Making yogurt is easier than you may think! With two simple ingredients and some time you can transform a gallon of milk into fresh and delicious homemade yogurt!
Pour the milk into a slow cooker. Heat on high for 2-3 hours or until the milk reaches 180°.
Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Let the milk cool for one hour or until it reaches 110-115°. If a skin forms on top of the milk, peel it off before proceeding to the next step.
Place the plain yogurt in a small bowl. Add about half a cup of the warm milk and whisk until smooth. Add the thinned yogurt back into the slow cooker and whisk it thoroughly until it is evenly distributed.
Place the lid back on the slow cooker. Let it sit undisturbed at room temperature for at least 6 hours, and overnight is fine. You know the yogurt is ready when it has thickened considerably and clear whey starts to form around the edges.
Line a large colander with two layers of cheesecloth. Place the colander over a large bowl to catch the whey as it drains. Pour or scoop the yogurt into the colander and fold any extra cheesecloth over the top.
Place the yogurt, colander, and bowl in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours or until the yogurt is as thick as you would like. If the bowl gets full of whey, just dump it out.
After the yogurt is as thick as you would like, invert the colander over a clean bowl and peel off the cheesecloth. Whisk the yogurt vigorously until smooth. If your yogurt is too thick, stir some of the extra whey back in.
Your yogurt is now ready to eat! Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Notes
Make sure you save some yogurt to start your next batch. After your yogurt is done draining transfer about half a cup to a small clean bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.