Making Yogurt at Home in Mason Jars

One of the most versatile, extremely-healthy super foods that is very easy to make is good old fashioned yogurt. Yogurt makers are very affordable, and do take a little of guess work out of it, but making at home with nothing more than mason jars is simple.

Health Benefits of Homemade Yogurt

Boosts the Immune System

Loaded with protein

Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Helps with digestion, specifically with lowering chance of colon cancer, IBS, constipation, diarrhea and lactose intolerance

Increases bone density

Lowers risk of Osteoporosis

Reduces high blood pressure

Supports weight loss and increases fat loss

Regulates moods

Reduces bad cholesterol

How to Make Yogurt using Mason Jars

Most of us think of yogurt as something we have at breakfast with some granola or fruit, but it is used extensively in many culture’s cuisines. One of the best foods for digestion, yogurt offers more health benefits than meets the eye.

What you will need:

This is very simple, and very cheap. You will need 4 mason jars, quart sized, large stock pot, thermometer, milk, starter yogurt, large cooler.

Process:

Fill the mason jars with milk (don’t use skin or reduced fat), approximately 2 inches from the top

Place the mason jars in a large stock pot.

Fill the stockpot up with water, up to about 3 inches from the top edge of the mason jars (don’t have to be exact on this)

Place a thermometer in one of the mason jars filled with milk.

Bring the stockpot to a boil, and then reduce heat so that the water is simmering, and wait until the thermometer reads 180ºF (a little skin will develop on the top of the milk at this point)

While wearing an oven mit, remove the mason jars now and place them on a counter or table, and loosely cover them so that no dust or anything from the air can get into them. Keep a thermometer in one of the jars.

Let them cool (will take perhaps up to an hour) to 110ºF to 115ºF.

Once they have cooled to this temperature, mix in 2 Tablespoons of normal yogurt that works as the starter yogurt. Mix in thoroughly and screw on the caps loosely.

Two options for incubation: you will need to let them rest, with no disturbance for about 8 to 12 hours. Three suggestions that work well for this: You can have a slow cooker ready that you poured in a tea kettle full of hot water into, and place the mason jars in there and put the lid on the slow cooker. You never turn on the slow cooker during this time. Cover the slowcooker with a towel to better insulate it. -or- if you have a good cooler, you can add some very warm water in the cooler and then add the mason jars and secure the cover. With a cooler, you might have to add hot water about half way through to keep the temperature up. -or- place the mason jars in an oven, turn the light on, and close the door

However you store, you will just need a method where you can store the jars at 110ºF to 120ºF for 8-12 hours undisturbed.

Secure the lids and place in the fridge, will be good for about 2 weeks.

Homemade Yogurt Serving Suggestions

Add a little vanilla or sugar when you add the starter yogurt for added flavor

Add a little powdered milk when adding the starter yogurt to make a thicker yogurt

After you make the yogurt as per the instructions above, you can take a sauce pan, place a strainer on top of that, line it with paper towels or coffee filters, pour the yogurt into that and put in the fridge for several hours. This will strain out the whey, giving you a very thick yogurt. The whey is excellent for cooking.

Enjoy with granola, fruit, honey, or maple syrup

Homemade Yogurt Video

A similar process, but in this video she heats up the milk separately, and then adds to the mason jars, whereas our recipe calls for adding the milk to the jars before heating. Both methods work easily as well, all a matter of preference.

Recommended Reading

Ashley English provides a feast of information for dairy-loving foodies! She guides readers through all the essentials in four topic-specific sections: Butter & Ghee, Cultured Dairy Products, Cheese, and Ice Cream. Each primer offers need-to-know facts with gorgeous photos, troubleshooting tips, profiles, and Ashley’s own roster of recipes for making such dairy staples as butter, sour cream, and cheese from scratch-as well as 10 seasonal dishes from Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup to traditional Mac & Cheese.

Greek yogurt has quickly become America’s favorite health food, its tangy, luscious taste going far beyond a typical breakfast or simple snack. Thanks to its health benefits, this power food has become a staple. Greek yogurt’s protein quantity builds muscles and regulates metabolism and the probiotics help maintain a healthy digestive tract and boost the immune system. Greek yogurt is also an excellent source of calcium and very low in sodium-and it’s lactose-intolerant friendly, too! Why wouldn’t you want it in every meal?

The internationally acclaimed The Book of Yogurt offers more than 300 flavor-packed recipes ranging from hearty peasant fare to elegant creations. Sonia Uvezian, an Armenian born and raised in Lebanon, expands yogurt beyond the narrow limitations of desserts and snack food and incorporates it into an impressive array of international dishes, among them South American Pumpkin Soup, Balkan Moussaka, Russian Beef Stroganov, and Caribbean Papaya Frappé. Also included is a section on making yogurt, along with outstanding recipes for frozen yogurt.

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