Re: One More Yogurt Question....Carol F. et. all

[Guest guest]

Carol,

>Simmer the milk to the right temperature<

I notice the BTVC book is kind of vague on heating-up temperature, Elaine

used the term " simmer stage " and she used the term " boiling " . I never

really noticed this until I went to reply just now. When I go by Yogurmet

booklet standards, I go to 180 degrees and that can have the milk boiling

over, scorching and leaving the final result tasting like there are some

solids in there. Please, if you can, give me some direction on this. Do I

wait until I see the milk start to boil and ignore the temp. while on the

stove or do I wait until it is 180 degrees (as Yogurmet says)? Mind you,

this is not a question about the fermentation temp. but the heating-up temp

only.

I have to throw out the 1/2 starter batch because it is too late. For some

reason, the other group I am on didn't answer my question in time and I

already fermented it, but just put it aside until I got an answer, now I

know I have to trash it, UGH!

As for the batch that got too low in temp., it was so fast. I have been

making SCD yogurt for 4 years and never made an error. I have the Yogurmet

thermometer right on the pot, but was coming off a bad cold and let things

go too far after I went to cool it down.

>The texture can differ from time to time. Drip runny yogurt through a paper

>coffee filter or

>cheesecloth after it has chilled for eight hours and you will have a thick

>and creamy

>product.<

I use the Cheese bag that came with the Yogurmet. I use it to drip and it

is much more firm and a lot less sour. I love it! I am even going to get

the ice cream maker and try it with half and half chilled. I hope I like

that. I am going to use vanilla for my first try.

Sorry for being so long-winded! Thanks again.

God bless,

Hazelpone

[Guest guest]

Hazelpone,

You said:

<<When I go by Yogurmet

booklet standards, I go to 180 degrees and that can have the milk boiling

over, scorching and leaving the final result tasting like there are some

solids in there.>>

I am wondering if there is something wrong with your thermometer? The boiling

point for water is 212 degrees F... and it is only very slightly different for

milk. If you're heating to 180 degrees F, and your milk is " boiling over and

scorching " , something is not quite right... unless you live very high in the

mountains.

I heat my milk (cow) to 180 degrees F... on " high " heat, but stirring

constantly. It does not ever boil.... or scorch. Now, if I left it on high heat

and walked away.... didn't continue stirring, I'm sure it would scorch on the

bottom.... so that's why I stand there and stir constantly. If I was heating on

a lower temp, I would just stir once in a while.

Are you at a very high altitude? I am at about 100 feet above sea level. I know

that altitude makes a difference in the boiling point. I copied this from a web

search:

<<At sea level, the boiling point of water is 212° F (100° C). As a general

rule, the boiling point temperature decreases by 1 degree F for every 540 feet

of altitude (0.56° C for every 165 meters). On top of the14,000 foot Pike's

Peak, for example, the boiling point of water is 187° F (86° C). >>

So, according to this info.... you'd have to be above 14,000 feet to have it

" boiling over " at 180 degrees! I would check that thermometer!

Elaine did say that she heated to the " simmer " point.... not a full, rolling

boil.... but just barely beginning to bubble... and I don't know what the

altitude in Toronto is. She said she preferred to not have to bother using a

thermometer.

Then she left her milk to cool to " room temperature " . She didn't check it with a

thermometer... but this would have been roughly 80 degrees F (much lower than

Yogourmet says). I compromise and go down to 95 degrees myself.

The temperature is actually what's important in heating the milk...not whether

it's boiling or not... because you're basically sterilizing it, to kill off any

possible organisms that would compete with the starter culture and ruin your

yogurt.

So... whether it's boiling or not, it needs to come up to 180 degrees, because

some unwanted bacteria *can* survive unless it does.

Patti

[Guest guest]

> Carol,

>

>> Simmer the milk to the right temperature<

>

> I notice the BTVC book is kind of vague on heating-up temperature,

> Elaine

> used the term " simmer stage " and she used the term " boiling " .

Hazel,

>

http://www.pecanbread.com/goatyogurt.html

This is from our web site and has photos and instructions on making

goat yogurt. Cow's milk boiling point is higher. i bring my cow's milk

to 212 F and goat to 180.

Carol F.

Celiac, MCS, Latex Allergy, EMS

SCD 6 years

[Guest guest]

Hi Patti,

I live in the midwest USA, and it so flat out here, there is no way it is an

elevation problem! But thanks for the info, since I do go away occasionally

to the mountains and may need to cook a batch, it is good to know.

I used the Yogurmet thermometer for so many years, I even had to order a new

one when my origonal broke, so I have to check if it is accurate or not. I

also have a meat thermometer, so I will do a test with both thermometers in

a pot of water, thanks for the boiling point info.

I now know what temp. I need, and now am working on getting there.

Hopefully the next batches are going to be nice and smooth! I will post the

results.

God bless,

Hazelpone

Posted by: " Patti " durovchic@... mychildslife

Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:55 pm (PST)

Hazelpone,

I am wondering if there is something wrong with your thermometer? The

boiling point for water is 212 degrees F... and it is only very slightly

different for milk. If you're heating to 180 degrees F, and your milk is

" boiling over and scorching " , something is not quite right... unless you

live very high in the mountains.

I heat my milk (cow) to 180 degrees F... on " high " heat, but stirring

constantly. It does not ever boil.... or scorch. Now, if I left it on high

heat and walked away.... didn't continue stirring, I'm sure it would scorch

on the bottom.... so that's why I stand there and stir constantly. If I was

heating on a lower temp, I would just stir once in a while.

Are you at a very high altitude? I am at about 100 feet above sea level. I

know that altitude makes a difference in the boiling point. I copied this

from a web search:

Elaine did say that she heated to the " simmer " point.... not a full, rolling

boil.... but just barely beginning to bubble... and I don't know what the

altitude in Toronto is. She said she preferred to not have to bother

using a thermometer.

Then she left her milk to cool to " room temperature " . She didn't check it

with a thermometer... but this would have been roughly 80 degrees F (much

lower than Yogourmet says). I compromise and go down to 95 degrees myself.

The temperature is actually what's important in heating the milk...not

whether it's boiling or not... because you're basically sterilizing it, to

kill off any possible organisms that would compete with the starter culture

and ruin your yogurt.

So... whether it's boiling or not, it needs to come up to 180 degrees,

because some unwanted bacteria *can* survive unless it does.

Patti

[Guest guest]

Thank you Carol. I have the site and am looking at it.

God bless,

Hazelpone