Making Yogurt ?

[schoonerdog]

I have seen all sorts of recipes and methods for making yogurt, but they all involve having your oven on all day or plugging in a heating pad all day to "incubate" the yogurt at some step in the process.

how do boaters make their own yogurt without heating up the boat or drawing down all of your amps? I know I have seen/ heard of cruisers doing this, just can't seem to find it now.

Thanks!
(Cindy, Schoonerdog's wife)

[capn_billl]

The biggest part is to get a culture started. When I was in India the locals just made yogurt by pouring milk into wooden cups that had been used repeatedly for this purpose,(I believe a small amount of "leftover" yogurt was added to each). They were loosly covered and left overnight in the tropical 80-100 heat. We ate it for breakfast the next morning.

[Gadagirl]

I just received this recipe a couple days ago.....

Is easy....you need a little yoghurt and some powdered milk and water

Get an old yoghurt container ...about 500ml....mix up powdered milk in it ...nearly fill the container..aand leave it overnight.
In the morning take a tablespoon of yoghurt and mix it in to the powdered milk.
Cover it with film secured with a rubber band and place the container in a bowl of body temperature water, just enough so it doesn't float. Put the bowl in a bucket, cover with a towel and leave in the sun. Check the water every hour or so and warm up if neccessary.
After about 4 or 5 hours it should have "yogged" and you should have yoghurt !

[MarkJ]

Hi Cindy,

There are just some things where the Down Under bits of the world excell over the USofA.

Yoghurt making is one!

We have available a cheap simple solution to making the most delicious yoghurt anywhere, anytime, at sea, in storms, using no electricity (apart from cooling). This stuff is so good even Mr Schoonerdog will be prowling the boat near the galley waiting for you to open the door!



All you do is boil some water.
Mix the sachet of powder and cold water into the plastic 1 litre jar (on right in photo).
Then you put the plastic jar in the plastic thermos container (second from right in photo). Pour in hot water to the line. Seal.
Wait 12 to 24 hours.
Put in refigerator.
Eat!!!!

The flavour we like is Greek Style - regular, not low fat!

Its much nicer than the Natural, or any of the flavoured powders.

We flavour with honey (YUMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!) or fruit of real fruit puree.
We also use it in dips with french onion soup powder or with finly chopped Dill, sensational with a little lemon juice!

Now its even available in the USA (but not Canada) Delicious Yogurt Made Easy - North America


This is the one we love and recommend:

Carton of 10 sachets ...

Real Yogurt Base & Culture 170gms e
Makes 1 full litre of yogurt.

Description
Greek style is a Mediterranean style of yogurt that is extremely popular in Europe and the Middle East. It is a full-cream, plain yogurt that is ideal for those that like their yogurt very thick. It is especially good as a base for savoury dips, dressings and sauces or a great low-fat substitute for sour cream, cream or cream cheese. Also good for those that require good sources of absorbable calcium, protein and milk fat.

[Auspicious]

The following recipe is the one I have been using for several years. I got it from Phuntsok, a retainer in the retinue of Tai Situ Rinpoche in Tibet. This works for them in the cold and energy-constrained environment they spend so much time in. It works great.

"Take a gallon of whole milk and bring it to a boil. After it comes to a boil, shut it off, remove from stove and leave it until it reaches room temperature-- It can be a little warm but not too warm. Then add about 8oz of store-bought plain whole yogurt, and stir it really well. Then cover with a towel and leave in a warmish place, i.e. inside and not a cool place. Leave it for 24 hours, and you should have yogurt."

I tuck my yogurt bucket in the engine room if I've been motoring recently. In summer I cover it and leave it above in the sun. In colder seasons I put it near one of my heater outlets.

I use Chobani Greek yogurt for the initial feed, and save some from each batch to start the next. Whatever you use, make sure it says "live culture" on the label. If the result is a little thin for your taste pour it into some cheesecloth in a colander and let it drain overnight. I've also used 2% milk instead of whole milk with good results.

[teneicm]

We simply use a one liter vacuum thermos. Save a couple of tablespoon of the "old" yogurt to use as a starter for the new batch. Heat up a liter of milk to around 180 degrees. This kills off any "bad" bacteria that can compete with the "good" yogurt cultures. Allow the milk to cool to 110 degrees and then mix in the leftover yogurt starter and put it all in the thermos and let it sit overnight. You now have yogurt. If it is too thin for your taste, on the next batch you can add some powdered milk to the liquid milk as you heat it up to 180.

This typically works pretty well if the weather outside is warm and the thermos doesn't loose much heat. If it's wintertime, you may want to consider "pre-warming" the inside of the thermos with some hot water, which you'll then dump out before putting in your 110 degree milk. After a few months, your culture may loose some potency. If that happens, just secure a new container (with "live" cultures) from the store and use that as the starter.

[Mata'irea]

Below is a yogurt recipe I used with much success while at anchor. If you don't run your engine or generator to charge your batteries, it probably won't work for you. Though this time of year in Annapolis your galley just might be warm enough .

Essential Cruising Recipe: Engine Room Yogurt
In the morning, run generator or engine long enough to charge batteries and heat up the engine room.
Put 2 cups of full cream milk powder into a clean 1 liter container (I use a Nalgene bottle).
Fill half way with 110 - 115 degree (F) water (not hotter than that - you'll kill the active agents in the yogurt).
Stir and shake to dissolve milk powder.
Add 1 cup of leftover yogurt.
Mix.
Top up with warm water.
Place in warm engine room; leave there all day.
Before going to bed, place in the fridge.


Neglected yogurt tends to behave very badly - don't forget to put it in the fridge.

[Lodesman]

Mark,

Do you need to keep the Easiyo sachets refrigerated?

Kevin

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Mark,

Do you need to keep the Easiyo sachets refrigerated?

Kevin

No they are powder with a long shelf life.

We bought between 50 and 60 sachets but the suppluy is dwindling!

[speciald@ocens.]

We bought Superpasturized yogurt at Cost-U-Less in Sint Maartin. Doesn't require refrigeration.

[annk]

Totally agree with Mark, the Easiyo stuff is superb. The drawback is that it is expensive and takes a lot of storage space.Mind you I still jam in as much as I can whenever I can!
My vote goes to the Greek variety too.

[Lodesman]

It looks like the Easiyo packets contain milk powder and dried culture; we can get Yogourmet, which is just the dried culture but it needs refrigeration. Yogourmet products

[matauwhi]

G'day, mates. Ditto on the EasiYo. It is readily available here in New Zealand. Another brand as well. About $2.10 USD a packet. Sometimes we have to give it another warm up to activate the culture in the cooler months of the year. Cheers.

[schoonerdog]

You all rock! Thank you for all of the good advice, recipes, and links. Now if I can just get the fellas to like eating yogurt more...


(Cindy, Schoonerdog's wife)

[Bill Lee]

My Eastern European Mother has recipes for everything - many of them weird and gross (to me). Many incredibly delicious and most very simple to make. Yogurt was simple and tasty. Take a spoon of sour cream and roughly coat the inside of a glass jar with a thin coating of the sour cream. Add cold milk, put a lid on it and refrigerate. Voila: yogurt! Add sweetner, berries or eat plain. Cheers,
Bill