How to Make Raw Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

Making yogurt at home is less expensive than buying store-bought. Doing it in a slow cooker makes it easy. Using raw milk and keeping the temps low enough to avoid pasteurization is a recipe for healthy goodness!

Ingredients

1 gallon (3.75 L) raw milk
1 cup (237 ml) starter (Store-bought yogurt w/ live cultures or previous batch)

Steps

1
Remove one cup of milk (237ml) from the gallon and reserve for other uses.
2
Pour remaining milk into crock and cover with lid.
3
Arrange probe of thermometer so that it is in center of crock.
4
Heat milk (on low or high) until it reaches 110, stirring occasionally.
5
Add starter and whisk or stir for one minute or more to distribute.
6
Put lid back on, replace thermometer, and cover with blanket or several towels to insulate. Make sure the thermometer is readable.
7
Keep temp between 90-110°F (32-43°C) for 9 to 24 hours, turning crock on low for a short time if necessary to raise temperature to within this range. Incubation time will depend on your desired level of tartness. The longer the incubation period the greater the tartness and the more lactose broken down.

Warnings

Use your own discretion in choosing whether or not to consume your dairy products raw. Government entities and commercial industries warn that there is an increased risk of ingesting pathogens, especially of concern for children, the elderly and those who are immuno-compromised.

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If you need to rewarm to bring temperature to within optimal range, stay close by and don't let it go too high. Raw milk seems to culture best at the lower end of the range, so only warm it a little.

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