Raw Milk Yogurt

Raw milk yogurt is a sort of holy grail for traditional foods enthusiasts, coupling the enzymatic and probiotic components of both fresh milk and fermentation in one glorious, creamy, lovely food.  Served over baked oatmeal orsoaked oatmeal porridge, on its own or as a basis for savory dipping sauces, a good yogurt can find its way to nearly every meal if you let it. (from nourished kitchen.com)

Raw milk yogurt is deeply nutritious and deeply satisfying, combining the wholesome nutrients found in fresh milk from grass-fed animals such as conjugated linoleic acid and fat soluble vitamins with the benefits of friendly bacteria and food enzymes.  It is a fresh and simple luxury.  Take care to read the notes at the bottom of this tutorial which provide a little more information on working with and making raw milk yogurt at home.

Ingredients

1. 1 quart fresh milk, for a thicker product substitute 1 pint fresh cream and 1 pint fresh milk (see sources)
2. 2 tablespoons Bulgarian or Greek starter (see sources) OR
3. 2 tablespoons yogurt from a previous batch OR
4. 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened, additive-free yogurt with live active cultures found at any grocery store
5. Equipment
6. yogurt maker OR
7. slow cooker or cooler and a 1-quart mason jar with lid OR
8. food dehydrator (see sources) and a 1-quart mason jar
9. thermometer, optional but advisable

Directions

1. Heat milk in a saucepan over a medium-low flame until it reaches about 110° Fahrenheit / 43º Celsius.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons thermophilic starter culture such as Bulgarian or Greek starter (seesources), or use two tablespoons yogurt from a previous batch to inoculate the raw milk.
3. If you’re using a yogurt maker, simply pour the mixture of fresh milk and starter into the yogurt maker and culture it according to the manufacturer’s instructions for about eight to twelve hours.
4. If you’re using a food dehydrator or slow cooker, first pour the mixture of starter and raw milk into a 1-quart glass mason jar and cover it with a lid.
5. If you’re using a slow cooker or cooler, place the mason jar full of milk and starter in the center of your slow cooker or cooler and pour warm water (approximately 110° Fahrenheit, 43º Celsius) into your the ceramic insert or until it reaches just below the lid of your mason jar. Cover with a warm towel for added insulation and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen to culture for eight to twelve hours.
6. If you’re using a food dehydrator, simply place the mason jar full of starter culture and milk into the food dehydrator, set the temperature to 110° Fahrenheit / 43º Celsius and allow it to culture for eight to twelve hours.
7. Once the culturing period of eight to twelve hours is complete, remove your still warm raw milk yogurt from the yogurt maker, slow cooker, cooler or dehydrator and place it in the refrigerator to chill and solidify for an hour or two.
8. Serve plain as a sauce, combined with fresh fruit or nuts or sweeten it, if desired, with a touch of honey or maple syrup.

More Notes:

Raw milk yogurt has a tendency to be runny; this is normal and is caused by the action of temperature-sensitive enzymes present in raw milk that would otherwise be killed by heat.  If liquid-like consistency is unappealing to you, consider substituting part of the milk for fresh cream or straining the yogurt through a fine butter muslin available from most cheesemaking suppliers (see sources).

 

Furthermore, due the natural presence of beneficial bacteria in raw milk which are likely to eventually out-populate the strains in your desired  starter, your yogurt starter will degrade over time.  For this reason, it is necessary to maintain a pure seed starter or to be mindful of the desired quality of your yogurt and to purchase new starters to periodically refresh your old starter.  This is generally not necessary when making yogurt from boiled milk.

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Raw Milk!

What a discovery, a raw milk producing farm ten minutes down the road. And would love to see how my lactose intolerant beloved eldest reacts to this awesome living product.  Recipe for making yoghurt follows...