hold the kefir- let's try something else!

While I am still waiting to source some kefir grains, with which to try to ferment some cow's milk, I decided to try something similar in the meantime! Yogurt.

I reviewed a few recipes online and in literature, and boiled it down to this:

SUPPLIES
-1 Tablespoon yogurt starter (i.e. plain whole milk yogurt with live cultures)
-1 quart raw milk
-crock pot/ slow cooker
-thermometer
-a few blankets or towels


INSTRUCTIONS
-Set up your crock pot or slow cooker where it will be able to rest for 6 to 8 hours, after initial preparation.
-Pour quart milk into crock pot, turn crock pot on medium or high, allow milk to come to 180F slowly. This takes between 30minutes to an hour.

-Monitor temperature and stir occasionally to avoid skin forming on top.
-Unplug your crock pot and allow the milk to cool to 120F. This typically takes 30minutes. Monitor temperature.
-While the milk is cooling, bring the yogurt starter out of refrigeration and allow it to come to room temperature.
-When the milk has reached 120F, stir in the yogurt starter gently, then cover with a lid.
-Wrap the crock pot in the towels.
-Let the crock pot sit undisturbed for 6 to 8 hours. The live cultures from the yogurt starter will begin to ferment and do their work!
-After this fermentation time, feel free to transfer the yogurt into a clean mason jar or other container. Place the yogurt in to the fridge.
-Allow 4 hours for the yogurt to set before consuming.

Here are some photos from the process!

Measuring out a quart of raw cow's milk, about to add it to the crock pot.

Fermentation and setting process: stirring the yogurt to check consistency. It is a bit runnier than I was hoping for, actually.

Half of the end-product, bottled up for later consumption.

The other half of the end-product, mid-smoothie mixing! (it was quite tasty! .. you could taste the tang of my yogurt!)

I hope to make an other batch of yogurt soon- I want to try getting a better/more accurate thermometer, so as to monitor the temperature more closely. I also hope to get a different brand of yogurt. This time I used Brown Cow's Whole Milk Yogurt. I might try a different brand, to see if I can get the consistency to be a bit thicker. But, over all, I really liked the taste of this batch. The bacteria did their job!