Greek yogurt

A recipe for making thick Greek yogurt at home, yielding approximately 4 cups of yogurt and 4 cups of liquid whey. The process involves scalding milk, inoculating with starter culture, fermenting, and straining to achieve a dense, creamy texture.

Ingredients

• 8 cups (1/2 gallon / 1.9 L) Whole Dairy Milk (Standard pasteurized; avoid UHT or Ultra-Pasteurized)
• 1/4 cup Plain Starter Yogurt (containing 'Live and Active Cultures', brought to room temperature)

Instructions

1. Rinse the interior of a heavy-bottomed pot with cold water and shake out excess to prevent scorching. Pour in the 8 cups of whole milk.
2. Set over medium-low heat and heat slowly while stirring occasionally. Bring the temperature to 180°F–185°F (82°C–85°C) and hold for 10 minutes to reshape lactoglobulin proteins.
3. Remove from heat and cool the milk naturally or in an ice bath until it reaches 108°F–112°F (42°C–44°C). Do not add cultures above 120°F (49°C).
4. Ladle approximately 1/2 cup of the warm milk into a small bowl with the 1/4 cup starter yogurt. Whisk until smooth, then slowly pour back into the main pot and whisk gently for 30 seconds to distribute cultures.
5. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place in an environment maintained at 100°F–110°F (38°C–43°C), such as an unheated oven with the light on or an Instant Pot on 'Yogurt' Normal setting.
6. Leave completely undisturbed for 8 to 12 hours to ferment.
7. Set a large fine-mesh strainer over a deep mixing bowl and line with two layers of food-grade cheesecloth or a flour-sack towel.
8. Gently pour the cultured yogurt into the cloth and transfer the setup to the refrigerator.
9. Allow to drain for 2 to 4 hours (2 hours for standard density, 4 hours for extra-thick structure).
10. Transfer the strained Greek yogurt to airtight glass storage jars. Store the remaining liquid whey in a separate jar.

Notes

Storage: Keep in airtight containers in the main compartment of the refrigerator at 36°F–40°F (2°C–4°C) for up to 14 days. Batch Continuity: Reserve 1/4 cup of the fresh batch to culture the next batch. Nutritional Profile (per 1 cup/245g): 220 kcal, 8g carbs, 20g protein, 11g fat.