Thread: Question about yogurt

On Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:47:33 -0400, "Dora" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
>I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
>whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it
>in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
>Would anyone know?
>
>Dora


I always use an electric yogurt maker (1qt) myself, but this extension
article says you only need to go to 105 F and can do it all in a water
bath. The article is detailed and logical, although I have not tried
it myself.

Worth a few minutes' read, I think.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/ip36.pdf

A lot can depend on whether you can set your oven to a low temp. I do
not know if just the oven light will keep things warm enough to get
the fermentation going.. One friend uses a hot water bottle and a
towel (in between the container and the HWB), one uses a heating pad.

If you have a decent probe thermometer, why not place a quart of water
at the same temp as your yogurt pre-mix would be, then check it a
couple hours later and see what you have. Being water, it may loses a
bit more temp than a thicker mix, but you'll have some idea.

Boron

On Mar 19, 3:47*pm, "Dora" <limey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. *I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it
> in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora

I'd stick with the yogurt maker. The electricity it uses (if this is
your concern) is hardly worth risking all that milk and having a
flop.

Plus, I would be trying to preserve my oven light bulb if I could.
They're a relative pain to find and replace, at least MINE is.

Dora wrote:

> I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it in
> my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora

It all depends. Different ovens will produce different temperatures
from just the oven light. Ambient temperature has a big effect. Get a
good thermometer and take some measurements.

I have typically done this by turning the oven on warm for a short time
to give it a head start (not just for fermenting yogurt, but a variety
of things).

Keeping a baking stone in the oven will help it hold in heat longer.
You can also put the bowl in warm water inside a warm oven. More
mass holds heat longer.

--
Mort

"Dora" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it in my
> electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora
The temperature can be critical but it's worth a try - what have you to
lose?
Many years ago when gas cookers had pilot lights, I used to put a litre pot
of mix wrapped up in a casserole on the hob and leave it overnight. The
results were always perfect. When I moved to Canada, I tried an insulated
pot that was sold for making yoghurt and the results were hit and miss.
Sometimes it set but had a strange texture best compared to the stringiness
of freshly cooked motzarella.
Graham

"Dora" wrote in message news:[email protected]..

I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.

I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it
in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
Would anyone know?

Dora

The temperature of the yogurt needs to stay within the band necessary for
the culture that you have for a time period needed by that culture.
It's as simple as that.
I don't know your oven or light or room or anything else.

Tom

Dora wrote:
>
> I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it
> in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora

If you have a good culture, you can even make yoghurt at room temp.
Yoghurt has been made for thousands of years without fancy equipment or
thermometers. Wouldn't waste the oven light on it.

Put your electric oven on its very lowest 'warm' setting for a while
then shut it off. Once it's off, do the yoghurt mixture and put it in
the prewarmed/shut off oven. When the fermentation gets going, the
eventual drop in temp won't matter much. It can take longer than your
yoghurt maker.

Arri London wrote:
> Dora wrote:
>>
>> I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>>
>> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am
>> wondering
>> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place
>> it
>> in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
>> Would anyone know?
>>
>> Dora
>
> If you have a good culture, you can even make yoghurt at room temp.
> Yoghurt has been made for thousands of years without fancy equipment
> or thermometers. Wouldn't waste the oven light on it.
>
> Put your electric oven on its very lowest 'warm' setting for a while
> then shut it off. Once it's off, do the yoghurt mixture and put it
> in
> the prewarmed/shut off oven. When the fermentation gets going, the
> eventual drop in temp won't matter much. It can take longer than
> your
> yoghurt maker.

Thanks, everyone, for your hints. I'm going to experiment - as Graham
says, what do I have to lose?

"Dora" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it in my
> electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora


Don't see why not - My grandmother used to make it on the steam radiator.

Dimitri

On Mar 19, 12:47*pm, "Dora" <limey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I can't find the thread in which I asked this question.
>
> I make yogurt in a yogurt maker, in six 6-ounce jars. *I am wondering
> whether I can make it in a bowl holding about a quart, then place it
> in my electric oven, using the warmth from the oven light?
> Would anyone know?
>
> Dora

This is exactly how I make it and have made it for 30+ years.
Julie

In article <[email protected]>, Arri London <[email protected]>
wrote:

> If you have a good culture, you can even make yoghurt at room temp.
> Yoghurt has been made for thousands of years without fancy equipment or
> thermometers. Wouldn't waste the oven light on it.

I just leave the container, sealed, wrapped in towels on the counter.
We get yogurt each time.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

Ranee at Arabian Knits wrote:
>
> In article <[email protected]>, Arri London <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > If you have a good culture, you can even make yoghurt at room temp.
> > Yoghurt has been made for thousands of years without fancy equipment or
> > thermometers. Wouldn't waste the oven light on it.
>
> I just leave the container, sealed, wrapped in towels on the counter.
> We get yogurt each time.
>
>

That's it precisely. Sometimes I don't even get around to wrapping the
yoghurt container in towels. Just takes longer but always goes.

On Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:46:59 -0400, Dora wrote:

> I'm going to experiment - as Graham
> says, what do I have to lose?

Typically I make yogurt using an electric skillet for the heat source. Put
a stainless steel bowl of milk/yogurt mixture in the skillet, fill the
skillet with warm water, set the temp and let it go for the duration.

Took a couple of experiments, substituting water for the milk/yogurt
mixture to determine the correct setting on the thermostat. But now . . .


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