My Journey To Making Healthy Homemade Raw Yogurt

Yogurt has so many health benefits with it powerful probiotics and I love the taste of it. I bought my yogurt from a Mennonite family who sold raw milk and yogurt, but unfortunately they stopped selling the yogurt.  I frantically tried to find someone else in my area who made it and sold but to no avail. So when all else fails you learn to do it yourself (DIY) and that is what I did.  I would like share with you the recipe and my journey to making homemade raw yogurt.

I searched the internet and spoke to numerous Mennonite’s and Amish families on how they made their yogurt and experimented until I found the perfect recipe.  Tried different methods such as using a cooler to ferment the yogurt in – this worked well but was a lot of extra work.  I had one batch that came out very grainy and wasn’t too tasty, one that was too thin, until I came up with the right combination.

It was trial and error until I found the best way to make raw homemade yogurt that suited my needs, taste and for health purposes including balancing the flora in my gut. I use raw yogurt for its many healing properties – check out  — “11 Steps to Get Your Gut Right!”  &  “How to get Your Gut Balanced!”

Marla’s Raw Homemade Yogurt

• 1 gallon raw milk
• yogurt culture
• 2 1/2  to 3 Tablespoons grass-fed all beef gelatin
• 1 large crock pot (I use a 6 quart size)  — (you can also use a 6 quart pot and heat on top of stove)
• Food thermometer
• 4 Quart Canning Jars
• 4 Ball wide mouth Lids and Bands for Preserving foods

1. I usually warm my milk up by putting my jars of raw milk in the sink full of hot water for about 15 minutes to save time since I am taking it out of the refrigerator and it is very cold.  I then pour the raw milk into my crock pot and turn it to the high setting to let it heat up slowly.  (Take approximately 30-45 minutes to get to about 140 degrees) I make sure the temperature is not above that because once you go to 145 degrees it has been pasteurized  and I want to keep my yogurt raw. I check the temperature a periodically.

2. While the milk is heating in the crock pot I take 1-2 cups of milk from the crock pot and heat it in a medium-sized saucepan until scalding but not boiling and add the gelatin stirring it with a wire whisk for about 5 minutes to make sure it is completely dissolved.

3. Once raw milk is heating to 140 (no higher to make sure we keep it raw) I unplug the crock and take it off the heating base, add the gelatin mixture slowly using a wire whisk, making sure it is fully dissolved and then let it cool to 110 degrees.

4.  Once the milk is has cooled to 11o degrees add your culture as directed on bottle {I use a culture that I bought at my local health food store but you can use culture from your last batch of yogurt (about 1 cup per gallon)} and slowly stir it in with a wire whisk until smooth.

5. If you have an electric stove preheat oven to 170 degrees or if you have a gas oven the pilot light will work. I have already preheated my electric oven to 170 degrees.  I wrap Reynolds wrap around the outside of the crock and on top of lid just to keep the heat in. Place the crockpot with lid tight and wrapped in Reynolds Wrap on lowest rack of oven and then turn oven Off!

Do open oven until ready to test or take out. Let it ferment for 6 to 10 hours or until desired taste – it depends on how fermented you prefer it. I like to do at least 8 hours.

6. Once fermention is complete to your desired taste then take out of the oven. I put it in 1 quart canning jars and seal making sure to sterile my jars and I always put lids and bands in boiling water for approximately 1 minute so they seal and are germ free.

The yogurt will seem rather thin but as it cools it thickens to a smooth creamy medium thick texture. If you prefer a thinning yogurt than use least gelatin or thicker use more. I put in the refrigerator and let it set until it thickens.

It will make 4 quarts plus enough of yogurt starter to use if you prefer for the next batch.

Some helpful Tips & Suggestions: 

If you sweeten the yogurt I suggest using organic stevia, raw honey, or other healthy natural sweetener of your choice. Add fruit, hempseed, chiaseeds  or whatever suits your fancy and spices up your taste buds.  

•  I have found that it is a good idea to keep the yogurt in the refrigerator or the jars will unseal and the yogurt could spoil.

• You can use organic tapioca starch as a thickener but I prefer to use the gelatin.  —  I like the texture better and it is a natural thickening agent, adds very few calories, contains protein, and according to Natural News gelatin has much to offer in nutrition).

• If you do not feel you don’t want to use milk raw, please buy organic grass-fed milk or heat the raw milk to at least 145 degrees. Many recipes that I have found recommend heating the milk to 180 degrees. This is just a personal choice and what you feel is best.  Check out what Natural News has to say about benefits of raw milk.

• Making your own yogurt can be beneficial to your health versa conventional  — here is what Natural News has to say about conventional yogurt and the chemical ingredients.

Raw foods that contain probiotics is essential for a healthy immune system and a healthy green lifestyle. Keeping you gut balanced is vital to help fight disease and illness, help stop food and other allergies and intolerance’s, and living a healthy, balanced and happy life.

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About the author

Marla

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Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I believe in living green, organically, and natural in every aspect of our lives. My mission is to help educate you on how to live green, help save our environment and to help you and your family live a happier, healthier life!