Re: Another Yogurt Question

[Guest guest]

I never do anything except wash, rinse and dry my yogurt maker (and other

containers and utensils I use for yogurt making)... just as I would any of my

other dishes. Hot clean water, detergent, rinse well. It will be fine.

Patti

Another Yogurt Question

Hi all, I'm just about to make my first batch of yogurt. I've misplaced my

book, so I went on the BTVC website for directions. Under the section called

" how to make scd yogurt in a yogurt maker " it says that while the milk is

simmering on the stove, use that time to " sterilize " the yogurt container and

the utensils you will use.

What exactly does " sterilize " mean in this case? Does it just mean to wash

with regular dish soap and warm water, or does one have to actually disinfect

everything with some sort of disinfecting agent just prior to making the yogurt?

I don't want to end up with any bad bacteria in there, so I thought I'd better

ask what everyone else does.

Thanks everyone,

Lora

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. I am just going to wash my

yogurt supplies, as some have suggested, with hot soapy water . I don't have

a dishwasher, so that's out anyway. And, I have a glass container for my

yogurt maker, so I'd be concerned that boiling water might break it. So,

hopefully a regular hand washing will be good enough.

Thanks again,

Lora

[Guest guest]

Hi Lora,

> Hi all, I finally have my first batch of yogurt fermenting in my

yogurt maker (after 2 failed attempts last week). But, I have a

question (and I'm hoping the answer is " it's fine " ).

>

> I cooled my heated milk in the sink in cold water and ice cubes.

It took 12 or so minutes to cool to 90F. It took me a few more

minutes to get my dannon starter ready to mix in (and my phone rang

and it was my doctor so I had to answer).

>

> So, the milk had cooled in the water and ice for about 20 minutes

I'd say. Is that ok? Did it cool down too long?

You want the milk to cool down to room temperature *or lower* (room

temperature is ~ 68-72°F/20-22°C). If the temperature is too high

it can shock/harm the bacteria in the yogurt starter. So, it

wouldn't have been cooled too long, but may have not been cooled

quite enough.

> I didn't check the temp before I mixed in the starter because like

I said the temp was already at 90F in 12 minutes and I mixed my

starter in 8min after that. I was just in such a hurry to get it

mixed together.

The temperature may have been low enough when you added starter. If

the yogurt after 24-29 hours is tart, it is probably okay.

Sheila, SCD 2/01, UC 22yrs

mom of and

[Guest guest]

Hi Lora,

> Hi Sheila, I was following the scd yogurt directions that Lucy's

Kitchen

> sends along with the yogourmet yogurt maker, which say to let the

yogurt

> cool below 100F before adding the starter. So I thought that 90F

(or a bit

> lower) would be fine - No?

If there is disagreement between those instructions and BTVC, go

with what Elaine wrote in BTVC - or ask us onlist

I asked Elaine about this years ago because I used to let my milk

get cold. She said it was fine as long as I had it in the proper

temperature range for at least 24-29 hours (the yogurt is also not

as tart).

Technically, the 90°F temp will still make what is called " yogurt " ,

but since you want to ferment it longer than the usual instructions

supplied with yogurt makers and traditional yogurt making, you want

*all* the good bacteria in the yogurt starter to be fresh and

frisky. If the temperature is too high it may damage some of them.

If the temperature is cooler when added it is as if they slowly are

waking up and when they hit the correct temperature range they

start " fermenting " like crazy.

Sheila, SCD 2/01, UC 22yrs

mom of and

[Guest guest]

>

> You want the milk to cool down to room temperature *or lower* (room

> temperature is ~ 68-72°F/20-22°C). If the temperature is too high

> it can shock/harm the bacteria in the yogurt starter. So, it

> wouldn't have been cooled too long, but may have not been cooled

> quite enough.

>

It says this on the Pecanbread web site:

Turn the heat off and allow to cool to between 108 and 112 degrees F.

Carol F.

[Guest guest]

>

> Carol,

>

> Admittedly, that section of the website was worked on by me and Kathy

McNamara....

and for that temp, we were going by the recommedations on the Custom Probiotics

starter, and the fact that we were using a thermometer, and knew that Elaine did

not.

>

> I *think* Elaine saw that yogurt making page and didn't have issues with it

(Mimi?)... but

maybe we need to have put our head together on having consistent information on

yogurt

making so no one gets confused.

>

> Again, I guess I have to say " if in doubt, do what BTVC says to do " ,

especially if you're

using yogurt as a starter, rather than a powdered starter.

>

> Patti

>

is it possible cow and goat milk require difernt cool down temps? I have done it

both

below 90 and at 108and have now only been folllowing our web instructions..My

yogurt

using 2% goat's milk has beeen especially good.

Carol F.

[Guest guest]

>

> I use raw goat's milk for my yogurt. It is all I have ever used. (Listen

> to me I'm on week three or so. Anyway - I have a thermometer that came

> with my Yougourmet that has a " green zone " to tell me when the milk should

> be cool enough. Since I'm nowhere near it right now I couldn't tell you

> what the temperature zone is.

>

> But, I wait until it is cool enough for me to put my finger into the pot

> without any discomfort. So, that is, maybe, a little warmer than room

> temperature.

>

> I have had all of my batches of yogurt turn out just fine. I use the

> Yougourmet starter. I also use goat's milk for my kefir.

>

Jazz,

Elaine didn't use thermometers, just her judgement. I got an inexpensive

liquid

thermometer and took out the guesswork. Yogurt success has been about 99%.

Room temperature is usually 72 defgrees F ( unlss you have my landlord in which

case it

can get as low as 67 ). Body temperature is 98.6 . (i have a thyroid thing that

clocks me in

between 95 and 96.)

BTW: Your idea about dehydrating tomatoes is so resourceful. How long will the

powder

keep? I swore i wouldn't add one more kitchen toy, but the dehydrator sounds

tempting.

Carol F.

[Guest guest]

You definitely need to check the temp until you get the proper timing down.

I actually still check the temp every single time. I believe that 90

degrees is too cool to add the starter. I believe that you are to add the

yogurt starter at between 108 and 112 degrees. I don't know if that means

that you should throw out this batch or not. Someone else can probably

better answer that.

Meleah scd 05/06

iel 3yrs., asd, Ethan 5yrs., Mark 1yr.

Another Yogurt Question

> Hi all, I finally have my first batch of yogurt fermenting in my yogurt

> maker (after 2 failed attempts last week). But, I have a question (and I'm

> hoping the answer is " it's fine " ).

>

> I cooled my heated milk in the sink in cold water and ice cubes. It took

> 12 or so minutes to cool to 90F. It took me a few more minutes to get my

> dannon starter ready to mix in (and my phone rang and it was my doctor so

> I had to answer).

>

> So, the milk had cooled in the water and ice for about 20 minutes I'd say.

> Is that ok? Did it cool down too long?

>

> I didn't check the temp before I mixed in the starter because like I said

> the temp was already at 90F in 12 minutes and I mixed my starter in 8min

> after that. I was just in such a hurry to get it mixed together.

>

> Thanks,

> Lora

>

>

[Guest guest]

> You definitely need to check the temp until you get the proper timing

> down.

> I actually still check the temp every single time. I believe that 90

> degrees is too cool to add the starter. I believe that you are to add the

> yogurt starter at between 108 and 112 degrees. I don't know if that means

> that you should throw out this batch or not. Someone else can probably

> better answer that.

> Meleah scd 05/06

> iel 3yrs., asd, Ethan 5yrs., Mark 1yr.

Hi Meleah, actually a lot of the responses I've gotten say that 90F should

be ok, but cooler would even be better next time. So 108 - 112 might

actually be too warm, I'm not sure.

Thanks,

Lora

[Guest guest]

>

>

> > You definitely need to check the temp until you get the proper timing

> > down.

> > I actually still check the temp every single time. I believe that 90

> > degrees is too cool to add the starter. I believe that you are to add the

> > yogurt starter at between 108 and 112 degrees. I don't know if that means

> > that you should throw out this batch or not. Someone else can probably

> > better answer that.

> > Meleah scd 05/06

> > iel 3yrs., asd, Ethan 5yrs., Mark 1yr.

>

>

> Hi Meleah, actually a lot of the responses I've gotten say that 90F should

> be ok, but cooler would even be better next time. So 108 - 112 might

> actually be too warm, I'm not sure.

>

> Thanks,

> Lora

from www.pecanbread.com

Turn the heat off and allow to cool to between 108 and 112 degrees F. Stir well

before

determining the final temperature. You may cover the pot with a clean tea towel

while it

cools.

Carol F.

[Guest guest]

You don't need to throw it out if the temperature was too low when you

added the starter. The culture won't be as active at 90 degrees and it

will take much longer to process all the lactase, but you will still

get yogurt eventually. To put things back on schedule, bring the

temperature back up to 100 - 108 and keep it there for 24 hours. It

will culture fine.

Now if you add the culture when it is too hot, this is not the case.

It will kill the yogurt bacteria and it will never become yogurt. You

don't have to throw it out, though. Just cool it down to the right

temperature and add more starter culture (commercial yogurt or yogurt

starter mix).

It's a good idea to keep the thermometer in the yogurt the whole time

you are making it. That way you can check every once in a while to

make sure it is still in the range. I " cook " mine on a heating pad in

the kitchen, so I can look at it when I happen to walk by.

Tonya

[Guest guest]

I add the honey after it is made, just before I eat it most of the time. But its

almost like I'm adding water to it. I might start dripping it, has anyone used

saccharine in their yogurt before?

Thanks!

Amber