We make several gallons of yogurt a week, yes – gallons – we love it so much. I was given an InstaPot for Christmas a few years ago and I love it! Making yogurt from raw milk in an Instant Pot is a straightforward process that ensures a fresh and wholesome result. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts (8 cups) of raw milk – or fill up to the max fill line if you have a larger pot
- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt with live active cultures (as a starter)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Instant Pot:
- Ensure the Instant Pot is clean and sanitized.
- Pour the raw milk into the Instant Pot.
- Heat the Milk:
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set it to the “Yogurt” function.
- Press the “Adjust” button until the screen displays “boil.”
- Allow the milk to heat to about 180°F (82°C).
- Cool the Milk:
- Once the milk reaches 180°F, open the lid and let it cool down to around 110°F (43°C). This can take an hour or so, or you can speed it up by placing the pot in your sink with ice water and stirring the water around the pot to chill it.
- Inoculate with Starter:
- Mix the 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt into the Instant Pot with the cooled milk and stir gently.
- Incubate the Yogurt:
- Close the Instant Pot lid again. Press the “Yogurt” button, then press “Adjust” until the screen displays “yogt” (for yogurt).
- Set the incubation time for 8 or 10.5 hours, depending on your desired thickness and tanginess. Longer incubation times result in thicker yogurt.
- Check for Doneness:
- After the incubation period, check the yogurt. It should be set with a slight jiggle.
- If it’s not thick enough, you can let it incubate for a bit longer.
- Refrigerate:
- Once the yogurt has reached the desired consistency, remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot and refrigerate the yogurt for at least 2 hours to cool and set further.
- Optional: Strain for Greek Yogurt (Optional, but my daughter would say REQUIRED – ha ha!):
- If you prefer Greek yogurt, you can strain the yogurt using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer for a few hours or overnight to achieve a thicker texture. After doing this I like to use a stick blender to smooth the yogurt out.
- Enjoy:
- Your homemade yogurt is now ready to be enjoyed! Serve it plain or with your favorite toppings. My sister’s kids love it with maple syrup tapped from their trees. We like to add frozen berries.
By following these steps, you’ll create a delicious and nutritious yogurt from milk right in your Instant Pot.