How to Make Greek Yogurt and Save Money

Eat Greek yogurt on its own or as a sour cream substitute.

While different in appearance, texture and flavor, Greek yogurt is made up of the exact same ingredients as the traditional style. Essentially a concentrated form of plain yogurt, Greek yogurt is thicker, dryer and more nutritious. Since Greek yogurt requires more milk to make the final product, the price tends to be higher as a result. Make your own Greek yogurt to save money on your weekly grocery expenses. Homemade yogurt has a sweet, creamy taste and allows you to control the thickness of the final product.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
• 1 qt. whole milk
• Thermometer
• ½ cup yogurt
• Thermos
• Towel
• Sieve
• Coffee filters
• Mixing bowl

1. Pour 1 qt. whole milk in a saucepan. Put the pan on the stove at medium-high heat and bring the milk to a boil.

2. Remove the pan from the heat. Monitor the temperature of the milk with a thermometer. Reduce the heat to 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Whisk ½ cup of yogurt into the heated milk, or use a packet of active yogurt cultures.

4. Pour the yogurt mixture into a thermos and wrap it with a towel. Put the thermos in a sunny location to keep the temperature near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the thermos to sit undisturbed until the yogurt thickens, between six and 10 hours.

5. Line a sieve with coffee filters. Put the sieve inside a mixing bowl. The bottom of the sieve must be suspended at least 1 inch above the bottom of the mixing bowl.

6. Pour the yogurt into the sieve and leave it in the refrigerator overnight, up to 12 hours. Whey -- the liquid portion of yogurt -- strains through and leaves a thick, creamy Greek yogurt.

7. Test the yogurt. If the yogurt is too thick for your tastes, mix in a spoonful of the strained whey at a time until it reaches the desired results.

References

• "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"; Mark Bittman; 2007
• Food Network: Greek Yogurt
• North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service; What Is Greek Yogurt?; Peggy Martin; August 25, 2010