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About the Recipe
At The Sovereign Farms, we believe that food is medicine. Making your own yogurt at home allows you to control the quality of the ingredients, ensuring that you’re consuming only the best. By using fresh, local milk and a live culture starter, you’re not only creating a delicious product but also supporting regenerative agriculture practices that contribute to the health of our planet.
If you’ve never made yogurt at home before, trust me—this is a game changer. It’s incredibly simple to make, and the result is the most luxurious, creamy, velvety smooth yogurt that your family will absolutely adore. At least, my 2-year-old and 70-year-old mother can’t live without it! We make this recipe at least once a week.
Pro Tip: Be sure to save 1 cup of your homemade yogurt as a culture to start your next batch!
Supporting Regenerative Agriculture:
By making your own yogurt at home, you’re taking a step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. At The Sovereign Farms, we’re committed to providing you with the best quality ingredients sourced from regenerative farms that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare. When you choose products from The Sovereign Farms, you’re not just making a healthy choice for yourself—you’re supporting a system that nourishes our planet.
We hope this recipe inspires you to try your hand at making homemade yogurt. It’s a simple process that yields delicious results, and the satisfaction of creating something from scratch is truly rewarding. Happy yogurt-making!
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk, raw
1 cup of your favorite plain yogurt (we like Nancy's Organic)
Preparation
Heat the Milk
Pour the milk into your instant pot and heat it over low/medium heat. Slowly heat the milk until it reaches 180°F (82°C). This step is crucial as it helps to kill any unwanted bacteria and prepares the milk proteins to create a thick, creamy yogurt. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching.
Cool the Milk
Once the milk reaches 180°F, remove the insert from the instant pot. Allow the milk to cool down to 110°F (43°C). You can speed up the cooling process by placing the insert in a bath of cold water, stirring gently to release the heat.
Add the Yogurt Starter
When the milk has cooled to 110°F, take 1 cup of the warm milk and mix it with the 1 cup of yogurt in a separate bowl. Whisk until smooth, then pour this mixture back into the rest of the milk. Stir gently to combine.
Incubate the Yogurt
Put the mixture back into your instant pot. Cover it with the lid (remove the silicone gasket) and open the pressure release valve. Set the yogurt function for 24 hours and press start. Allow the yogurt to incubate for a minimum of 12 hours, depending on how thick and tangy you like it. The longer it sits, the thicker and tangier it will become. I usually stop mine at the 20 hour mark.
Check the Yogurt
After the incubation period, check the yogurt. It should be set and have a mild, tangy smell. If it’s not as thick as you’d like, you can let it incubate a bit longer. Once it’s ready, line a large collinder with 2 layers of cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl or pot. Transfer the yogurt from the instant pot to the collinder and cover with some additional cheesecloth. Place the yogurt in the fridge and allow to cool and drain for at least 2 hours. If your like us and prefer a really thick, Greek style yogurt, allow it to drain for a full day.
Enjoy Your Homemade Yogurt
Transfer the strained yogurt to a large bowl and give it a good mix to smooth out any lumps that may have formed during the straining process. Your homemade yogurt is now ready to enjoy! Store it in mason jars and serve it with fresh fruit, granola, honey, or use it as a base for smoothies, dressings, and dips. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 week.
Tops for Success:
- Use Fresh Ingredients: The fresher the milk, the better the yogurt. We recommend using locally sourced, regenerative dairy products whenever possible.
- Don’t Skip the Cooling Step: Adding the starter to milk that’s too hot can kill the beneficial bacteria, resulting in a failed batch.
- Experiment with Flavors: Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, try adding vanilla extract, sweeteners, or even pureed fruit to your yogurt before incubating.
