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I have read and reread all the Yogurt recipes but haven't seen an answer for 'runny' Yogurt, but I believe I have found the answer to this problem and possibly other whey problems.
We have been producing Yogurt for some time in a machine, tried a variety of recipes but still find it's runny. I happened on Ms Carrol's web site where someone asked for the answer to 'thin' Yogurt and her answer is to heat the milk to 185F and hold it there for 10 -20 minutes.
In her own words 'to take advantage of the whey proteins which help to make it firm'.
Yesterday we made up another batch using this idea and it worked. For the first time ever a good batch of firm creamy Yogurt. At the same time we took some to make drained Yogurt cheese and the whey was clear as water, with no cream runoff.
Recipe as follows:-
1 litre of Homogenised whole milk.
1/2 cup of Skim milk powder
2/3 cup of active Yogurt starter from the store
Method. Heat the milk to 185F and hold at that for 20 minutes.
Cool to 110F
In a bowl add starter and milk powder and stir to cream together,
slowly add a cupful of milk at 110F and stir to incorporate. When creamy and smooth, slowly add the remainder.
Add the whole mixture to the machine and time for 10 hours.
This has to be the finest Yogurt we've ever tasted, slightly tart, smooth and creamy with no graininess. Add a small amount of your favourite fruit after cooking for the tastiest treat ever. 
The next question I have. What effect would pre-heating the milk and holding it have on cheese making? Would it help prevent the cream leak into the whey?

Thanks Beeman for the information.  I tried to make yoghurt again on Thursday using a natural yoghurt at the starter.  it definately was a better set than I was getting but still not what I was hoping for.
Was having a look on www.cheeselinks.com.au at their cultures for yoghurt and I noticed that the yoghurt culture that I have is noted at being a "thin" yoghurt, and that other starter were noted as being "thick" yoghurt.  So maybe the combination of bacteria's does play a role in end result.

I will try what you have said with the culture that I have and see what difference there is.

Hi Beeman

Hi just made another my yogurt batch #5 and I went back to re-pasteurizing the milk to 185 F like I did on my batch #2 and I got a thicker set again. So it ads credance to what you are saying.

Your recipe and what you did is very similar to mine, with the difference of holding at 185 F for 20 minutes vs letting cool and you are using whole vs 1% milk and twice as much milk powder. I'll try the holding at 185 F dfor 20 minutes on my next batch, thanks.

Not sure on impact on milky whey problem, I normally don't have that, are you getting a good curd set?

I've added as much as a cup of milk powder to a 1/2 gallon of milk when making yogurt and it sets up really well, too.

Quote from: Cheese Head on January 10, 2009, 11:33:05 PM
Your recipe and what you did is very similar to mine, with the difference of holding at 185 F for 20 minutes vs letting cool and you are using whole vs 1% milk and twice as much milk powder. I'll try the holding at 185 F for 20 minutes on my next batch, thanks.
Not sure on impact on milky whey problem, I normally don't have that, are you getting a good curd set?

Your recipe has similar ingredients, but misses one major point. We add small amounts of  milk very slowly to the starter, stops the shock and also 'creams' the starter and milk powder giving a better overall much smoother mixture.
Finally, no one answered the possible effects on holding milk at 185F prior to making cheese? I would suggest if it improves Yogurt might it also work on cheese making?

beeman, good point on mixing starter, that is also different. I'll try that idea as well.

Sorry can't help you on if holding high temp on milk (re-pasteurizing) prior to cheese making helps like it does for yogurt making. I don't know and have never tried it before making cheese.

Holding the temp for milk that high prior to making cheese?  Isn't that alot like ultra pasteurization?

hi beeman, tried your methodology overnight, but with my 1% milk and less milk powder so I could do a comparison with my previous batches.

Congrats it is a stiffer and smoother yogurt! Thanks for the ideas!

I've been heating to same temperature but letting it cool slowly on counter rather than holding high for 20 min and quenching, which is probably almost as good. I think the bigger impact is from very thorough dilution of the yogurt starter. I've updated the standard website Yogurt Recipe.

Thanks again!

Quote from: Cheese Head on January 16, 2009, 12:55:34 AM
I've been heating to same temperature but letting it cool slowly on counter rather than holding high for 20 min and quenching, which is probably almost as good. I think the bigger impact is from very thorough dilution of the yogurt starter. I've updated the standard website Yogurt Recipe.Thanks again!

Interesting. We worked that way the first time, but last night we heated to 185F then held that temp for the full 20 mins, well to be honest within 2 degrees. The results were even better than the first time.
So we will definitely use this method in future and forget trying other cultures, looking for a stronger set.
Try using 3.5% Homo milk, it's even creamier!!

My yogurt is not that runny. If I want it thicker, I just dump out some of the whey as the jars get eaten down. Maybe this works for me since I use 32 oz jars to make yogurt and not the little 8 oz jars.

I use 2% milk.  Culture it for about 8 hours. Pretty good thickness. 1% also does OK, but it yields a slightly thinner product.

Store bought stuff is thick from pectin or gelatin, but mine is pretty thick for homemade stuff.

I use 32 oz canning jars making 3/4 gallon to a gallon of yogurt at a time. Yogurt keeps for 4 weeks+ without problem.

Raise milk to 180F then add starter at about 95F. Test your thermometers to make sure they are accurate. I use about 2 -3 ounces of starter for every 3/4 gallon to a gallon of milk. Culture it in a cooler with heating pad for 8 hours and cool down.

And remember cleanliness is next to godliness with yogurt making!


Good luck

Do you think it would work with goat milk??When I make yogurt my recipe doesn't call for powdered milk I wonder if that is the diffrence or if it's the milk???

I knwo this is an old post but to answer the goatlady's question ...

The milk powder is a thickener unless you are only using powdered milk. If using only powdered milk, powdered WHOLE milk is prefered and whey is added. SOmething is the process kills the casins when milk is dehydrated (sprayed).

Wish I could help with the goats milk question but I still haven't found it except in quarts at one store and it's to pricey for me. The good news is one goat farmer I know should have milk again come fall.

...Jumping on the old thread bandwagon...

Hi Goatlady. I don't think the powdered milk in goat yogurt is necessary. I get a fairly firm set to my goatmilk yogurt. It is however a delicate yogurt and can be stirred into a runny texture. I like that idea of cooking the protiens a little longer "to take advantage of the whey proteins which help to make it firm" I think I will try that the next yogurt making day to see if it comes out less delicate. I simply use store bought organic brown cow brand plain yogurt as my starter about every 5th time I make yogurt. Otherwise, I reuse about a quarter cup of my own yogurt from the TOP of the last jar and get good results.

thanks i ll have to try again

I find my store bought milk yogurt is very delicate even with milk powder and gets thin when I stir in some fruits but the raw milk doesn't get thin at all.

I also get a good bit of whey separation in the store bought milk after a day or so but very little from the raw milk.