Author Topic: thermometer "incident"  (Read 2447 times)

McCreamy

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thermometer "incident"
« on: June 16, 2011, 08:57:35 PM »
Well, I've been making about a gallon of yogurt per week based on MrsKK's recipe (which is fabulous by the way). I was checking the temp in the milk in the jar, when I dropped the thermometer in. It was near the 175 degree mark (I think). I fished it out with my wisk and all was well, I thought. I was cooling it in the sink later, and checked the temp after stirring again to see if it was near my 95 degree mark. That's when I noticed that the top of the thermometer could spin around fully. Not the arm, just the #'s (if that makes any sense). Well, thankfully, I own 3 thermometers, so I just went ahead like I normally do. I have no idea what temp I got the milk up to initially. I guess I will try some later tonight. What effect would the initial temp have? I'm guessing it got too hot.

mtncheesemaker

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2011, 12:39:10 AM »
I have had a brain *&^$ and actually boiled the milk by mistake, and had the yoghurt turn out just fine!
Pam

McCreamy

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2011, 08:26:37 PM »
Well, it turned out fine. Very slimy, but fine. I usually strain it for a while through a cloth after I make yogurt. I strained it for a few hours. It still looked a bit slimy when I put it in the fridge after the straining. I just cracked one open now though, and its very thick and smooth. It reminded my husband of frosting. I used 2% store milk this time. My past couple of batches have been with raw milk that I have pasteurized. But before those, I was using 2% store milk. I never would have thought that the temp made a consistancy change, I would have thought that it was a flavor change.

MrsKK

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2011, 01:55:53 PM »
It sounds like the temp didn't get high enough, if it was slimy.  I'm glad it turned out for you after it had been through the whole process, though.

It is kind of funny how the temp affects the consistency, isn't it?  When you make it with raw milk do you skim the cream off?  Before I did, I had to scrape the cream layer off the top of the yogurt or it would end up kind of grainy when mixed into the rest of the batch.

Good to hear you are still keeping at it, McCreamy!

McCreamy

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2011, 03:00:20 PM »
nope, I leave the cream on, I just make sure to stir it well in my big jar after it's made. We also don't have as much cream as you do on top, we have holsteins.

simbiotic

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2011, 03:08:36 PM »
Can you please tell me who or what Mrs KK recipes are
Thanks

MrsKK

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2011, 02:45:18 AM »
Here's my method, based on how others on here make their yogurt:

I use a gallon of whole, raw milk, warmed it in a double-boiler (glass jar on a rack in a kettle of hot water), and held it at 185* for 20 minutes. I then quick cooled it (ran cold water into the kettle) to 95* and whisked a cup of milk into a cup of store-bought Greek yogurt. I then whisked another couple of cups of milk into the mixture, as it was still quite thick. Then I whisked it into the jar of milk. I removed a pint of the milk to a separate jar as my future culture, then added a cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla to the big jar. Put a lid on both jars, set them in my Coleman cooler and filled it with hot tap water - about 115*.

Eight hours of innoculation time results in a very thick, only slightly tangy yogurt, just as I like it. As I am hooked on Greek yogurt, I am now draining it through cheesecloth.


birdsongmilkmaid

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2011, 03:21:33 AM »
How on earth do you get that cream layer on top of your yogurt? Before we had our own cows we bought yogurt with a nice layer of cream on top, but I've never been able to figure out how to replicate it. I've made our yogurt with the cream both left on and taken off the milk, but I've never managed to get a cream layer, and I really want to get it!

I agree, it's pretty funny how yogurt can be a bit "finicky" when it comes to temperature. When our yogurt turns out to soft, I know that I've made a mistake with the temperature - or the thermometer needs to be recalibrated. Thankfully yogurt is very forgiving of mistakes, too. I've had my culture going for almost six years (since September 2005), and it's still around despite some near-catastrophes.

Naomi

darius

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Re: thermometer "incident"
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2011, 12:52:05 PM »
I get a cream layer on top of my yogurt too. It's just a thin layer. I use whole P/H milk with 3.5% BF, but do nothing different to the milk. If I use 2% milk, I don't get the cream layer.