How do you do it? I do know that active yogurt is somewhat sensitive to temperature. I have a method that seems to work for me. I let the starter thaw on the counter while the milk heats. I know that my yogurt was frozen while still very fresh and viable, whereas the stuff in the store could have been sitting there for a long while. Here it is January of 2020. I agree. When using Bacillus Bulgaricus as a starter, use about 2 grams to make half a gallon or 2 liters of yogurt. Thanks for this post. (It’ll say so on the label.) Once the almond milk yogurt is set, you can strain it again to get thicker yogurt. It's viability after freezing would depend on how fresh the yogurt is right now (how long ago it was made). For me, I feel a certain amount of confidence, each time I make yogurt with my own frozen starter. I keep these containers of starter in a 0 degree F freezer. But most of the time, I take a container out of the freezer in the morning, and just leave on the counter for a few hours. Just suppositions, maybe needless worries. It makes the best yogurt EVER. There are no specific strains of bacteria required for making non-dairy yogurt. e.g. Essentially yogurt is the product of these beneficial bacteria fermenting milk and turning it into an acidic food that will stay consumable longer than milk itself. Yes, I've been freezing small amounts of each batch of homemade yogurt, then using those as starter for subsequent batches. The bacteria in a probiotic pill or powder will multiply in yogurt, however if you are making dairy milk yogurt not all probiotic bacteria will result in true yogurt. A traditional yogurt starter is a carefully balanced blend of bacteria which consume the lactose in animal milk. Active yogurt made from any milk can be used as a yogurt starter. Thanks! The yogurt contains cultures which produce lactic acid, which, in turn, retards spoilage of milk. So, if you're pretty sure the yogurt is fresh, like you just made a batch with this container of Dannon and it turned out well, then I don't see why freezing it in 1/4 cup or slightly more wouldn't work.Good luck with this. Lyo-san starter is available from Lucy's kitchen shop and many other outlets. There are other factors also - The type and quality of animal milk you use also impacts the texture. This is so good to know, and I am grateful for finding this out on your page. I appreciate you taking the time to share you knowledge. I've read that eventually the bacterial strains will die out, and I'll have yogurt that doesn't set. I just read through your article. … Over time the probiotic strains will weaken so this is not a process to be repeated indefinitely. You need to begin with starter yogurt. A 6-oz serving of plain yogurt costs about 10 to 12 cents. I use powdered milk for my yogurt and it works great! So, I decided to see if I could make yogurt using it as starter. I was considering not bothering to make my own yogurt if I needed to continue to buy expensive starter cultures every few batches. I'm a regular follower of your blog but this is my first time posting. I tried freezing my homemade yogurt starter as soon as I made my fresh batch about 2 weeks ago. So, I know for sure that my freezing methods work for 6 to 7 months from the point of incubating to the point of using it as starter. For my experience -- it's been tight control of the temperatures. In case you’re wondering, I always use fresh milk from Braums. That’s because it’s the cooking of milk prior to culturing, followed by a high-temperature culturing period, that transforms milk to yogurt, and not any specific culture that is added to the milk. Is that normal? After approximately eight hours of incubation, the homemade yogurt will be finished, and can be refrigerated for up to two weeks before use. It is best to use a premium, multi-strain probiotic that requires refrigeration. Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus Bifidus, Bifidobacterium longum etc. I amazed how you freeze yogurt as starter.So I made yogurt some weeks back. Frozen yogurt can remain viable for many months in the freezer, but why push it. Remove from the oven. What's my secret? Thanks for commenting. Our L Reuteri probiotic yogurt is a good example of this. Thanks for sharing your experiences in a well written article. I have 0% Fage and 2% fage as possible options as starters for my homemade yogurt. Leo. I freeze my own homemade yogurt as starter for successive batches. Where dairy is a concern, look for brands labelled as ‘dairy-free’ or ‘vegan’. Editor: I think that as long as there are active bacterias listed in the ingredients, any yogurt will work as a starter for making your own yogurt. And here's why you should make real yogurt at home. Homemade yogurt's thickness and texture can range greatly. I respect your persistency and hard work.Thank you. When beneficial bacteria are taken to improve health, they are considered ‘probiotics’. Every 4 or 5 batches, the day immediately following making a fresh batch (after I'm sure it has set), I scoop 6 ounces of yogurt each into 5 or 6 freezer containers. Over time the probiotic strains will weaken so this is not a process to be repeated indefinitely. Some people say it didn't work, others say it didn't. The “mother” is the starter culture for a yogurt. You can always reheat the milk to the right temp. I was researching everything I could about making yogurt, as I had attempted once before many, many years ago, without success. You can use homemade yogurt or simply use store-bought plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt. You can make wonderful yogurt with only a couple of tablespoons of starter in a gallon of milk. I've never done that! So, if there's just 1 week before the sell-by date on the milk, I know that I can make it into yogurt the next day and have the yogurt still be good for another few weeks. Matsoni yogurt starter cultures originate from the Caspian sea area and create a richly flavored yogurt that is especially good for frozen yogurt desserts. This will vary based on the yogurt starter you choose to use. The resulting yogurt is thick and tart -- just the way I like it. No pectin, unless I have a flopped batch. I heat the milk to just over 180 degrees F on a cooking thermometer. If your milk is ultra-pasteurized (in contrast to just pasteurized), I've heard the yogurt won't set up right. . The frozen yogurt will look very unappealing, when you thaw it. I prefer to use Plain Cream Top Brown Cow natural yogurt as a starter. The original Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), from the book ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle’, calls for a yogurt starter that does not contain Bifidus/Bifidum bacteria because it can ‘take over’ and cause health problems in some cases. When it comes to milk, you can use raw or pasteurized milk.However, you can NOT use ultra-pasteurized milk.Ultra-pasteurized milk is processed to such a degree that it … The, Always add your yogurt starter culture to the milk when it is below 108° F (42° C). Yogourmet are global leaders in the manufacturing of probiotic rich yogurt starters. i had stopped making yogurt because i found it a pain to constantly have to go to the store for fear my own yogurt would be too weak as a frugal person i am definitely going to see what other posts you have because finding you randomly with this info has truly made my day! Temperatures above 43° C will kill bacteria. Turning milk into yogurt extends the life of that milk. I was wondering.....do you thaw your frozen yogurt overnight in the refrigerator before using? I think it is interesting that the amount can vary so much. I never let myself use the last container of frozen yogurt, but always keep one in reserve, just in case I do something wrong in the yogurting process. Have you been certain that you're heating the milk high enough to kill of bacteria, then incubating at about 115?The other possibility is the milk you're using. Commercial, non-dairy yogurt will contain stabilisers and gelling agents that will interfere with the yogurt culturing process. I look for it on markdown -- milk that is close to it's sell-by date. lyntc10 | May 18, 2009 07:32 PM 11. These bacteria convert the lactose to lactic acid, which changes the protein structure of the milk, creating a unique tangy taste and a thicker, creamier texture. Place the almond milk into a yogurt maker and let it ferment for 6 – 8 hours. Yes, I've been freezing small amounts of each batch of homemade yogurt, then using those as starter for subsequent batches. For our budget, that is dirt cheap. of animal milk you use also impacts the texture. Then pop out the small frozen blocks of yogurt starter and store in heavy ziplock bags, vacuum seal or some other container in the deep freeze. And you're right, for extra sweetening, we use homemade jelly (red currant or crabapple) or homemade jam (blackberry or plum). it provides the approach for big cost savings with everyday items. So, a flavored 6-oz serving would probably cost about 12 to 15 cents.Has your frozen starter worked well for you? Depending on the fermentation and time the characteristic tangy flavor of homemade yogurt can range from mildly sour to very tart, plus the texture can vary from drinkable to thick set. Some people chain-yogurt (using a bit from each previous batch to make the current batch). This is about 1/3 of a teaspoon of starter. These bacteria convert the lactose to lactic acid, which changes the protein structure of the milk, creating a unique tangy taste and a thicker, creamier texture. Hi Selena,I don't know how/what process you're using to make your yogurt in order to say what might have gone wrong. I am so glad to find out we can freeze our starters! You can then use a scoop of your homemade yogurt as the starter for the next batch, and eventually there won’t be much of the original yogurt with its sweeteners and artificial ingredients left in your yogurt. When purchasing commercial yogurt look at the ingredients list and make sure it contains live cultures and does not contain any flavours or additives. I'm happy to share what has worked for me. I used a previous batch of my own homemade yogurt as the starter (1 week old). When frozen put in plastic bag. Change the water to warm, whenever the water gets too cool. Help! Best of luck! I have not been freezing my starter! The living cultures in yogurt are called beneficial bacteria because they support digestion and are nourishing. Our, The original Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), from the book ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle’, calls for a yogurt starter that does not contain Bifidus/Bifidum bacteria because it can ‘take over’ and cause health problems in some cases. We have 'Traditional', 'Probiotic' and 'non-dairy' starters available. It might seem wrong and naughty but we recommend white sugar. THANK YOU! You mentioned in your post that you also freeze your milk? That's so great! I really believed that I'd need to buy more yogurt to use as starter at some point.Good luck to you! The only other thing that I can think of is the type of milk used. I'd be very interested in this info, as would other readers, here. I'm glad this information was helpful! One more thing, please, how much of your frozen descendant yogurt do you use in one gallon of milk. If you remember, please come back here and let us know if frozen commercial yogurt works for you. redzed wrote:I am far from being an expert here, but the bacteria found in yogurt is not the same as the strains in starter cultures. It is good to know that the range of variation can be somewhat large and still produce a good result. This, will explain further and take the worry out of. You can buy freeze-dried starter cultures, which look like powder, or you can use a plain store-bought yogurt with live active cultures. You have two choices --1) you can thaw some frozen starter in a container sitting in another dish of barely warm water, not hot, just barely warm. So, buying whole milk when marked down, due to nearing the sell-by date, is my first step in making yogurt for dirt cheap (most of the time, I spend under $2 for a gallon of whole milk, which makes 3  1/2 quarts of thick yogurt). Traditionally, yogurt-making was a simple food preservation technique. This keeps the yogurt fresh tasting without any foul taste or smell. Hi anexacting,I stumbled upon that information just before I made my first batch. Good luck with your yogurt-making. In any case, here's a link to a post I wrote on how I make yogurt. Freezing starter from my own batches has worked for over 8 years now for me, so I'm hopeful this info will work for others. Where I reside you can't find regular yogurt in small containers, only flavored ones. In the process, the milk becomes a kind of medicine teeming with millions of gut loving bacteria. I’ve been making yogurt in my Instant Pot on a weekly basis for a few months now and it always turns out well when I use shop bought natural yogurt as a starter. For flavorings, it depends on what's in season in our yard or picked in the wild (blackberries), or what I have in the freezer. A country or region is often known for a specific blend. Heat will kill off your active cultures, and render your starter useless.I'm pleased to meet you, Susan. Happy yogurting! I would love to use your method! It's nice to know we have so much leeway. It's thawed within about 3 hours. Heat the milk in a stainless steel pan on the stove over medium heat until it reaches 180°F. Add this to the warm milk. Creative savv would like to continue to be a welcoming and safe place for discussion, and as such reserves the right to remove comments that are inappropriate for the conversation. When beneficial bacteria are taken to improve health, they are considered ‘probiotics’. ... For every liter of almond milk you need to use ½ teaspoon of the yogurt starter. This makes homemade yogurt much more affordable, as it wouldn't be that affordable if one requires expensive starter cultures every few batches. It’s also fine when I use some of that homemade yogurt (batch no.1) as a starter for the next batch no.2 but it never sets when I use batch no.2 as a starter for the next batch no.3. Starter Yogurt. Now to find enough small containers for freezing.....:), If you don't have enough "containers" to freeze and store the extra starter. Hi there,yes, that's normal and will still work as a starter.Good luck! A longer fermentation time usually yields a tarter flavored yogurt. I make the jellies and jams with fruit grown here or picked in the wild, and sugar. A traditional yogurt starter is a carefully balanced blend of bacteria which consume the lactose in animal milk. Temperatures above 43° C will kill bacteria. I do know that you can purchase dehydrated yogurt starters, so that would indicate that it's possible. A “starter” is the term we use for the cultures that’ll transform your milk into yogurt. There are a million options. However, eventually, you will have to use a new powdered starter. My guess is either the milk wasn't heated high enough (180 degrees F), or the yogurt wasn't incubated at the necessary temperature (about 115 F). Yogurt starter cultures are carefully balanced so that the strains work together, but different combinations of these bacteria produce different types of yogurt. I recently started making yogurt again with our Instant Pot and found your method of freezing yogurt starter culture to be very helpful. However, if you are the adventurous type and love to make your own homemade food, try the easy yogurt starter here. For my starter I found a plain wonderful tasting medium size container, lined muffen pan put about 3 TBS in each then froze. See our Yogurt Basics recipe page for recipes. You can use a portion of pre-made yogurt, a specific blend of. Have a great day! Make more yogurt: When you make a new batch of yogurt, you normally need a couple tablespoons of yogurt to use as a starter. TRADITIONAL ANIMAL MILK YOGURT FERMENTATION. I am puzzled at the difference of how much is used in each batch though. Making a yogurt starter isn't as difficult as you may think. We have ', Most yogurt starters are grown in dairy milk, so if you are vegan or have a dairy allergy, the. So, I may go several weeks without making yogurt, or I may make yogurt twice in one week (that happened just this past week, with 2 gallons of milk found on mark down, and no freezer space for the extra gallon of fresh milk). goat, sheep or buffalo) as well as non-animal "milks" such as soy and coconut in many health food stores. e.g. Then just grab a yogurt cube when ever you need it to make a batch. Hi frugal spinster,We each flavor our own, as we have it. : Also Dannon in the U.S. make a commercial plain natural yoghurt, avoid the low fat and non fat … http://www.creativesavv.com. Yes, it works just fine and tastes much better and stronger than straight store bought. While yogurt starter cultures can vary in taste and consistency, the one you select ultimately depends on your dietary preferences. I had no idea that the cultures would remain active after freezing - that's great to know - I was often buying new starter. It is advisable to always use a dried bacteria starter culture with non-dairy milk. Barb Hodgens loves to cook with alternative, healthy whole food ingredients, with a focus on gut health, SCD & GAPS diets. Alternative, non-dairy milk doesn’t have as much natural sugar available to feed the bacteria and ensure the culturing process will take place or continue for the full duration of the fermentation. 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