Re: Does anyone know if you can make the yogurt in a 5 qt. Crock Pot Slow Cooker on the warm setting?

[Guest guest]

I have been making a gallon of yogurt in a 5 quart crockpot for over a year and it comes out perfect every time. However, my procedure is more complex than simply using the warm setting on the crockpot, which typically heats the yogurt to considerably more than 110 degrees, and varies the temperature widely as it switches on and off.Here, in a nutshell, is how I do it.You must use a mechanical, not digital, crockpot.I use a temperature controller to keep the temperature within 2 degrees of the precise temperature I want. The temperature probe of the controller goes directly in the yogurt.I seal the crockpot cover using plastic wrap.I use the crockpot with temperature controller to heat the milk to 180 degrees (using the high setting, it takes over 3 hours to heat) as well as for incubating the yogurt for 24 hours at 110 degrees (using the warm setting). Note that this method is far more accurate then the Yogourmet 2 quart yogurt maker , whose temperature control is limited and unreliable.The temperature controller I use is the Ranco temperature controller (under $60), wired for 110 volts. Warning. you must wire it yourself; not a job for the un-initiated to soldering. http://www.pexsupply.com/Ranco-ETC-111000-Single-Stage-ETC-Temperature-Control-w-Sensor-120-240V-Input-11627000-pOther temperature controllers are available; I don’t know how well the others work. I’ve found the Sous Vide Cooking Controller at $140 on the Internet, which seems not to require wiring. However it is pricey. It can be found athttp://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info & cPath=13 & products_id=44 & zenid=51f6e350e6fbd352e5cb8ca257133bc9I have also used this approach with the Yogourmet 2 quart yogurt maker; however, the probe must be put in the yogurt, not in the water. This creates problems since the container no longer seals properly. I have modified my Yogourmet 2 quart yogurt maker to accommodate this.