New Recipe! How to create homemade yogurt culture (self-sufficiency); more for your food supply

Here's how you can make a yogurt starter culture at home:

Ingredients and Equipment:

• 1 cup of milk (whole milk is preferable)

• A clean glass or plastic container with a lid

• A thermometer

• A warm place for incubation (like an oven with a pilot light or a yogurt maker)

Steps:

1. Heat the Milk:

• Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Heat it until it reaches about 180°F (82°C). This step sterilizes the milk and kills any unwanted bacteria.

1. Cool the Milk:

• Allow the milk to cool to around 110°F (43°C). You can speed up the cooling process by placing the saucepan in a cold water bath.

1. Inoculate the Milk:

• Once the milk has cooled, you can introduce the desired bacteria. You have a few options: a. Use a store-bought yogurt with live and active cultures as your starter. Add about 2 tablespoons of yogurt per quart of milk. Make sure the yogurt label mentions "live and active cultures." b. If you have access to a yogurt starter culture packet, follow the instructions on the packet to inoculate the milk. c. If you want to create a starter culture from scratch, you can use a small piece of plain, unwashed, and organic produce (like an unwashed grape leaf or cabbage leaf) as a source of naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. Place this piece into the cooled milk.

1. Incubate:

• Pour the inoculated milk into your clean container and cover it with a lid.

• Place the container in a warm, draft-free spot for fermentation. This could be in an oven with a pilot light, a yogurt maker, or a warm corner of your kitchen.

• Maintain a temperature of around 110°F (43°C) for 6-12 hours. The longer you let it ferment, the tangier the yogurt will become.

1. Check for Yogurt Formation:

• After the incubation period, check the milk for the formation of yogurt. It should have thickened and developed a tangy flavor. If it's not thick enough, you can leave it to ferment longer.

1. Store Your Starter Culture:

• Once you have successfully created yogurt, you can use a small amount of it as your starter culture for future batches. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within 1-2 weeks.

By following these steps, you can create a yogurt starter culture from scratch using milk and beneficial bacteria. Remember that maintaining the right temperature and using clean equipment are essential for successful yogurt fermentation.