Homemade Yogurt **Updated** Cheese and Buttermilk

[Backyard Buddies]

Question:

It has been 7 1/2 hours and my yogurt looks completely solid. Do I need to wait the entire 10 =- 12 hours or should I refrigerate it now?

 

[BirdBrain]

Here is a site that sells the cheese making supplies at resonable prices. http://www.leeners.com/mozzarella.html

 

[ozark hen]

thank you birdbrain, I just got my order in.

 

[MissPrissy]

Backyard Buddies, if you like the consistancy of the yogurt it is your judgement call. It may be ready. I just put mine away and don't even bother with it again for 12 hours. I haven't read up alot on yogurt making but I do know that it will culture faster at different temps and climates.

I often tell others to wait until it is cold to serve but sometimes we can't help ourselves and have a spoonful while it is still warm - delicious! So you can open it and taste it to check if it is where you want it to be before refrigerating.

OzarkHen - I am waiting on my goats to be delivered. I don't know exactly when they are coming but I am very excited! I wish I had fresh goats milk to use!

 

[ozark hen]

MissPrissy, I saw a sign on the road near a nearby town that advertized goat's milk for sale. I was thinking that is what mozzarella is made from?? I don't recall where I got that info but it is sticking in my head. Am I wrong, would you recommend using it? thanks

 

[MissPrissy]

I am dying to try it! LOL When I get my goats that will be one of the first things we make with our milk! Where I am goat milk can't be sold unless you want to buy it in a can from a grocery store . I am so jealous! I would get the goat milk if I were you.

Due to state laws governing dairy products they have taken the small artisan cheese makers out of the common market place. It all has something to do with the facility to pasturize the milk and then requiring a separate but on site facility for the different process of cheese making and then regulating how the cheese is aged. The requirements for the sanitation destroys the good bateria that naturally grows in the rooms where the cheese is aged.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
Thanks MissPrissy. I ended up pulling it a bit earlier than the recipe called for. I'd say that mine was ready by about the 6 or 7 hour mark. I waited until about 9 hours until I put it in the fridge. It is very thick, but definitely more sour than the starter is. The next time, I'm going to try refrigerating it earlier and see if that makes a difference in the taste in addition to the consistency.

We've been experimenting with mix-ins. The first serving I had was simply drizzled with honey. Hubby had splenda and vanilla mixed in his. My daughter put a spoonful of boysenberry preserves in hers. Each of them was wonderful it its own way. I think I'm going to play around with other jams and fresh fruits. I think that may help hubby's variety issue since I would normally buy him 6 or 8 different varieties each week.

 

[MissPrissy]

You can add a little honey or sugar to the milk before you begin heating it to make a more palatable yogurt. I know not everyone has developed a taste for simply plain yogurt. If you spoon the yogurt you made (plain no sugar, etc.) into a coffee filter and let it drip drain for several hours you end up with a product that can be used like sour cream. The longer the whey drains a soft cheese will develop.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I might have to try that one of these times. My son just couldn't get into the yogurt at all. Unfortunately, he's only used to Go-Gurts and those are LOADED with sugar and very liquidy. My yogurt was very, very thick. Don't know why. It was at least as thick as sour cream.

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
Now I don't know if mine is runnier due to the sugar content, but I wish mine were "thick as sour cream". I tried it with splenda before curing it but it tasted nasty to me and I threw it out.
I need to try less sugar in it I think. I am now using 1/2 cup and when I think about it ...1/2 cup to a quart seems way too much. That is probably why it is runnier. I think I will go to 1/3 -1/4 cup sugar next time.
After doing some research on line I discovered this site.
http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2003/june/0603tabletalk.html It also has a trouble shooting section for problems with your yogurt. I can see now why mine is too tart and why too thin.