Homemade yogurt is rich, creamy, and delicious. Preparing it at home is also a fun process that involves heating milk to a high temperature then adding live bacteria cultures that will transform the milk into this thick, fresh food.
Making your yogurt also allows you to choose how much of each ingredient you’ll be putting into it. For example, if you want to make a low-fat yogurt, you can omit the cream or use full-fat milk.
| A store-bought yogurt may last more due to the presence of additives in it. Homemade yogurt has a lesser shelf life of up to 2 weeks, only when you store it properly. Else Homemade yogurt lasts up to 3-5 days. |
Homemade Yogurt vs. Store-Bought: Which is Healthier?
Homemade yogurt is much healthier than store-bought one because it contains live and active cultures that are beneficial for your health. These probiotic cultures are similar to those found in yogurt with live and active cultures. So, it’s really important to be sure that the yogurt you’re consuming is homemade.
Yogurt with live cultures also retains more nutrients than those without probiotics because of the fermentation process.
Does Homemade Yogurt Go Bad?
If you’re wondering how long homemade yogurt lasts, then the answer varies depending on how well it is stored. Homemade yogurt will have an expiration date of about 2 weeks. If you are using a yogurt starter from the homemade yogurt batch, do not use a yogurt older than 7 days as the bacterial strain may be too weak for initiating the fermentation process.
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How Do I Know If Homemade Yogurt Has Gone Bad?
If you notice the strongly acidic and off-putting smell of your yogurt, it indicates that yogurt has gone bad. The smell is generally rancid and foul. You should not even taste such yogurt as it may cause food poisoning. Simply discard such yogurt.
How to Make Homemade Yogurt?
Making your yogurt is very simple and easy with one of these devices at home with a yogurt maker. All you need is a good thermometer to get the right temperature in the pot when heating the milk. Glass jars are used as containers. Plain and live yogurt with active cultures is available in the market.
Choose a yogurt that contains both the starter and cultures. It will instantly turn plain milk into thick and creamy homemade yogurt. You can also use other types of fresh store-bought yogurts with active cultures.
Method:
We strongly suggest using glass containers for making homemade yogurt. Avoid using plastic containers as they will contaminate with strong odors, which can be harmful. We prefer Pyrex glass jars, but it can also be done in normal mason jars or other types of glass jars. Just be sure to wash them carefully and sterilize them first before using them.
- Start by preheating the milk in a double broiler or very deep pot (at least 4 inches) over low heat until it reaches 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When heating milk, constantly stir so that it’s being heated evenly and prevent burning the bottom of the pot.
- Once it has reached this temperature, remove it from heat and let it cool down to 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Leave this in a non-drafty area until it reaches the right temperature because if it’s too hot or too cold, you won’t achieve thick yogurt but instead a thin one with no probiotics.
- Once it has cooled down, add the yogurt (live cultures) to the milk.
- Be careful not to add too much because there are live cultures in yogurt that will grow even further if you use a lot.
- Stir the mixture to combine well.
Now that you have your homemade yogurt starter ready, you’re only a few steps away from enjoying this thick and creamy yogurt at home!
The last step is incubating the mixture for about 10-12 hours with the lids covered in a warm and dark place.
Traditionally, you’ll be incubating it in a yogurt maker, which is a pot with a thermostat that can control the temperature of your yogurt. But if you don’t have one, just use an oven set at its lowest setting with nothing inside for insulation.
No matter what you use to incubate your homemade yogurt, ensure that, the temperature won’t go below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If at any time you’ll notice a mildew smell coming from your yogurt, it means that the bacteria is getting too hot, so transfer it to another container and incubate it once again in a cooler place.
How Long Does Homemade Yogurt Last?
If you’re wondering how long homemade yogurt lasts, then it’s about 1 month in the fridge with a very thick consistency, but it will get thinner as time goes by. However, if you like to add your favorite flavorings and toppings or even freeze it into different types of desserts such as yogurtsicles, then consider these tips:
- Unflavored homemade yogurt: 1 month in the fridge
- Flavored homemade yogurt: 2 weeks in the fridge (including all types of fruit, nuts, or granola)
- 3-4 months in the freezer (to be used later as ice cream or frozen yogurtsicles)
Can You Freeze Homemade Yogurt?
Freezing homemade yogurt is quite easy. But you have to make sure that it’s not going to burst when frozen. The best way to keep it from bursting is by transferring your homemade yogurt into an airtight container and layering them with wax paper or parchment paper. The same thing goes for freezing yogurt treats like yogurtsicles.
Can Homemade Yogurt Make You Sick?
When it comes to homemade yogurt, there are a few things that you should look out for when making this food. The first is the incubation temperature because if you are using a cooler place, the chances are that the bacteria won’t grow and ferment well, which means no lactose fermentation. It will result in thinned-out yogurt.
The second thing you should check is the milk container or pot because if there are bacteria and other harmful organisms, they will grow into yogurt. Make sure to wash your containers with warm soapy water thoroughly before use.
How Long Does Homemade Yogurt last Outside of the Fridge?
If you’re wondering how long homemade yogurt lasts once you make it outside of the fridge, then the answer is almost a month. You can store it in a cool place away from direct sunlight but don’t freeze it because its texture will be affected.
