The Science of Yogurt: Why the Best Yogurt is Homemade | What's Eating Dan?

Yogurt is an incredibly important staple in cultures across the globe. There are tons of options for buying yogurt at the supermarket, but that's not what Dan is here to talk about today. He's going to show you how to make the best yogurt you've ever had and to show you why yogurt is one of the most versatile foods.

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[weston.weston]

It is not possible for me to enjoy Dan's content any more than I do. His presentations (with equal parts humor and science) are 10/10 every. single. time.

We ❤ the way you explain food, Dan!

[jackbennett]

Hi Dan, Jackobaccilus here. Thank you for all you do to bring so much joy to life. I am always happy and smiling with each and every episode you make. Kudos to your entire and mostly invisible team. Bring them on someday. ❤️👍🏼

[Vastald]

The info, the editing, Dan's energy, the jokes, Dan's smile, the shots, the quips, Dan eating, the set: all of these elements make it such a delight to watch!

[peoplecallmetweety]

As a Bulgarian, yogurt is life here. My mum and grandma used to make homemade yogurt with no thermometer, just finger. 😀 And wrap it with a blanket to keep warm. Bulgarian yogurt is more acidic, pairing perfectly with a lot of dishes. I love using yogurt instead of milk in baking. Gives you a nice taste and texture, as well as working with the baking soda in the recipe. You can also try the Bulgarian summer cold soup - tarator. It's made of finely diced cucumber, yogurt, garlic, salt and a bit of water. It is very refreshing on a hot day or with a hot meal.

[NotHPotter]

i don't like the implied audience rudeness that suggests i would ever tell Dan his stories are boring nor that i would ever tell him to get on with the show. This is why I'm here!

[auntpurl]

I dump a heaping spoonful of plain yogurt into an instant pot full of ultra pasteurized milk. Press yogurt button set for 9-10 hours before bed. I wake up to yogurt. I dump it into a nut bag and drain a bit. Greek yogurt! Easy peasy.

[gerardacronin]

After tasting home made yogurt in Croatia in 2017, I decided to start making my own. I bought an Instant Pot on sale and have made yogurt about once every 10 days ever since. The Instant Pot makes the process simpler than what Dan is describing. I use 2% milk, fermented for 10 hours, and then I put it through a Eurocuisine strainer because I like Greek style yogurt. I use the whey for baking and in soups. The yogurt is absolutely delicious unflavoured with fresh fruits, in baking, added to sauces, etc. it’s also significantly cheaper than store bought yogurt.

[GrotrianSeiler]

If only Dan had been our teacher in school, we all would have thrived. So interesting, so engaging, so funny, all the while never yelling, like so many videos on YouTube. Much respect for this excellent presenter. What’s eating Dan? Probably incompetence.

[katmonti]

I make my own yogurt, but I use an Instant Pot. Honestly, it's the best investment I've ever made and I always have the best yogurt in my fridge!

[PianoMuser]

Try subbing the whey for water when you make bread, too—the extra sugars and protein will give you the most gorgeously browned crust ever!

[PokhrajRoy.]

I’m so happy to see a new episode. It’s always such great fun to see Dan being an awesome teacher we love to watch ♥️

[sr.marycatharineperry]

Love it. I have been making yogurt in an instant pot for several years using filtered milk. I do it for 6 hours for the right balance. I can barely eat store bought yogurt.
Happy to see that you're not telling people to heat up ultra pasteurized to 185. Not needed.
Gotta try that frozen yogurt!
Thanks again!

[davidhalldurham]

As I often say, I love this ATK series. Dan is always fun and I always learn something.

[uiscepreston]

Homemade yogurt alone is 100% of the reason to get an Instant Pot. I swear. You can control the ingredients and fat/protein/carb amounts by using your own ratio of cream, half-and-half, high protein and varying fat milks.

[DillyDahlia]

I’d been making homemade yogurt with Dan’s method for a while until I came across Youtube videos on how to do it using a crock pot/slow cooker. No constant temperature taking, which gets tedious! With the slow cooker, you go by time, not temperature…2 1/2 hours on low, turn off and let sit for 3 hours, whisk in yogurt, cover entire cooker with a towel and leave on counter for several hours/overnight. Strain if desired. It really works! Next time I will try Dan’s suggestions of adding heavy cream and powdered milk. Search Youtube, there are lots of videos on it.

[lindaschrier]

Has anybody gone down the rabbit hole on Dan? What a great couple of hours on this cutie guy....from working in a graveyard to having his mouth wired shut and stand up comic. Look him up, I enjoyed it ALLL, the backstory. ❣😋

[cynthiaryan]

I make mine in the Instant Pot. Delicious & couldn’t be easier! Also, I add a bit of sweetened condensed milk. YUM!

[thomasstambaugh]

For more than a year now, I've been having great success making my own yogurt from regular store-bought milk and a much simpler process. Fermentation proceeds just fine at room temperature (the same is true with sour-dough bread proofing) -- it just takes longer. I prefer the outcome of this longer and cooler fermentation because it results in yogurt that is thick and tart, but never bitter.

My equipment:

1. 8" straight-sided sauce pan (tall enough that the 2L of milk goes about halfway up the side)
2. Instant-read thermometer
3. Stainless-steel bowl for icewater bath
4. Canning funnel
5. Gravy whisk

Here's what I do:

1. Heat 2kg (2L) of store-bought milk to 180 deg F. Don't go hotter, and whisk the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent scorching. On my electric stove with my pan, this takes a bit less than 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the pan with the hot milk to an ice-water bath and whisk vigorously to cool to 115 deg F.
3. Stir in 150 g of starter (from the previous batch) and whisk thoroughly
4. Pour off into jars, and close the jars (I use Mason jars and plastic lids)
5. Place the closed jars into a soft-sided insulated carrier or bag, wrapped in a towel
6. Let stand for 24 hours. I leave mine in our kitchen, where it is typically 60-70 deg F.

I love the result. Be sure to reserve 150 g from each batch as starter for the next batch.

I used "Sidehill Farms plain whole-milk organic yogurt", from Whole Foods Market, for my first starter. That was at least six months ago, maybe longer. I make at least a batch a week, so the process is self-sustaining.

[danbev]

There are many ways to make yogurt! ATK is right - key thing is their method of adding the culture to warm (110-115 deg F. milk), then keeping it warm for several hours. Ultra-pasteurized milk probably works, but I’ve been making yogurt for over a decade sometimes with raw milk (when I can get it), or with regular pasteurized milk. It is important to heat the milk to 175 deg F, then allow it to cool to 110-115 deg before adding the culture. For a long time, I poured my newly cultured milk into jars, set them in a cooler with several jars of boiling water. Then I got wiser & pre heat my oven on its lowest setting for 10 minutes, then I turn off the oven, put the whole pot in overnight. My oven has a “bread proofing” setting that is way too hot for bread, but any oven’s lowest setting should work, if you don’t overdo it. The goal is 115 deg F. We like thick yogurt, so I strain mine in a yogurt strainer. I freeze the whey and make bread and soup with it.

[AuntDuddie]

Use whey in cooked cereals, cupcakes, breads, anything that calls for water, lemonade, etc.
Love your tutorials. I make my yogurt in the Food Dehydrator.
Aunt Duddicus Borelliosis.