Instant Pot Yogurt- Who knew??

Just a quick post for the Instant Pot users that are just getting going on making their own yogurt. For the last several years I used this starter by Euro Cuisine. I find it very convenient since it is shelf stable and there when the mood strikes to make yogurt. I ran out and didn't realize it, and already had a batch of milk boiled and ready for starter. I ended up having the hubby stir in a Dannon Light Greek peach- and avoid as much of the peach part as possible. I am totally floored by the difference. Euro Cuisine on a 9 hour setting is thick and tangy, but not really creamy per se. The Dannon version- smooth and creamy, but incredilby mild if not bland. If you are not loving the yogurt you are making in other words, it might be worth a try to change out your starter. I am going to try Fage plain next in hopes of keeping the creamy, but getting a bit of the tang back. :)

I have only used yogurt as a starter. 1 heaping soup spoon of Fage 0% (though I use a local organic brand, too) to a full gallon of milk makes a lovely creamy yogurt on an 8 hour setting. For more tang I leave it in for 8 1/2 hours.

 

I will try that next. Did you get your IP replaced?

No, no new IP. I waited 2 days too long fora return. It works well enough for now.

Oh, that is terrible Devon. I am so sorry to read that. What was the issue again with it? Maybe I can offer some work-arounds?

 

Ditto. This is what  I do(Fage %0), but I don't Instant Pot mine. I heat the milk in a slow cooker, then use my Dash Greek Yogurt Maker for the yogurtification and straining processes.

8 hours is creamy and super mild. Every half hour extra afterward, increased tanginess. By 9 hours, I absolutely have to have Splenda in it. At 8 I can go without sweetners.

I was reading up on yogurts before I dove into making my first batch, and apparently there are different bacterium that can make yogurt, and every company uses their own yogurt ****tail, so to speak... along with the different cook times, accounts for different flavors of yogurt. I went with Fage because it's my favorite yogurt... If you like the shelf-stable starter, maybe it's got the right yogurty-****tail for your taste buds?

I will try it at 8.5 hours first- but it sounds like I might be a 9 hour type :) I always add some type of sweetner so perhaps I will like it at 8.5 and with no sweetner, and I can still use it for cooking. That would be a win win!

I forgot to say too, I've noticed that the more starter yogurt you use, the tangier it gets, which makes sense...  Smaller amount of starter will have to cook a bit before it has the same amount as a larger amount of starter.

I like the experimentation of it too. I even have cooked the milk on a low temperature for longer so that it got a golden color... and then the yogurt has carmel-flavored undertones.  I don't usually do it but sometimes... I want a hint of caramel in the undertone! :)

I started using Fage but now I just use my own yogurt.  2% milk, starter, 8 hours for mild and every 1/2 hour adds more tanginess.

I usually cap it at 4 generations of starter- maybe less if I use a commercial product. I did just order some more yogurt starter that is freeze dried, but changed brands to give it a try. But, I only make a gallon a week so it will be a couple weeks before I try the new starters and have my comparison.