I tried to make another batch last night and it flopped. I suspect I was not watching the tempertures close enough, let the hot water bath over heat, and killed the yogurt bacteria. From everything I have read, you can't "Save" the yogurt...HOWEVER! (LOL) I learned as a soapmaker most failed batches can be reclaimed, and in cooking, a broken sauce can be saved, so I refuse to believe that I had to throw away this failed yogurt or try and find some other use for it. I am sure my Araucana chickens would love it and they need the calcium for laying our wonderful colored eggs, I refuse to admit defeat. So, this is what I did:
#1 I poured off some liquid in each of the jars.
#2 I stirred in some Stoneyfield Farm Organic Yogurt, about 3 TBSP per Quart, sealed the jars and shook them,
#3 Reheated my water bath in the pot and placed the jars in it, this time making sure it did not get too hot(anything over 130 degrees F will kill the yogurt bacteria), and then turned off the heat and placed the pot to cool on the back of the stove.
The yogurt set up just the way it was supposed to! Hurray! Tomorrow when my husband is at work and I do not have to fight for computer time I will write some articles about the equipment you need, recipes and instructions. I had gotten a really great deal on Powdered Milk (under $7 for a box that makes 5 gallons of milk) and I ahve been using 2 cups of powdered milk per quart of water to make this yogurt. I am going to figure out exactly how much this powdered milk costs per cup, thus allowing me to estimate how much it is costing me per quart to make. The Stonyfield Yogurt, which is the best commercial yogurt available in my opinion, cost $2.50 per quart. We will be switching to Goat's Milk once we buy our Milking Goat's, and I am going to experiment and se if I can come up with anything edible for my Autistic son who loves yogust but can't have cow's milk or it makes him violent and uncontrolably hyper. Until tomorrow!
Oh, I forgot to mention My SIL Amy is going to try to get me a free Yogurt Maker from her workplace! She is the Webmaster/designer for Stonyfield Farms Orgainc Yogurt! I really miss living near her, she gets an AWESOME employee discount and would bring home cases of yogurt for us! If you have never had Stonyfield's WHOLE MILK yogurt with cream on the top, you MUST try it! It is like having dessert, so rich and creamy!
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To make Homemade Yogurt from:
store bought milk that comes in the gallon jug-approx $1.05 per quart of yogurt
from Dry Powdered Milk that costs $9 for the 4lb box-68¢ per Quart of Yogurt
From the powdered Milk I paid $6.66 for a 4lb box-55¢ per quart. We have been paying about $2.50 for organic yogurt with no artificial preservatives, colorings, etc.
The store brand yogurt costs $1.99 per quart. So even if I was only buying the cheap yogurt I am saving more then a $1 on every quart of yogurt I make. It is also good practise for me since when we have goat's I will sell the things I make from the milk to friends. I do not think I can sell Goat Cheese at the Farmer's Market unless I can prove the milk was pasturized, will have to check on that.