How to Make Greek Yogurt From Scratch

Greek yogurt is yogurt made from various kinds of milk – such as cow’s milks or goat’s milk -- and then strained to remove the extra whey. Yogurt is thought to have first been made as early as 6000 BC. Homemade Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute for sour cream and cream cheese.

Things You'll Need

• Nonfat dry milk powder
• Yogurt with active cultures, plain
• Skim milk
• Canning jar with lid
• Wide mouth cooler thermos
• Strainer
• Coffee filter paper

Instructions

1. Pour three cups of skim milk and 1/2 cup of nonfat milk powder into a saucepan and bring up to a boil, stirring often. Remove from the heat and cool to about 100 degrees.

2. Add two heaping tablespoons of the plain yogurt, stir well and pour into the canning jar. Close the lid and shake vigorously.

3. Place the jar into a wide mouth insulated drink cooler filled with hot top water and close the lid. You can use other means to keep the culture warm -- an oven with a pilot light, the corner of a waterbed, a heating pad -- anything that will stay around 100 degrees for eight to 12 hours.

4. Leave the jar undisturbed while the yogurt bacteria grow through the milk solids. Remove the jar after the eight to 12 hours and refrigerate for three to four hours. This will be plain yogurt.

5. Strain the yogurt by placing it into a sieve lined with a coffee filter. Place the sieve over a bowl or pot with a 2-inch gap between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the container. Place the sieve and bowl in the refrigerator to drain for eight hours. This is now strained yogurt or Greek yogurt.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the Greek yogurt in place of sour cream

References

• Food & Wine: Homemade Greek Yogurt; Michael Psilakis
• Dairy Goodness: The History of Yogurt

Resources

• University if Missouri: Making Yogurt at Home- Country Living Series