How to Make Yogurt in a Crockpot

Yogurt is widely available in grocery stores, but many varieties of the dairy product contain additives and sugar that you may not want your family to eat. Homemade yogurt is fresh and tasty, and can help you control the amount of sugar and chemicals that you ingest. Making yogurt in a crockpot is an easy process, but takes time. This recipe fits a 4-quart slow cooker and takes an average of 13 hours from start to finish.

Things You'll Need

• 8 cups milk
• Crockpot
• Measuring cup
• Mixing bowl
• 4 oz. yogurt starter
• Whisk
• Towel
• Fresh fruit
• Honey
• Plastic containers

Instructions

1. Turn your crockpot on low and add 8 cups (a half-gallon container) of milk. You can use whole milk, lowfat or skim, but make sure the milk is not labeled "ultra-pasteurized." Ultra-pasteurized is different from pasteurized milk and may prevent the yogurt from cooking properly.

2. Cover the crockpot and heat the milk on the low setting for 2 1/2 hours. At the 2 1/2- hour mark, keep the slow cooker covered, but turn it off and unplug it from the outlet. Allow the milk to sit for 3 more hours.

3. Remove 2 cups of the milk mixture from the crockpot and place in a mixing bowl. Add 4 oz. of a yogurt starter. If you have already made a batch of homemade yogurt, you can use it as a starter. If you do not have any starter, use a half-cup container of plain, unflavored yogurt from the supermarket. Make sure the store-bought yogurt contains live, active cultures.

4. Whisk the milk and the yogurt starter together and put it back into the slow cooker. Cover the crockpot with the lid, keeping the machine unplugged. Wrap a towel around the pot for added insulation.

5. Allow the yogurt mixture to thicken in the crockpot for 8 hours.

6. After the 8 hours are up, add flavorings to taste, such as honey and chopped fruit, to your homemade yogurt.

7. Store your homemade crockpot yogurt in the refrigerator in airtight plastic containers. Eat the yogurt within a week and a half for best results.

References

• Home Cook'n newsletter with yogurt recipe
• A Year or Slow Cooking blog