My Tangy Love: A Year Of Yogurt And Cultured Discoveries

How My Yogurt Journey Started

As I said in my How To Make Yogurt In The Oven post, it all started with the book Indian-ish.

I never thought of making yogurt previously, I always assumed it was challenging. I’ve been fermenting for a few years now, and I said to myself - why not try making yogurt?

Wow was I shocked by how easy it was to make yogurt.

I bought one of the smallest containers of yogurt I could find since I didn’t need much yogurt to start with.

Yogurt Experiments I Have Tried

Vanilla - I have tried adding a vanilla bean into the milk during the boiling step and leaving it in. I’m not sure if 1 bean wasn’t enough, but I don’t get any vanilla flavor.

Freezing yogurt - when I first started I was concerned about my yogurt going bad somehow so I froze 1/4 cup just in case. I no longer find this necessary. I just ensure when the yogurt gets low that I grab 1/4 cup for my next batch. I would however freeze yogurt if I didn’t have plans to make yogurt any time soon.

Making yogurt with Greek vs regular - I tried making yogurt with strained and strained yogurt, heck I even tried different generations of yogurt as a taste test. They all tasted the same and had the same consistency.

How I Make Yogurt Today

Being almost a year into my yogurt journey, I now make yogurt every 1-2 weeks. My favorite recipe is my extra thick recipe - it comes out of the instant pot as a thicker Greek-style yogurt. You'll have to read my other yogurt post for that recipe.

I strain my yogurt for about 8 hours, then I put some frozen fruit on the bottom of a container, top with yogurt, and let that sit in the fridge for a few hours. It is delicious like that, but I also add freeze-dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, honey, or vanilla paste!

What To Do With The Whey

If you are like me and on a less wasteful journey, you may be wondering what to do with the whey you drain off the yogurt.

The whey is the slightly yellow-colored liquid that drains off the yogurt.

I have frozen mine for smoothies, added about 1/2 cup to chili, and poured it into my garden bed. Another idea I’ve heard is using it in pasta sauce and sourdough bread though I’ve not tried those methods.

You can of course just dump it down the drain.

Why Do We Start Yogurt With Yogurt?

The answer is short and sweet - we need the cultures. The culture is what turns milk into yogurt! When first starting, I’d recommend seeing if you can have a little from a friend, but buying from the store works just fine.

If you want to dive further into cultures and fermentation, I would recommend The Art Of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. He is a wealth of information. The other recommendation I have is a YouTuber named Anna at the Fermented Homestead - she has loads of videos and does all sorts of ferments.

Key Takeaways From My Year Of Yogurt

• Just do it! It's easier than you think.

• Skip the additional flavoring during yogurt making - just add in what you want when you eat it.

• Don't feel obligated to save or use the whey you drain off.

• Don't be afraid to use your yogurt as a substitute for sour cream or in dips.

Let me know in the comments if you have made your own yogurt or if you want to make your own yogurt!