Yet another use for the Bradley, Yogurt!

DisplacedCoonass · February 25, 2012, 11:53:24 AM

After making it a couple times with the crockpot and wrapping it in towels to sit in the oven over night I figured there just had to be a better, easier way. What better than the Bradley with a PID attached. Now I can ensure that it sits at 110 deg for the entire incubation time.

Today's players:

Don't need to use organic milk, but it's what I used the first time I made it and the result was fantastic. Next batch I used plain jane non-fat and while edible it wasn't nearly as good. This time I'm going back to the organic whole milk, but this time I'm trying a non-UHT to see if that makes a difference.

Heated the milk up to 110 deg, then added the yogurt and 1 cup of the powdered milk for a thickener. Then it's into the Bradley for 5-8 hours.

mikecorn.1 · February 25, 2012, 04:05:02 PM

So I'm looking at this on my phone and I can't tell what the two containers are, is it non fat plain yogurt?

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slowpoke · February 25, 2012, 04:18:52 PM

Good one. Is that smoke I see? LOL.

Quarlow · February 25, 2012, 04:37:04 PM

Looks like smoke to me too. Could you list this in recipe form. I seem to be thick today. I got a gallon of milk, a cup of dry milk and how much plain yogurt? How big is that container?

DisplacedCoonass · February 25, 2012, 04:54:50 PM

Heh, there's no smoke just a blurry phone camera.

Recipe/ratio is:

1 gallon milk (whole milk recommended)
12 oz plain yogurt w/live cultures (Such as Stonyfield)
1 cup powdered milk

Heat milk in a non-reactive pot until 180F then allow to cool to 110-116F. Add yogurt and powdered milk stirring until mixed through. Pour into a 6qt Cambro bucket or whatever you have handy and then place in a 110F Bradley for 5-8 hours. Doneness is determined when you can see the liquid slide when you tilt it (why I like using the Cambro). Allow to chill in fridge for another 8 hours. After 8hrs, should be some whey build-up on surface, either drain off or stir back into yogurt. Pour off 12oz for your next batch of yogurt and store in fridge for up to 2wks or freeze if longer. Enjoy!

There is some debate/room for interpretation on if it needs to go up to 180F then back down to 110F. Since most milk is already pasteurized, it's not killing off any germs. Supposedly taking it to 180F increases thickness and makes the yogurt more tangy by altering the proteins somehow. My first batch used UHT organic whole milk heated to 180F and was really good. Second batch was pasteurized non-fat milk heated to 180F and wasn't so good. This batch is pasteurized organic whole milk heated to 110F and so far smells really good.

mikecorn.1 · February 25, 2012, 05:12:53 PM

So what do you flavor it with when your done. C'mon partner, DETAILS. ;)

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DisplacedCoonass · February 25, 2012, 05:26:27 PM

Quote from: mikecorn.1 on February 25, 2012, 05:12:53 PM
So what do you flavor it with when your done. C'mon partner, DETAILS. ;)

I leave the yogurt plain so that I can use it in my weekly dressing, add to sauces or mix with some horseradish. For breakfast, I usually add in some homemade blackberry or strawberry jam/jelly, a bit of honey and top it with some homemade granola.

mikecorn.1 · February 25, 2012, 05:39:55 PM

Quote from: DisplacedCoonass on February 25, 2012, 05:26:27 PM
Quote from: mikecorn.1 on February 25, 2012, 05:12:53 PM
So what do you flavor it with when your done. C'mon partner, DETAILS. ;)

I leave the yogurt plain so that I can use it in my weekly dressing, add to sauces or mix with some horseradish. For breakfast, I usually add in some homemade blackberry or strawberry jam/jelly, a bit of honey and top it with some homemade granola.

Nice. I love yogurt with fruit and granola. My wife buys some Greek stuff with the fruit and
Granola, but that's Too expensive. Over 4 bucks for four Lil cups. How long will this last in the fridge. Hope ya don't mind the ?'s :). I really Like this idea.

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DisplacedCoonass · February 25, 2012, 06:10:47 PM

Quote from: mikecorn.1 on February 25, 2012, 05:39:55 PM
Nice. I love yogurt with fruit and granola. My wife buys some Greek stuff with the fruit and
Granola, but that's Too expensive. Over 4 bucks for four Lil cups. How long will this last in the fridge. Hope ya don't mind the ?'s :). I really Luke this idea.

I've gone two weeks off the one gallon of yogurt. Not sure I'd go much more than that though supposedly through the process of converting the milk to yogurt it becomes more shelf stable?...not sure that's the right term but best I can think of right now.

Quarlow · February 26, 2012, 12:53:45 AM

Thanks DC. I like to put maple syrup in my plain yogurt.

cathouse willy · February 28, 2012, 10:10:18 AM

I tried this out yesterday with a liter of whole milk and some live culture, store bought yogurt. I had it for breakfast this morning, It looks and tastes wonderful. Using the bradley to incubate the mix is a great idea. I'll make this again.

viper125 · February 28, 2012, 11:06:49 AM

Couple questions.

What do you mean done when it slides?

Also is all yogurts at the store got live culture? or some way to tell which ones?

Can you freeze your yogurt and still be ok for the live culture for next batch?

Also I would have thought pasteurized milk wouldn't use. As the heat should kill the culture?

I would like to try this for my wife she loves good yogurt.

DisplacedCoonass · February 28, 2012, 02:23:01 PM

Quote from: viper125 on February 28, 2012, 11:06:49 AM
Couple questions.

What do you mean done when it slides?

Hard to describe but when you see it you know. When you tilt a glass of milk it sorta sticks to the side, but the yogurt will....move as one or slide around.

Also is all yogurts at the store got live culture? or some way to tell which ones?

Read the ingredients label to find out. Stonyfield and Dannon should both contain live cultures. Others either don't contain live cultures or aren't even real yogurt.

Can you freeze your yogurt and still be ok for the live culture for next batch?

I've no personal experience with it, but have read that you can freeze for up to 30 days. Ensure that you never use heat to defrost though.

Also I would have thought pasteurized milk wouldn't use. As the heat should kill the culture?

Don't add the yogurt until the milk has cooled back to 110-116F. There are different thoughts regarding what milk to use and initial temperature to take the milk to. Almost all milk in the US is sold either pasteurized or Ultra-Pasteurized with a few raw milk exceptions. Conventional thoughts say despite what milk you start with to always take it to 180F and then cool to 110F before adding your cultures. Taking it to 180F readies the proteins in the milk for consumption by the bacteria and makes for a thicker, tangier yogurt. Others say that starting with UHT is defeating the purpose of yogurt and isn't as nutritional. And yet others say that raw or pasteurized milk need only be taken to 110F and that by going to 180F one kills any remaining beneficial enzymes and bacteria.

All of that said, I've used UHT taken to 180F and Pasteurized taken to 110F with no appreciable difference. There was a huge difference between whole milk and fat-free milk with whole being vastly better.

I would like to try this for my wife she loves good yogurt.