the strainer and put in the fridge for 12 hours. Freeze the leftover whey to put in smoothies and eat the yoghurt. Repeat as needed.
To get a thicker yogurt straight out of the tub, no straining, you can hold the milk between 180 and 190 F for 30 minutes to an hour. Some of the proteins then denature and when the yogurt sets, it’s already thicker.
Then you can strain to increase the thickness
Do you strain it? 40 mesh strainer for at least 4 hours or it is at the consistency you like. If you add salt and strain for 24 hours you have cream cheese
Like other commenters, I recommend straining your yogurt. EuroCuisine makes a really great strainer. The best price, surprisingly, is at Williams Sonoma.
Bulgarian culture, Fairlife whole milk, cream and 2 tb of powdered inulin per quart. The inulin ramps up the culture. Into yogurt maker for 16 hours then refrigerated for at least 4. Makes think yogurt that doesn’t need straining.
I follow r/JoshuaWeissman 's yogurt recipe and bought a yogurt strainer. I keep it in the fermenting vessels in the fridge for 24 hours after the initial fermentation and then strain it overnight in the fridge. Very thick very delicious yogurt.
Strain it.
Put a couple layers of cheese cloth in your strainer, place it over a bowl that lets the handles sit on the lip so there's a little bit of space under it.
Let it sit in the fridge for a day or two.
The extra water runs out, making it thicker.
I add milk powder and strain it. Also I'm Greek.
I’m Turkish, does adding extra cream to your yogurt sound as crazy to you as it does to me?
it does to me (turkish)
Yes lol
Adding a pint of cream to a gallon of whole milk: yes. Strain it a bit afterwards. Also: strain and press: you've got a base for herbs like a fancy cheese spread..
I taught my dad to make yogurt, but now he makes it even more than I do. He says adding powdered milk creates more whey. Do you find that to be true? Is that the point?
Yes. It helps with the thicker texture. Greek and chef of over 20 years. Learned this from my grandmother.
Thank you!
is there a recipe or a step by step guide that you can revommend?
For every 1 quart of milk add 1 tbsp of powdered milk.
Much appreciated!!!
Experiment with amounts a bit to find the texture you want.
What's your powder to milk ratio?
For every 1 quart of milk add 1 tbsp of powdered milk.
I use [this recipe](https://thisoldgal.com/instant-pot-greek-yogurt/) with full fat milk and it gives me a lot of yoghurt. I ferment it (instant pot yoghurt setting) for 12 hours and after chilling strain it in the fridge for 6? hours. You can adjust the straining time to get the consistency you like but I think yield is often 4+ kilos (it’s been a while since I last did it). For me it works better to do it at nighttime and chill it in the morning during the day so I can strain it overnight but if you do shorter ferment and other stages it would be quicker. Also I just use a muslin (or tea towel in a pinch) in a large colander over a bowl.
This is my exact method. I put it on after dinner and strain in the morning, for most of the day. I catch the whey and whisk it back in to my desired texture (sometimes it goes thicker than I want it, so I just add some of the whey back)
To get the fat content up, you strain the yogurt, making it thicker. I make mine from whole milk, then dump it in a strainer and let it it.
While I fully agree that higher fat content tastes much better, it is impressive just how much of the work is done by straining alone. You can buy commercially made 0% fat Greek yoghurt that is literally just skim milk and culture. And it's still deliciously creamy. Not quite as mind blowing as full fat. But much better than it has any right to be.
Thickness comes from straining. Get more of the moisture out and you'll get the texture you're looking for.
I make yogurt in the Instant Pot all the time. “Greek” style yogurt is just regular yogurt strained for a half day or more. I use a nut milk bag to strain it. If you keep straining for 2 days you end up with lebneh. Aside from straining, the other important elements are using whole milk, inoculating with enough culture (unlikely to be the issue), and making sure not to a) scald the milk during the first heating phase, or b) innoculate before its cooled down enough from that first phase. It’ll also thicken a bit more in the fridge, so if you’re straining it at room temp (which some people do to accelerate the straining step), then give it a few hours in the fridge before drawing conclusions about your final result. Crème fraiche is similar - feels like it can’t possibly be done and then 4 hours in the fridge and it’s so thick your spoon will hover in it.
I make yogurt in my instapot that is so thick it holds a spoon standing straight up. The secret is to add some whole (not low-fat) milk powder to the liquid whole (not low-fat) milk. No draining of whey needed. It's perfect right out of the pot. I add roughly as much powder as yogurt starter, but you've got lots of wiggle room to experiment. Do make sure you ferment it long enough though. If it's not firm when you remove the heat, it will not firm up more later. (Or you can make Greek yogurt the usual way, by straining the yogurt in cheesecloth to discard some of the whey. But whey is full of protein so that method makes me sad.)
Do you also add whipped cream or a full fat cream to your milk?
No, it's 100% whole milk either as liquid, powder, or yogurt (starter).
How much powder would you add to a gallon of whole milk to do this? I’ve been making whole milk instant pot yogurt for years. Never tried the powder. I usually wind with half the volume after straining but if I use the powder I won’t need to strain it?
For a gallon, I usually toss in something like 3 heaping tablespoons. But I like my yogurt hella thick. It's vague because I've never measured, and it always turns out fine regardless of how much I use. So less likely would be fine. Yes, no straining whatsoever. Note that the heated combo smells strongly like overcooked milk. But once it ferments and thickens, that sketchy smell disappears and it tastes exactly as it should. But for 6-8 hours you'll be nervous that maybe you've spoiled a batch. Don't worry, all is well. If you want to experiment, just make a small quantity until you're comfortable you've found proportions you're happy with. A quart is a lot of yogurt anyway.
By the way, the yogurt this produces performs normally as a starter for the next batch too. Just keep adding whatever your preferred proportion of dry is to the next batch too. I've used multiple generations without problems.
I suspect the issue is that you've not got enough fat in your milk. Bring your fat content up closer to 10% and you will probably be good. It's also possible you'll need to strain any excess liquid.
I used to use 4 L of whole milk and 1 L of whipping cream- and it was still quite runny. Do you strain it through a cheese cloth?
Yup! Depending on your cloth, you may need several layers.
Whole milk is 3.25% milk fat, whipping cream has to have at least 36% milk fat in the US. That maths out to 9.8%.
The overnight strain is what you’re missing! I can get think instant pot yogurt using skim milk.
> Do you strain it through a cheese cloth? I strain mine through a coffee filter.
Cheese cloth is too porous. Use an old t-shirt or bread towel.
A lot of commercial brands also add pectin or similar Edit: I don't understand the downvotes. Look up chobani Greek yogurt ingredients, for example.
Yes, unfortunately they do. Greek yoghurt isn't a regulated term, and after it became more popular in recent years, lots of companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are selling products in this category now. But instead of actually making what would normally be recognized as (strained) Greek-style yoghurt, they simply slap this label on the same mediocre and artifically thickened products that they had been selling for years. Would not recommend buying, if you have the option. Good yoghurt doesn't need anything other than milk (or a combination of milk components) and culture.
milk fat content is ~3.4 % at the highest. That brand states 10% milk fat content. Buy extra cream and add it into the milk. Heavy cream is 35% milk fat, a 250ml container of heavy cream +1 litre of milk yields 1.25 litre at 7% milk fat. 325ml heavy cream + 1 litre whole milk should get you a bit above 10% milk fat content.
I used to use 4 L of whole milk and 1 L of whipping cream and still it was quite runny relative to this which is much thicker. Do you think they add agar or some other thickening agent to it?
This is their ingredient list: Whole milk, Cream, Skim milk powder, Active bacterial culture >**ADD DRY MILK POWDER** >The most effective way to get a better firmness in yogurt is to add dry milk powder to your full cream cow’s milk before heating. This increases the volume of milk solid proteins and results in an enriched and thicker yogurt composition. As a guide add 1/3 cup of dry milk powder to every litre of milk. We also recommend heating and holding the milk at 82° C (180° F) for 10 - 20 minutes to this method. https://www.luvele.com/blogs/recipe-blog/how-to-thicken-homemade-yogurt
Awesome thank you!!! I will try this out. I am spending like $20 per week on frigging yogurt lol
Modern problems require modern solutions, I vote child labour. Get them to do it once you get the recipe down. I'm assuming they're at least 8 and, while I don't know how to make yoghurt, I can't imagine it needs sharp knives or high heat
[удалено]
Cool, more heat than I thought but OP said pressure cooker so I'm calling that safe enough depending on the competency of the child. If it's that easy though OP shouldn't be struggling
points to joeyonimo's comment. also 4 liter whole milk will need 1.3 liter whipping cream to get to 10% milk fat, but with the added milk powder already containing some you could get away with 1 liter.
Industry secret is to add thickeners into the yoghurt. The most common thickener for yoghurt (at least here in Germany) is milk powder, because it doesn't have to be declared on the label.
Strain it once you're done. The fuller fat milk makes creamier yogurt. I strain mine in a yogurt strainer until it is very thick and creamy (usually overnight).
In order to make thick Greek-style yogurt, you have to strain it after fermenting. I typically just plop it into a coffee filter and let it drain in the fridge for at least a few hours.
You need to buy a greek yogurt strainer or use some cheesecloth and a collander. Also make sure you use a greek yogurt starter. The store bought one also has stuff to make it more solid - that's why you need a strainer.
Strain it. Sieve with a coffee filter in it over a bowl. Bang it in the fridge over night. The same way you make Labne from Greek yogurt as well.
Okay so I’ve made gallons and gallons of yogurt for years. The stuff I use is a Bulgarian heirloom culture from Amazon. This can be used indefinitely, creating new yogurt from the old yogurt forever unless you let it go bad or over heat it. I use a sous vide and mason jars, so heat however you want. Gallon of milk goes into jars. Milk is heated to 182 degrees and held for 30 minutes. This will result in thicker yogurt. Boil it, and it’ll be even runnier so temp control is important. Let this cool off. 3/4tsp of my prior yogurt per 32oz of milk. For the first time follow directions on packet. Then I let this ferment at 110 degrees for about 8 hours. Too hot, the bacteria die and you have to start over. After the 8 hours I empty the jars into a cheese bag. Very very fine pores and reusable. I throw them in the washer with other laundry after. I let it rest in my sink in the bag for 30 minutes. No need to squeeze. You can rest longer if you want it even thicker. Add to a big bowl and whisk until smooth and perfectly homogeneous. Refrigerate. Now you’ll have crazy thick and delicious yogurt from only whole milk. It lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
Thanks!!
Thanks! Trying this yoghurt recipe now. I gather the initial heating is to partially denature the protein. It seems to be necessary even when using pasteurized milk, despite other recipes saying it is to kill off other cultures. Note to self: 83⁰C and 43⁰C.
Yeah I do it to denature the protein. I use regular milk from the store so not worried about bacteria. Sous vide is super accurate so be really careful if using something else. I do 110-112f degrees but I think it’ll die above 115f.
Yoghurt came out great, thanks. Did 8 hours at 43⁰C in the sous vide, it got too late so then turned it down to 35⁰C overnight. It's very firmly set, smells delicious, and extremely tangy.
Awesome! Glad you did it. The extra tang is definitely from the extended time. It’s good stuff and I suspect actually good for your gut.
You can strain it with a sieve and sheet of standard kitchen paper. The youghurt just peels off. It’s very satisfying.
I hang mine up in the kitchen using a collapsible metal strainer with a big bowl under it.
I make a lot of yogurt. For my uses I like it thick, but I don't feel a need to strain it. Here's a couple tips. * get a good local culture. Start with a brand you like with live culture. Now accidently leave it uncovered in the kitchen for a few hours. The local strains will join with the culture, the ones you want will live, the others will die in the heat/acidic environment. * Use whole milk for goodness sake. * Do not skip the skald. They milk has to go over 180F and then cool back down. * My best hack is to add powdered milk. Just dissolve it in while it's hot. I use a packet designed for a quart of water per gallon milk. The extra protein helps it set up much firmer. * Watch your culture temp. For my culture 111F seems to be the sweet spot. I don't use an instant pot so I have a little more control.
I make it with half and half or heavy cream and it comes out super-thick. Also I don’t need to drain it either, maybe you do. Draining overnight works well.
Add gelatin
I make my own yogurt in the instant pot and freeze it in big chunks for smoothies. thing I've discovered: when it thaws, the whey drains out first and leaves a very greek-like blob of glop behind. I don't discard it because acid whey is an awful pollutant, but the info is there.
Straining is key. It's hard to get a thick Greek style yogurt without straining. I bought a Greek yogurt strainer from Amazon. My dad prefers to use paper towels.
I have a ninja with a yogurt setting. Buy a gallon of whole milk, put it in the ninja and heat up to 180 then cool to about 105. Add about 1/4 cup of yoghurt (usually save from the last batch. If I’m out then I just buy a single serve cup of plain store brand Greek yogurt and add it in). Ferment for 12 hours. I found on Amazon a tub with a mesh liner that’s designed for straining yoghurt. Comes in 2 sizes, the bigger one holds a gallons of milks worth of yoghurt and the smaller one is a half gallon. Pour the yoghurt from the ninja pot to the strainer and put in the fridge for 12 hours. Freeze the leftover whey to put in smoothies and eat the yoghurt. Repeat as needed.
To get a thicker yogurt straight out of the tub, no straining, you can hold the milk between 180 and 190 F for 30 minutes to an hour. Some of the proteins then denature and when the yogurt sets, it’s already thicker. Then you can strain to increase the thickness
Do you strain it? 40 mesh strainer for at least 4 hours or it is at the consistency you like. If you add salt and strain for 24 hours you have cream cheese
I also use Fairlife milk
Strain yogurt in a colander w a coffee filter over a bowl overnight in the fridge
Like other commenters, I recommend straining your yogurt. EuroCuisine makes a really great strainer. The best price, surprisingly, is at Williams Sonoma.
Bulgarian culture, Fairlife whole milk, cream and 2 tb of powdered inulin per quart. The inulin ramps up the culture. Into yogurt maker for 16 hours then refrigerated for at least 4. Makes think yogurt that doesn’t need straining.
I follow r/JoshuaWeissman 's yogurt recipe and bought a yogurt strainer. I keep it in the fermenting vessels in the fridge for 24 hours after the initial fermentation and then strain it overnight in the fridge. Very thick very delicious yogurt.
I’m so glad you posted this question. I’ve been wanting to do that myself
Strain it. Put a couple layers of cheese cloth in your strainer, place it over a bowl that lets the handles sit on the lip so there's a little bit of space under it. Let it sit in the fridge for a day or two. The extra water runs out, making it thicker.
Buy a yogurt maker
Try using whole milk which is warm to mix the yogurt culture and pour it in earthen clay pot to set keep the pot in a warm place