Making Yogurt in the Crock Pot

I LOVE making yogurt in the crock pot! I have done it twice now and I am truly impressed with myself and the yogurt. It seems like it is pretty hard to mess up. Believe me, if it was going to go awry, it would have. I forgot to turn the crock pot off at the correct time. I forgot to add the starter yogurt at the correct time. Yet, it turned out beautifully!

I read and printed off several recipes for how to make yogurt in the crock pot. Then, I took all that knowledge and synthesized it down to one recipe. Here it is:

Crock Pot Yogurt

1/2 gallon of milk (if you use dry milk add 2/3 c. extra for creamier yogurt)
1/2 c. plain yogurt with live cultures and no other ingredients (organic brands are best)

Heat milk in crock pot for 3 hours on low. You can take the temperature with a candy thermometer and it should read 180 degrees or so. (Or, just heat on low for 3 hours). Turn off crock pot for 2 1/2 hours and let cool. (ideal temp should be 122-126 degrees). Take out 2 cups of milk, add 1/2 c. yogurt and blend. Add back into the crock pot and stir. Take one or more towels and cover up the whole crock pot to keep warm. 8 hours later you should have yogurt.

Drawbacks are you have to be around at the exact times to turn it off and add starter. My yogurt finished at midnight and it was fine until the morning when I woke up and put it into the fridge.

I have a little 5 c. yogurt maker that I bought at a garage sale for $2 about 12-13 years ago. It still works but it really doesn’t make enough yogurt. The yogurt from this is not as thick and creamy as my crock pot yogurt. I doubt I will buy store bought yogurt again. One other word of warning! Put aside ½ c. before it is all eaten or you will have to buy a starter cup again.

Cost: $.90 for the dry milk plus original starter yogurt cost. After you use your own starter it will be just $.90 for two quarts. Compare to store bought plain, on sale for $1.99 a quart.