Making Yogurt in the Instant Pot without a Yogurt Setting
Making Yogurt in the Instant Pot without a Yogurt Setting
Watch as Kerri teaches you how to make homemade yogurt in the Instant Pot using Henry Dairy Farm’s milk. This is Kerri’s favorite way of making yogurt because it is so easy. You will end up with yogurt made from all-natural ingredients that tastes even better than what you can get from the store.
What you need
- Instant Pot
- ½ gallon of Henry Dairy Farm’s milk
- 3 tbs starter yogurt (at room temperature)
- Sweetener (optional) to taste
Step One: Sanitize your Instant Pot
The easiest way to do this is to run the inner liner through the dishwasher. You can also pour boiling water into the inner pot and then discard the water.
Step Two: Heat the Milk
Pour ½ gallon of Henry Dairy Farm’s Raw milk into the liner of the Instant Pot. (You can use more or less milk depending on the size of your Instant Pot.) If using ½ gallon, you can get 7 jelly jars worth of yogurt.
Press the button for the Sous Vide function on the pot, then set the temperature for 180 degrees for 30 minutes.
Press start.
This step scalds the milk and prepares it to receive the yogurt culture. This is important because the heat changes the structure of the proteins in the milk and enables it to thicken into yogurt.
Step Three: Cool the milk
After the milk is scalded, let it cool to 100-110 degrees. This takes about 1 hour if the inner pot is removed and placed on the counter. Wait at least 5 minutes before removing the inner pot. You can also speed up the cooling process by placing the inner pot into a bowl of ice water. This takes about 15 minutes. 
Step Four: Remove the “skin”
Skim off the “skin” from the milk. This is normal as the milk was scalded.
Step Five: Add the yogurt starter
Now you will add your yogurt starter. If this is your first time making yogurt, you will need to purchase a yogurt started culture. (You can use prepared yogurt for this but make sure has live and active cultures listed in the ingredients.)
If you have made yogurt before, just save some for use as your next starter.
If you would like to sweeten your yogurt, now is the time to add sweetener (not sugar). Add ¼ cup of Agave syrup. You can also add vanilla if you wish.
Step Six: Allow your yogurt to Incubate
Place the milk with yogurt culture in glass jars - 7 jelly jars work out perfect or whatever size jar you have. 
Clean the inner pot and place it back into the Instant Pot. Add some water to the inner pot and place the jars in the pot.
Again press the Sous Vide button and this time set the temperature to 110 degrees for 8-10 hours. (You can experiment with the time for your own taste.)
Step Seven: Eat
After the allotted time, the yogurt is set and ready for the refrigerator. You can add homemade strawberry jam (yummy) or whatever you wish. Enjoy!
Make sure NOT to eat all of your yogurt, but save some so when you need to make more, you have your starter.
Alternative Yogurt Making Methods
Instant Pot with Yogurt Button
If your Instant Pot has a yogurt setting you only need to change steps 2 and 6.
For step 2: Add the milk, close the lid then press the Yogurt Button until it says “boil”. Once the boil cycle is complete, you will need to check the temperature of the milk to make sure it is 180 degrees.
For step 6: once you have added your yogurt starter, place the inner pot back in the Instant Pot (note you can leave the yogurt in the inner pot for this step, or transfer to glass jars). Press the Yogurt button again until it reads 8:00 or 8 hours. If making yogurt directly in the inner pot, once complete, transfer it to glass jars for storage in the fridge.
Slowcooker Method
Pour the milk into a slow cooker set to HIGH and close the lid. It will take 2-3 hours for the milk to heat up to 180 degrees.
Check the temperature and once it reaches 180, turn off the slow cooker, close the lid, and let the milk cool. It will take another 2-3 hours to cool to between 100 and 110.
Once cooled, add your yogurt starter. Close the lid and wrap the slow cooker with a large towel. Let it sit undisturbed in a non-drafty place at room temperature or warmer for 10-12 hours or overnight. The milk will have thickened and the whey will start to separate.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour in the yogurt. Set the colander over a large bowl and let strain at room temperature for several hours or until the yogurt is as thick as you like. (For Greek yogurt, let strain at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.)
Store yogurt in the fridge.
Stockpot Method
Heat milk in a large stockpot over low to medium heat. Make sure to stir regularly so it doesn’t burn. Heat until the temperature measures 180 degrees.
Once it reaches 180, remove from heat and add your yogurt starter.
As above, wrap the stockpot in a large towel and continue from step 3 of the slow cooker method.
Notes
You can use any % of fat milk to make homemade yogurt, however the more fat in the milk, the thicker your yogurt will be.
Store your yogurt covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can use it for cooking, baking, or eat with whatever you liked mixed in.
Yogurt can even be frozen for later use.
I hope you have enjoyed learning how to make homemade yogurt today! Please share your results in the comments section.
Recipe courtesy of Kris Parker.