# Thick goat yogurt!



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

There was a thread on here recently about runny goat yogurt. I guess it got archived as I don't see it in the list...

I made my first batch ever of really thick goat yogurt. Well, not first - the other one used milk powder. But this was the first time with JUST goat milk. Here's what I did:

Heat to 180-185, quickly cool to 125F and add Fage greek yogurt. Hold at 125F for about 6 hours.

I think the 125 and possibly the Fage are what did it. I've held at 120 and still gotten runny yogurt so it may have just been the extra few degrees. And it also has NO goat flavor at all. My husband is super sensitive to goatiness and won't drink the milk. He ate the yogurt though!

I also made cajeta and queso fresco yesterday. Cajeta came out grainy - still good, but not smooth. I followed a new recipe that used cornstarch. I think I'll just go back to the other one that was identical except for that!

Good luck everyone on your dairy endeavors!


----------



## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Fage yogurt is my one grocery "splurge". Oh my goodness I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! I add a bit of honey and I'm in heaven. I've been wanting to try making yogurt, never have done it before.

Can you list the recipe/instructions step by step for a yogurt making newbie? Do you havd to have a yogurt maker? I don't have one, but I saw a method using a cooler with warm water...


----------



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

It's almost as simple as what I've posted. I would suggest reading this webpage for the "real" way to do it: http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/yogurt_making/YOGURT2000.htm
I used a yogurt maker once and it cooked half the jars and didn't heat the others. Granted, I'm sure it was a faulty unit (my cousins wedding present that was never used...from the 60s!) but I never had the urge to try another one after I learned to do it without.

I admit to not sterilizing my jars and never measuring my starter!

So simply, I heat a quart (all my family needs) of milk to 185F, pour into a quart jar and cool (put in room temp water and slowly add ice so as not to crack jar). 

Once it's reached 125, I stir in a couple of big spoonfuls of yogurt (less than a 1/4 cup). 

Then I put the jar in a pot of water heated to 125F and put the whole thing on the warmer zone of my stove top set to the middle temperature and cover with a cloth. I've kept watch over this for the entire 6 hours before and it's stay right around 125F. I like this method better than the cooler since I do such small batches.

Also, I've done it with a food dehydrator. This is my preferred method but I don't have one at home right now!

Then refrigerate and eat!


----------



## JJFarmer (Mar 10, 2011)

Thanks for the tip on the extra thickness. I love the plain goat yogurt but always wished it was thicker. I'll try the higher temp for incubating on a small batch and see if it turns out for me like it did for you.


----------



## VA Susan (Mar 2, 2010)

I've incubated mine in a crock pot filled with warm water and then wrapped the crockpot in towels overnight. I tried using a cooler, but I didn't have as much success with it.

http://merehousewife.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/yogurt-making/


----------



## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

I heat up my microwave by nuking a cup of tea. Then I use the warmed microwave overnight to incubate the yogurt.


----------



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

If you are using raw milk...especially goat.
heat to 180, hold for 20 mins
cool down to 115-120. Add 1Tbls of plain yogurt for each qt of milk. Stir. Keep at 115-120 for 6-8 hours. Careful not to jostle it. I cool down in the sink with cold water then place in a good cooler with 120 degree water just up to the product line.
Place in fridge overnight. 
This makes consistently thick yogurt.


----------



## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

I like using 7 stars yogurt for the starter.

I pasteurize the milk first and then put it in 1 gallon glass jar in a cooler full of 110 degree water for 8 hours and then into the fridge.

The 7 stars makes the thickest yogurt w/o anything added and also seems to continue to get thicker even in the fridge.

http://www.sevenstarsfarm.com/


----------



## eclipchic (Oct 24, 2010)

I'll add a drop of rennet for a little extra firmness. It makes it similar to the ones that use gelatin....so tasty! I'll have to try the 125 temp though, I usually use 115 degrees. I need fresh starter though, I've been using freeze dried but its contaminated with yeast I think. My last 3 batches went to the chickens because they smelled "yeasty" and had a weird almost slimy texture to the whey


----------



## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

steff bugielski said:


> If you are using raw milk...especially goat.
> heat to 180, hold for 20 mins
> cool down to 115-120. Add 1Tbls of plain yogurt for each qt of milk. Stir. Keep at 115-120 for 6-8 hours. Careful not to jostle it. I cool down in the sink with cold water then place in a good cooler with 120 degree ?water just up to the product line.
> Place in fridge overnight.
> This makes consistently thick yogurt.


you put the cooler with hot water and yogurt, all into frdge? why? doesn't that cool the whole process down? never heard of this, just askin!


----------



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

No the cooler with hot water is for the 6-8 hours then in the fridge overnight.
I was explaining how I do the above step.


----------



## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

gotcha! anyone use the yogurt starter from hoeggers? i need more and some other goaty things so if I could order from one place it'd be cheaper.


----------



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Yes it works fine but I prefer plain yogurt from the supermarket. and cheaper. Then you save some of the yogurt you make to use next time. Keep this up for months before needing to get another plain from the store.


----------

