Yogurt, Plain Greek Recipe

Sanitize equipment

Thoroughly wash and rinse the pot, spoon, thermometer, jars, cheesecloth, and any utensils. Optionally, scald equipment with boiling water to reduce contamination risk.

Heat milk

Pour 2 liters of whole milk into a heavy-bottomed pot. Slowly heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the milk reaches 82°C (180°F). This scalds the milk, improving texture and reducing competing bacteria.

Cool milk

Remove the pot from heat and let the milk cool to 43–46°C (110–115°F). Stir occasionally to release surface skin and to speed cooling. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.

Prepare starter

If using store-bought plain live yogurt as starter, whisk 2 tablespoons of it in a small bowl until smooth. If using freeze-dried culture, rehydrate or follow package directions to prepare an amount sufficient for 2 liters of milk.

Inoculate milk

Take a small cup of the cooled milk (about 60 ml) and mix with the prepared starter to temper it. Whisk the tempered starter back into the pot of cooled milk until evenly distributed.

Incubate

Pour the inoculated milk into clean jars or leave in the pot. Keep the mixture at a steady 43–46°C (110–115°F) for 4–8 hours depending on desired tang and thickness: 4–6 hours for milder flavor, up to 8 hours for tangier yogurt. Maintain temperature using an oven with the light on, a yogurt maker, an insulated cooler with warm water, or a warm spot in the house. Do not disturb during incubation.

Check set

After 4 hours start checking for set: the yogurt should be custard-thick and will have separated slightly from the edges. For a firmer set, allow more time until desired tang and firmness are achieved.

Cool

Once set, transfer the yogurt to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours; chilling helps firm it further and makes straining easier.

Line colander

Place a colander over a large bowl. Line the colander with a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean fine-mesh muslin.

Strain yogurt

Spoon chilled yogurt into the lined colander. Gather the cloth corners and tie or fold them so the yogurt is covered. Let the yogurt drain in the refrigerator for 2–6 hours until it reaches the desired thickness. For traditional Greek yogurt thickness, strain 3–4 hours; for very thick (Greek-style), strain 6+ hours or overnight.

Collect whey

Reserve the drained whey (liquid) for other uses like smoothies, bread, or soups, or discard if not needed.

Transfer and season

Spoon the strained yogurt into a clean container. If desired, stir in up to 1 tsp salt for savory uses or 1–2 tbs honey or sugar for sweetening, adjusting to taste.

Cover and refrigerate the finished Greek yogurt. Use within 7–10 days. Keep starter from this batch (2 tbs) to inoculate your next batch if you like, but refresh with a commercial starter occasionally to prevent drift.