Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you use a sous vide to make yogurt? ›

Using a sous vide is one of the best ways to make this yogurt. You can make big batches and it only takes minutes to make it right in the jar, so no clean up. This is a great device and I think it makes wonderful LR yogurt. You can make different types at the same time be it non-dairy or dairy L reuteri yogurt.

The temperature must be 108°F to 112°F for yogurt bacteria to grow properly. Too high a temperature inactivates bacteria; too low a temperature prohibits growth. Inhibitor substances such as detergent from dishes. Wash and rinse dishes well before making yogurt.

Tip. The healthy bacteria in yogurt will die if exposed to temperatures above 130 F (54.4 C).

Incubated at 115°F/46°C, yogurt will coagulate within about three hours, but if left too long it can easily curdle. I prefer to ferment it a bit more slowly at a slightly lower temperature, four to eight hours at a more forgiving 110°F/43°C.

Produce that no longer looks completely fresh or already smells strange is, of course, no longer suitable for the sous vide procedure. This particularly applies to fish and meat that is cooked at relatively low temperatures.

Harmful bacteria can't grow above that temperature, and at around 135ºF, most bacteria will actually be destroyed after a few hours, making pasteurization possible. The precision temperature control of sous-vide cooking means it actually has the potential to be safer than traditional cooking methods.

Fermentation time: The longer you ferment the more tart, and thicker, your yogurt will be. Different cultures work at different rates, but as a general guideline: 6-8 hours produces a mild yogurt, 8-12 hours a tart yogurt, and more than 12 hours produces a sour yogurt.

As yogurt is culturing for a longer period of time, lactose (milk sugar content) is reduced resulting in more tart yogurt. Even while yogurt is refrigerated it will continue to become less sweet and more acidic or tart over time, although at a much slower rate with cool refrigerator temperatures.

This yogurt is a lifesaver particularly if you are someone who loves creamy condiments like sour cream, ranch dressing and cream cheese. In addition, yogurt that ferments for 24-hours is virtually lactose free and provides a higher probiotic count than commercial yogurt because it is fermented longer.

I prefer whole milk, both for yogurt and, well, life, but you can use 2%, 1%, or skim, as well. They all work. Some folks like to bulk up leaner milks with some dry nonfat milk powder (roughly from 1/3 to 3/4 cup powder per quart of milk) to thicken it, especially in the absence of luscious dairy fat.

Does homemade yogurt have more probiotics than store-bought? ›

Does homemade yogurt have more probiotics than store bought? Certainly. The heavy processing and use of additives in regular yogurt you buy from store destroy probiotics. On the other hand, you can prepare homemade yogurt by natural fermentation of milk minus the processing and with no additives.

While yogurt can be made from room-temperature milk, for the best, most consistent results, most experts recommend first heating the milk to at least 180°F or the boiling point. Heating the milk makes for a richer end product, and also kills any bad bacteria in the milk.

Avoid jostling or stirring the yogurt until it has fully set.

* If you find that your yoghurt is stringy or slimy rather than like thick pot-set yoghurt, chances are that wild yeasts or other bacteria have gotten in to the mixture somehow.

Direct-set yogurt starter cultures are single-use cultures: one packet makes one batch of yogurt. Heirloom yogurt starter cultures are reusable indefinitely, with care. Heirloom yogurts must be re-cultured at least every 7 days.

Water Bath Method

Fill a cooler with 130 F water. The level should be just high enough to cover the jars to the neck. The yogurt will initially bring down the temperature of the water closer to 110 F. Closing the cooler will stabilize the temperature during incubation.

[Sterilization is typically achieved by using a pressure cooker to heat the center of the food to 250°F (121°C) for 2.4 minutes (Snyder, 2006). To sterilize food sous vide, you'll need special retort plastic bags that can be used in a pressure cooker or an autoclave.]

The yogurt maker can lose temperature over the 8 hour incubation but it should not start below 113°F (45°C) or end below 97°F (36°C). As long as the temperature of the yogurt maker stays within the temperature range a yogurt starter needs, then a non-electric insulated yogurt maker is the simplest solution.