Yogurt is one of the oldest foods in the human diet and has been a staple meal and medicine in many cultures for millennia. The word yogurt is derived from the Turkish word “yogurmak” which means “to thicken”. It's said yogurt was made by accident when Central Asian herdsmen began to store extra sheep’s milk in vessels made of sheep stomach. A combination of warm weather, time, and bacteria in the “stomach bags” allowed the beneficial bacteria to bloom, ferment the milk and create a thick, tart dairy creation. Much has changed since the days of spontaneous fermentation and Yogurt is now produced on a large commercial scale. But in my opinion the best, most beneficial bacteria filled yogurt can be made in your own kitchen.

Supplies & Ingredients Needed
½ gallon (64oz.) organic, grass fed, whole cows milk (goat, sheep or raw milk can also be used)
1 cup half & half or heavy whipping cream (optional; see Additional Tips)
1/3 – 2/3 cup raw honey (optional; see Additional Tips)
2 TBS organic, PLAIN yogurt starter
3.5 qt. uncoated, heavy bottomed cooking pot (see Additional Tips)
2 – quart size, wide mouth mason jars, w/lids & rings (for holding yogurt)
4 – glass jars w/lids, 6 for large ice chest (to warm the ice chest)
tap water
1 – well insulated, medium sized portable ice chest
1 bath towel or small blanket
wooden spoon (see Additional Tips)
canning funnel (optional)
thermometer (optional)

Quick Overview
Making homemade yogurt is a satisfying and rewarding process that's much easier than you may assume. First we'll heat and cool the milk, add an ACTIVE yogurt culture to the cooled milk, optional honey to sweeten and place the mixture into a warm, insulated cooler (ice chest) to ferment. The following recipe yields two quarts of plain yogurt, requires 60 – 90 minutes of cook time and 8 – 24 hours of fermentation. Unopened, homemade yogurt will last up to 3 months, or longer (up to one year) in the fridge.

Prepare Your Portable Cooler
This step will pre heat the cooler and insure a consistently warm environment for your yogurt to ferment. Line the inside of an ice chest with a towel or blanket and place it in a location where it will not be disturbed. Bring 64 - 96 oz. of tap water to a boil. Remove the lids from the 4 or 6 glass jars you'll use to warm the ice chest, set aside. These 4 -6 glass jars will remain in the ice chest during the entire fermentation process. Fill the 4 or 6 glass jars almost to the top with boiled water and secure the lids. Place the filled jars into the ice chest, leaving room for the two jars of yogurt. Close the lid of the ice chest tightly.

Let’s Make Yogurt
To make homemade yogurt you’ll need a starter culture. This will be the source of active cultures and beneficial bacteria that will transform the milk into luscious yogurt! Obtain 2 TBS of yogurt from a previous batch or from PLAIN store bought yogurt with live, active cultures and no flavors or additives, set aside.

Place the cooking pot onto the stove or cooktop and turn the heat to MEDIUM. Pour the milk into the cooking pot and stir frequently to prevent scolding. It will take about 30 minuets for the milk to reach the desired temperature and consistency. If using a thermometer heat the milk until it reaches 180 °F. Another way to know it’s ready is when it resembles the texture of thin, melted ice cream with a layer of tiny bubbles on top.

Remove the milk from the heat and allow it to cool about 30 - 40 minutes. Stir it every 10 -15 minutes to avoid lumps. Fill 2 quart sized mason jars with hot tap water, set aside. Warming the jars will help maintain a consistent temperature when the warm milk is poured into them. Allow the milk to cool to 110° F or until a CLEAN finger can comfortably be held in the milk. Add the yogurt starter into the warm milk, stir well to incorporate. If you'd like to add honey to your yogurt, do so now. (see Additional Tips)

Pour out the hot water inside the quart size mason jars. Slowly pour the warm milk into each mason jars, seal with the lids and jar ring and place them into the warm ice chest and close the lid. Allow the milk to rest and ferment for 8 – 24 hours. I've found 18 – 20 hours of fermentation makes the best tasting yogurt.

When your chosen fermentation time is up, remove one of the jars of yogurt and gently tilt it. If there is little to no movement, your yogurt is ready to eat or be put into the fridge to cool and thicken further. If the yogurt seems to slosh around, reheat the water inside the jars and allow the yogurt to ferment an additional 6 - 12 hrs. If the yogurt is still quite runny after the second round of fermentation, perhaps the milk was not heated to 180°, your ice chest wasn't warm enough or was disturbed, the starter you used was not “alive” or there was contamination that inhibited fermentation. Regardless of the reason, it's very likely your yogurt is still safe to consume even if it's a bit runny. I have made a handful of batches that were not as thick as I'd like but were equally delicious.

Fermentation is an art and takes practice to achieve great results. Trust the process and continue your attempts to make yogurt, you and your gut will be glad you did.

Additional Tips
For a thicker, more rich yogurt, substitute 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of half & half or heavy whipping cream.

For a slightly sweet yogurt, add 1/3 cup raw honey; for a deliciously sweet yogurt add 2/3 cup raw honey.
It's best to use a WOODEN spoon to stir your milk as fermentation acids may react to metal utensils.

Warm the milk in a a heavy bottomed, NON-COATED pot. Avoid Teflon coated cookware when you can.

Book Recommendation
Katz, Sandor. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2003, Print.