Creamy Homemade Yogurt

A crockpot is the way to go: Heat on high for 2 hours and 45 minutes or until 180 degrees. Put a towel under the lid to absorb moisture. Let cool 3 hours or until 110 degrees. Remove skin if needed. Add 1/2 c. yogurt. Do not stir.
Wrap and/or put in warm place for 12 hours.
Only one pot to wash and the ceramic pot is easier to clean than the metal one for some reason.

Heating the milk kills most competing organisms, but with pasteurized milk this is not an issue.

Heating the milk to 180+ deg F and holding for 20 minutes also denatures the whey protein lactoglobulin which allows it to then bind with the casein proteins. All of this protein dancing results in a creamier, richer yogurt product. (If you heat too hard and/or too long, the protein will congeal and the yogurt will become coarse and grainy.)

Unnecessary? Perhaps, but not to this purist.

The ice cube thing makes no sense. How does cooling metal a couple of degrees before heating it affect scorching?

I find the easiest technique is to use a cooler. I make 5 quarts at a time. I just pour the warm (heated then cooled) cultured milk into 5 quart jars with lids and stick them in a cooler with a lid on it. About 8 hrs later I stick the jars in the fridge. That's it!

I've been making yogurt for decades without ever heating the milk. Just stir a tablespoon of yogurt into a quart of milk. Loosely cover in a mayonnaise jar. On a warm summer day, I have thick yogurt in 8 hours. On a cold winter day it might take 24 hours. No mess. No fuss. Just works.

Fage and Trader Joe's Greek Yoghurt are the only brands that did NOT work.
I think because of lack of live cultures........

If you use organic whole milk that has been ultra pasteurized there is no need to heat to 200 degrees. You can heat the milk to a little over 100 degrees and start your recipe from there. The most tedious step is taking the milk up to 200 and then letting it cool just the right amount; with ultra pasteurized milk you heat the milk up to basically baby-bottle temperature and that's it.

I did this in my slow cooker with a gallon of organic whole milk and had absolutely amazing results! I heated it on low for 2.5 hours, let it cool for three hours, whisked in a cup of plain greek yogurt, and then wrapped the slow cooker in a beach towel to keep it warm and dark. I came back to it 15 hours later, strained the yogurt for 8 hours, and had some this morning for breakfast. It is the smoothest, creamiest yogurt I've ever had! This will definitely become a weekly project.

A yogurt maker is only about 30 dollars. It keeps the jars at the right temperature without all the fussing of blankets or towels or warm spots on the floor. I like that its a consistent temp and I have individual servings in 6-8 hours (plus chilling time). The jars go in the dishwasher. It's so easy.

This is the exact method I have used to make my own yogurt for many years. It makes a beautifully textured and delicious product. Also, if you drain the yogurt as the instructions for making Greek yogurt specify, and then press the yogurt a little bit in the cheesecloth, and you will have labneh or yogurt cheese. It makes a delicious spread for toast, or you can use it with berries and nuts and honey as a dessert.

I can't believe you are not using the whey. I have been making yogurt for years only using the strained whey as a starter. I strain the yogurt and save the whey for my next batch. No need to reserve yogurt as a starter. It doesn't last in my house anyway. I refrigerate the whey in a ball jar. It can last months. Whey has many healthy uses. Don't throw it out!

Yes, in fact the Lactaid people sell yogurt made from Lactose free milk.

Having said that, homemade yogurt IS lactose free, the fermentation breaks down the lactose. The longer it develops, the more lactose breaks down. That's why I make my own. Cheaper commercial yogurt does not develop for very long, and dried milk solids are used to thicken it, increasing the lactose levels even more.

1) heating in a double boiler prevents scorching
2) an instant thermometer is useful --up to 190, then down to 110 F
3) after stirring in yogurt, put containers in a foam or picnic cooler along with a couple of quarts of very hot water, and check after 6-8 hours.
Two quarts at a time is a practical amount. Whole milk is the best!

1. Heat milk in a Ball jar in the microwave. Cool down 110 degrees. Pour it into a thermos for 2-3 hours near heat source. Then pour back into the ball jar and into the fridge.

2. Use a coffee filter to strain. Simple. No mess because the strained yogurt peels off the filter. Toss the used filter into the compost bin.

2.

I have made my own Greek yogurt for more than a dozen years... I use 1 - 3 gallons of whole organic milk at a time
Heat milk very slowly to 180 F in a heavy-bottomed stainless stock pot
Once your milk starts heating, do NOT stir! Cool to 115 F.
Add live culture yogurt at the rate of 1/3 C per gal. milk, no stirring. Cover with lid, place for 12 hours in oven that has been warmed, with heat turned off.
Strain through clean cotton cloth 'til whey equals 50% of milk used. Fabulous!