Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

I like the tangy Greek yogurt too, but making it at home makes me feel good about myself! The yogurt isn't as thick, unless you drain it, and definitely not as 'zippy', but i eat mine with home made lower sugar jam, so it gets sweetened a bit and tastes fine anyway.
I've just started with the IP, and have used the half gallon of milk and maybe three tablespoons of yogurt to make a batch.
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

How I make Greek yogurt.

1 gallon fat free milk
1 6 oz container of plain yogurt for starter
3-4 cloth bags for draining (I got them at Meijers for storing produce)

Heat the milk to 180 degrees F. Cool to under 120 degrees. Put about a cup of milk into a bowl and stir the plain yogurt into it. This makes it easier to mix the starter into the milk.

Pour the warm milk into 5 wide mouth quart jars. Split the starter/milk mixture evenly among the quart jars. Stir each jar gently. Cover the jars with a plastic screw on cap if you have them, or use a canning lid/ring.

Incubate in a warm (90-100 degree) place. I warm some bath towels in the dryer and use them to line a box and cover the jars. Then I drape a coat or another towel over.

Leave them sit for about 6-8 hours. (I usually find 6 is plenty.)

Dump the yogurt into the cloth bags and suspend them over a large bowl or pan to let them drain. The longer it drains, the thicker the yogurt will be. I usually drain mine for an hour or so.

If you want to sweeten the yogurt with honey, now is the time, while it's still warm. If you're going to use jam or preserves, you can do that later. I like honey, so I dump the yogurt into a bowl and add honey to taste, usually about 1/3-1/2 cup. Then I spoon it into pint jars and store it in the fridge.

What to do with whey? Use it for making bread or cooking rice. Use it to make mash for your chickens (oh, do mine love that!). Some people give it to their chickens, other livestock, or dogs, straight. It's very good for acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries. Or pour it on your compost pile.

 

[1muttsfan]

Thank you!

 

[SillyChicken]

Aren't those IP's awesome! I put in one of my birds (still a tad frozen inside) whole last night, done in 1/2 hr! I haven't tried yogurt yet but I hope to soon. Do you guys use goats milk, fresh cow, or store bought??

I picked up 3 mini rex bunnies this weekend. I love having the bunny droppings for the gardens. They are young yet and I hope to breed for a few more. They're a good size for the droppings to fall through the cage bottom. Right now I have them housed in an enclosed dog kennel, on my garden area.

Would anyone be interested in some for Chickenstock? Their coats are to die for soft!

Hope everyone is doing well.

Anyone hear from Sam?

 

[Folly's place]

For making yogurt, I've been buying the organic ultrapasturized milk, and bringing it to a boil anyway, although maybe not necessary. Probably overkill, but fine with me.
Never would I use unpasturized milk! Microbiology cured me...
Whole chicken in the IP? Terrific here too.
No bunnies here, sorry. They are adorable, but one more thing, not happening.
Anyone else vaccinated for C-19? We get our second dose soon. Wonderful! Reducing risk is so good!
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

No where close to getting a vaccine slot. Too young, healthy, and non-essential. Maybe by May?

Hubby might be considered essential. The company he works for is making a boatload of signs for Spectrum Hospital about Covid. Probably not essential enough though.

I use plain ol' Meijers fortissimo milk to make yogurt. (FF = fat free or fortissimo.)

 

[Folly's place]

Sometimes being older does pay off! Might get really sick with this virus, but higher on the list for the vaccine too.
Also, watch your county health department website. I signed us up the minute we fit the availability parameters, and so we were nearer the top of the list when vaccine came available. Also see about signing up at Meijer's, or the doctor's office.
Mary

 

[snowflake]

don't make yogurt and I don't have an IP, although it is something I have been looking into so it is interesting to see how many like it. Does any one use kefir? been making kefir for many years it is a very good probiotic and much easier to make then yogurt.
I got my grains from someone out of state on BYC.
Sun is shining today and wind is down. Had a nice walk this AM, despite the cold.

 

[1muttsfan]

Aren't those IP's awesome! I put in one of my birds (still a tad frozen inside) whole last night,

I read that completely wrong at first. Thinking the birds was too cold...

I know you can use pasteurized milk for cheesemaking, but not the ultrapasteurized. Must not matter for yogurt?

 

[Sally PB]

I love kefir! I haven't made it in a while though. Yes, it is easier than yogurt. I got on a kefir kick a few years ago, then missed the "mouthfeel" of yogurt and got on a yogurt kick again. Oh, the looks you get when people ask you to describe kefir and you tell them it's kinds of like drinkable yogurt, but a little tangy and fizzy too.