To make no-fail yogurt in Instant Pot, or your favorite yogurt maker in just three steps, sanitation, inoculation and incubation. None of these steps can be skipped!
You can use any kind of milk you like, I prefer to use whole cow’s milk. See my tips at the bottom of this page for getting extra-thick yogurt!
Step 1: Sanitation
Ensure that all of the equipment, containers and utensils to be used in the yogurt-making process are carefully cleaned. This ensures that no other bacteria compete with the yogurt starter during the incubation.
If you’re making the yogurt directly in Instant Pot’s stainless steel container, sanitize the cooker by running Instant Pot on the pressure steam program for one minute with 1 1/2 cups of water. Set the valve on the lid to “Sealing” push the [steam] button and then the [-] button until you get down to one minute. When the program is finished, release the pressure and then pour out the water. Then, scald the milk by pushing [yogurt] button and [adjust] until the screen says “Boil” for the DUO model; for the DUO Plus, push the [yogurt] button, until the screen says “Boil” (there is no adjust button); and, for the ULTRA choose the [yogurt] program, and then select the recommended Temperature under “more” (181°F).
For all models, let Instant Pot bring the milk to a boil until the screen says “Yogt”.
If you’re going to make yogurt in little jars, anyway, you can sanitize the jars and scald the milk at the same time (as shown in the video). Add a cup of water and the steamer basket into Instant Pot. Pour the milk in the jars and place the jars in the cooker. Set the valve on the lid to “Sealing” push the [steam] button and then the [-] button until you get down to one minute. When the program is finished push [cancel] to turn off the instant pot and let it cool down naturally.
For both milk that has been scalded in the pot or little jars, wait until the yogurt cools down to at least 115°F/46°C before proceeding to the next step. That can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour (make sure to take the temperature with a clean thermometer). If you don’t have a thermometer handy, you’ll want to wait until the jars are cool enough to handle.
Step 2: Inoculation
To the scalded milk, add the yogurt inoculate according to package instructions or, use a high-quality plain yogurt with live active cultures. Once you get going, you can use the yogurt from a previous batch to make the next- as long as it’s under two weeks old. Measurements do not need to be exact, but you’ll want to aim for about one teaspoon per cup (250ml) of milk.
Mix the inoculate or yogurt into the milk until it dissolves completely (as shown in the video).
Step 3: Incubation
Close the lid with the pressure valve in any position or place the freshly cleaned glass lid to run the yogurt program by pressing [Yogurt] for the DUO model; for the DUO Plus, push the [yogurt] button, until the screen says “08:00”; and, for the ULTRA choose the [yogurt] program, and then select the recommended Temperature under “med” (107°F).
For all models, the default time is 8 hours, and I’ve had great results with this time but you can adjust the time by pressing the [+] or [-] buttons to get different effects.
Longer time will produce a more tart yogurt. Most yogurt strains will begin to solidify after bout 6 hours – for less tart results check to see if the milk has already solidified after this time.
When the program is finished the letters “Yogt” will appear in the display.
Storage
Top the jars with clean lids, or pour the contents of the inner pot into a clean container, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Extra-thick Greek-Style Yogurt
There are three ways to make a thicker yogurt.
- Nonfat Milk Powder – add 1/2 teaspoon of milk powder per cup of milk at the beginning of the process.
- Boil Milk a little longer – during the scalding process, boil the milk for an extra 10 minutes. When scalding milk directly in the stainless steel insert, simply run the scalding program (Boil) one or two extra times depending on the thickness desired.
- Strain the Yogurt – after the yogurt making process is complete. Pour the yogurt into a cloth-lined fine strainer that is positioned over a bowl. Place the whole set-up in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours depending on the desired thickness.
See Also:
Derek, my first suspicion would be that the yogurt you used to inoculate your milk is suspect. Your starter needs to be a fresh, high quality, PLAIN yogurt that talks about live bacterial culture on the label. For instance, the batch I made last night was started with commercial yogurt claiming “contains 1 billion probiotic bacteria per serving” on the label. Don’t be shy with your starter either… try doubling the amount you use and see if that makes any difference.
Starting to incubate at 96 degrees should not make that much difference provided you let it run for the default eight hours. Did you remember to put water into the pot underneath the rack? I have been using 1 1/2 cups of water for incubation on the premise that the larger amount has more thermal mass and thus smoothes the temperature fluctuations.
I have never placed any water in the stainless steel pot when incubating my yogurt in jars. I don’t even use the trivet. I place the jars directly in the stainless steel pot (after scalding; cooling & inoculating)
– put the cover on and press the yogurt function. I have never had a failed batch of yogurt. Perfect every time.
I tried using water in the bottom with a separate stainless steel bowl right on the trivet inside the pot, so the milk wouldn’t burn onto the bottom of the main pot during the boil phase. The temperature of the milk would not get even close to 180 and I tried 5 times on the boil cycle. I finally tried the saute setting and watched the temp closely until it reached 180. I let it cool, added the starter and set to 9 hours on yogt. It came out runny and a total waste of a 1/2 gal. of grass-fed milk. Is there another way to use a nice stainless steel bowl inside the main pot with the trivet and a bit of water?
Susan, the reason steaming milk in a container on a trivet didn’t reach the right temperature is that the Instant Pot’s heating element was measuring the temperature of the steaming water, not the milk! If you want to use this set-up, follow the instructions I give for the jars: pressure cook for 1 minute and open with natural release; otherwise, pour the milk directly in the cooking bowl so that the cooker can measure its temperature accurately.
Ciao,
L
Derek,
Sorry, I made the assumption that after the “boil” you put your milk into some sort of container which is what I do. I use a largish glass bowl. I have no experience incubating in the stainless steel liner pot. So please disregard my comments about water underneath the rack if that is what you do.
Thanks for your help Meg! I do incubate in the stainless pot. Maybe I’ll try putting the milk in a large glass bowl on the trivet with 1 1/2 cups of water underneath and see what happens. My starter has active cultures.
Dumb question: You are talking degrees Fahrenheit aren’t you? 96ºC would be way too hot and would kill the starter.
I seem to recall NASA crashed a rocket a while back by making a similar error.
Also the milk could be suspect. There are some brands here I will NOT use as they do not work like real milk. They are known for breaking down real milk into its constituent parts, then reassembling so it looks like milk but isn’t really. Try changing your brand
I make my yogurt in the stainless pot 3.5 liters full. A couple things I have found is that you should stir the milk a few times while it is heating. Then I set it on saute medium setting and stir until it reaches 190 degrees. Then I remove the pot into the sink full of cold water to speed the cooling process. You need a good instant read thermometer. I have found that the heating element is too hot at that point to put the milk back into the instant pot so I drape a damp dish rag over it a couple of times while the milk is cooling to get the temperature down. I burned the bottom of the milk once when i did not do this. The element holds the heat very well.
I use 250 grams of plain yogurt for starter. I stir some of the milk into the yogurt first then stir it into the pot. Then put the pot back into the Instant pot and set for yogurt. You need to adjust to the middle setting the lower one is for a low temp type of yogurt and the high is boil. Adjust the time for 8 or more hours, the longer you let it go after 8 hours the tarter it will be. 24 hours will remove almost all the lactose.
Good luck with it,
Gerry
I have been making yogurt weekly since January in Ball mason jars and it always turns out great. My issue is that I have had 3 jars crack in that time. The last one the bottom fell right out while I was washing it. They were all new and different sizes. I will contact the manufacturer but was wondering if it was something I was doing. I followed your directions to the letter, 1 cup water, the trivet, jars of milk,steam etc and let them cool in the cooker with lid off. When I take them out to add starter I either put them on a cooling rack or a dry hand towel so they will not come in contact with a cold surface. This is becoming frustrating. Thank you for letting me vent and I love your videos and recipes.
Sue, do you know or can you hear when the jars are actually cracking?
Ciao,
L
No I do not hear them cracking. I usually find the crack when the jar is empty. The crack is near the bottom so I don’t see it until I have used the yogurt. Sue
That sounds like too much heat is coming from the bottom. Maybe use a slightly taller trivet.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t have an InstantPot and don’t make yoghurt this way.
Update: Hi Laura, I have been heating my milk to 90 degrees F before I pour it into the jars. That was doing the trick until this last time and another jar cracked. This time i heard it and it was during the 1 min. steam cycle. Also the last two times I made yogurt after the steam cycle and the pin dropped when I went to remove the lid the milk bubbled up and almost over almost like it was still under some pressure. I felt the pin drop time was quicker the last two times than any other times (10 min compared to 20) so I don’t know if there is an issue with my machine (I hope not !). Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Sue.
Laura, The last time I made yogurt I did hear a jar crack. It was during the 1 min steam cycle. Also I have noticed my pressure pin drops in only 10 min instead of 20 and when i try to remove the lid the milk bubbles up and the lid is harder to lift. It turns easily and I make sure there is no pressure left. I am wondering why this is happening after having no issues for a year. I hope there is nothing wrong with my machine as I love the yogurt. I also contacted the company in late Nov by email and phone and still have heard nothing in reply which is unusual because when I first received my pot it had a ripped seal and they replaced it after I verified everything with photos. I also added an update about this in my first question to you and have not gotten a reply either. Please help :)
Hi Sue, I try to get to every comment, except for those already answered by other readers, but some do slip through the cracks.
The pressure seals are rated to last about 18 months (could be more, could be less) – they consume with usage and age. Try replacing the seal first, your cooker should be OK.
Merry Christmas!!
L
Sue, I take it that you are using a trivet under your jars. Just checking. I share Geg’s thought and suggestion.
There is also a possibility that you might have run into a flawed batch of jars, which has happened to me. If you think that the cracked jars all might have come from the same box, you can return them or exchange them for a new box.
Rita and Greg, I am using a the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot. The jars did not come from the same batch, they were all different sizes and styles but all were mason jars. After speaking to the company they suggested that maybe the milk is too cold when I put it in the jars and when it comes up to pressure the heat difference is what is making them crack. I’m sure I’m not the only one that uses cold milk to start the process. I hope I find a solution to this problem as I like making it in the jars. Thank you for your suggestions. Sue
Sue, the cracking definitely comes from a temperature differential or, as Rita mentioned, a bad batch. I’m sorry to hear you’re having problems.
I don’t buy that pressure cooking jars with cold milk would crack them. First, because I do it, and second because the cooker “builds” the temperature over 10 minutes. They’re not going from cold to pressure instantly! Since you notice the cracks when you wash them I wonder if the jars are cold from the fridge and you’re putting them under hot water?!?
Or, less likely, you’re adding more cold starter than what is called for?
Or, the jars were shipped to you and they were man-handled in transit?
That’s all I can think of right now!
The only other option is to use Instant Pot’s yogurt set. I’m personally not a big fan of it because I don’t see the logic of cooking plastic. Even heat-safe plastic. So when they offered to send it to me, I told them to keep it. However, the case of the mysteriously cracking jars sounds like a good enough reason to try it!
http://amzn.to/2rHyBpQ
Ciao,
L
Laura, By the time I wash the jars they are room temperature and I do take the starter out to warm while I am waiting for the milk to drop in temperature. I have started warming my milk in the microwave for 1 min then pouring it in the jars. So far so good but I’m not happy having to do an extra step (and dishes lol).
Wondering..would it matter if the jars were sealed during the sanitation process? The directions call for them to be unsealed. Of course you might already be sanitizing unsealed, so, I’m just throwing it out there. Good luck!
Yes, it matters. Putting the lid on will affect the temperature of the milk inside the jar – also if it is sealed tightly the jar may explode due to the pressure difference of pressure inside vs. outside of the jar.
If your goal is to sterilize the lids, too, just put them in the pressure cooker next to the jars. Then, after you inoculate the milk, lightly close the lids – or as they say in canning circles “close, and then unscrew or 1/4 of a turn” before running the yogurt program.
You can tighten the lids before putting the jars in the fridge. : )
Ciao,
L
I’m sorry, but the idea that CANNING JARS will explode under normal “cooking” pressure is totally ludicrous.
I have been canning food for over 50 years. I use a PRESSURE CANNER, which reaches a much higher pressure than this toy pressure cooker. I have NEVER had a jar crack or break, let alone explode, in a pressure canner.
It is, in fact, the “pressure differential” that makes the seal.
Please re-read my comment.
Thanks,
L : )
When using the jar method for making yogurt, at step 3: incubation — do you have water under the trivet for the 8-12 hours?
Yes, I leave it because it heats the inside more evenly than just having the heating element on in a dry cooker.
Ciao,
L
Fran, Yes I do.
Hi Laura. Thanks to your help figuring out how to toggle through the yogurt settings, I have successfully made many batches of yogurt. But I took a break for awhile, and now I can no longer remember whether to set the lid to “sealing” while boiling. Perhaps it doesn’t matter if you do seal or don’t? Either way, I don’t see any specifications in your directions.
And while I”m at it, a couple of other questions. I thought boiling temperature was around 212, but the IP only gets my milk to about 180, which seems sufficient for making yogurt, but what’s the story? How does the boiling function work? Is there a sensor that lets the IP know when it’s reached a boiling temp?
Thanks again for your all your experimentation, which saves the rest of us from costly trial and error learning!
Can you make yogurt in a slow in a pressure cooker that does not have a yogurt setting? Mistakenly I bought one that doesn’t have a yogurt setting and it’s from Amazon so I can’t return it. I suppose I could return it but it’ll cost me more than it’s worth. Thank you for your help!
The short answer is no. Yoghurt needs a fairly precise low temperature to grow. Too high or too low and you will either kill the bacteria or allow the wrong one to grow.
However there are other ways to get that temperature. You can use your pressure cooker as a container for one of those methods. I actually use a sous vide circulator to maintain the temperature when I make yoghurt, but its been a while since I did.
It is a two step process. First you heat the milk to near boiling and hold it there for a while. This kills all the unwanted bugs already in the milk. This step is called pasteurisation. Theoretically you could just use pasteurised milk from the shop and not worry about this step, but there is always the risk that the milk was contaminated after the company did the process so it is safest to do it anyway. The second step is to cool the milk down to about blood temperature, add the culture and hold it there until the yoghurt cultures do their job. Each of the exact strains of bacteria in the culture like different temperatures best, so varying the temperature SLIGHTLY at the second stage can alter the taste quite markedly.
In the USA you do not need to “sterilize” grocery store milk that has been pasteurized. It makes yogurt (or paneer, for that matter, a soft cheese) just fine without it. You only need to heat it up to 120F. I only heat milk for paneer to 160F, and even that may be overkill.
If you don’t believe me, believe Alton Brown.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fresh-yogurt-recipe-1939865
Last time I looked, this website did not only go to addresses in the USA. It is does not do any harm to sterilise again. It does do harm to NOT sterilise unpasteurised milk.
By all means take whatever risks you want. Laura has to err on the side of safety.
What temp seting am I supposed to use for the instant pot ultra. My options are low = 91 F, medium 107 F and high 180 or custom.
Jane 180 to boil milk (if you’re not pre-pressure cooking it like in the instructions) and 107 to run the yogurt program – the even lower setting is for fermenting rice.
Ciao,
L
The lowest setting is perfect for making dosa or idli batter. That’s why I’ve been looking at this device – I can’t find a spot where the batter will ferment properly in my new house. In the old house, it fermented perfectly at the back of the fridge (on top). Here, it either never ferments at all or it gets too warm and grows pink stuff. I just need it to hold at about 90F for 6 or 8 hours, which it seems this thing might manage ok.
I specifically came to this page because you said the Ultra has a minimum temp of 104F – too hot to ferment dosa or idli batter. (From this page: http://www.hippressurecooking.com/which-instant-pot-model-is-right-for-you/)
So unless the Ultra is LACKING a feature of the lower priced Duo model (low temp = 91F) that statement must be in error? Or were you using the Duo Plus?
You also don’t mention the elevation feature of the Ultra in your review of it. I live at 5200 feet. It sort of matters to me what that feature does or does not do.
Pyewacket, that is an Ultra Preview – I’m writing the actual review for it right now. The yogurt setting on the Ultra is awkward. It will let you set the temperatures as in previous models (including the 91°F setting) – however, the “custom” program only goes down to 104°F so there is no way to make adjustments between 91-104°F.
Ciao,
L
P.S. When I don’t “boil” shelf-stable milk (Ultra Heat Pasteurized) before making yogurt it also grows pink stuff so I think you need to take into consideration what the milk goes through between it being pasteurized at the dairy until it gets to you. Considers giving it another go before fermenting.
I just bought the newest Instant pot model – The Instant Pot Ultra 10 -in 1. The instruction book that was included is terrrible and does not give accurate instructions for that particular model. Your video is very helpful but I am still having to make a few interpretations as to how to use my machine.
I like the idea of making the yogurt directly in the jars. When you sterilized the milk in the jars, you did so for only 1 min. Is this enough time to scald the milk and get the temperature up to 180 F? Could I scald the milk in the Instant Pot and then pour the milk into the jars? Or, can I scald the milk in the Instant Pot insert, let it cool, stir in the inoculant and then pour the milk into the sterilized jars and then put them back into the (cleaned) insert on a rack for incubation in the Instant Pot?
The jars that I hope to use are jars that I buy my yogurt in. They hold about 125 mL (1/2 c) of yogurt. Mixing a bit of starter in each of these jars would be a bit tedious but not impossible.
I would appreciate any feedback on my thoughts.
Helga, yes you can scald directly in the pot and pour into sanitized jars. But…
1 minute of high pressure involves 10 minutes heating up to temperature before holding for a minute. At the high pressure setting, the inside of the instant pot will be full of 240F steam, and the natural pressure release means an extra 15-20 minutes above 212F. So really you’re steaming the jars for almost 30 minutes. This should be sufficient.
This general technique is outlined in the instructions that come with all Instant Pots that have a yogurt function. The instructions for the Instant Pot Ultra are available here: http://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Ultra-Manual-English_-2017-web.pdf
On page 18 they describe making yogurt and have a note about making yogurt in jars: “To make yogurt in containers instead of the inner pot, modify step 1 (Heat Milk): fill containers to 90% full with milk, add 1 cup (~8.5 fl oz / 250 mL) of water to the inner pot, place containers on a steam rack in the inner pot, close the lid, the quick release button will automatically reset to Sealing position. Use the central dial to select the Steam function and set the cooking time to 2 minutes. Once complete, use the natural release method then open the lid and continue with steps 2 to 4.”
Oh… re: your jars. It’s not recommended to use jars not-meant-for-canning under pressure. Your re-purposed yogurt jars are not meant for canning. Just bear in mind there is some risk (hard to say how much) that the jars might crack or shatter during the pressurized scalding. This risk is less than if you had tight fitting lids on the jars while they were under pressure (as one would while trying to can with a re-purposed spaghetti sauce jar), but since you are using the jars in a way that’s not intended, it’s probably not zero risk. I have seen a few bloggers say they use the Oui by Yoplait jars in this way. I also see warnings not to, but I have yet to come across someone saying “I tried this and my jars frequently break”.
If you’re comfortable with that risk (I think I would be), go ahead and use those jars. If cleaning broken glass out of your IP is something you aren’t willing to risk, buy some Ball, Kerr, or other jars designed for canning OR portion the yogurt sometime after scalding (either before or after incubation).
Thanks Paul, I didn’t catch that she WASN’T using canning jars. That ‘splains it!!
Ciao,
L
when I first got this machine making yogurt was a dream come true; but after 10 times the base started heating up; I tried to move it around because my apartment was warm; yet after 3-4 hours my yogurt started to curdled; got a replacement and the same thing is happening after about 10 times of use; so it has nothing to do with the yogurt starter or the milk; and sometimes the milk in the jars boil over and goes all over the inside cover; I am beside myself; tried to use the stainless bowl; again that worked for about 4 times; then I went back to the jars; if someone could answer how to make the yogurt without having to do it the old fashion way please let me know. Help.
Elizabeth, can you clarify what you mean about “the base heating up”? It doesn’t sound like something that should happen! Also, which model do you have?
Ciao,
L
it is the Duo 5Qt. I put cool water in the stainless steel pan; a customer support person told me to press “yogurt” and manually set it for 30 minutes. When the time was up I opened the lid and my water was starting to boil. It was over 120 degrees. This was a replacement for the original one I bought in 2014. Now I am stuck with it because the warranty is up. I think I might try to just put it on warm and let it sit for 8 hours instead of yogurt timer. I am very upset.
Aha! I know what the issue is, Elizabeth! You need to press the “Adjust” button so the LED light above “less”, “normal” and “more” is in the right position. To make yogurt, press the Yogurt button, and the “Adjust” button until “normal” is illuminated. To boil milk, press the Yogurt button and press “Adjust” until “more” is illuminated.
The “problem” is that if you turn off or even unplug the cooker the machine will remember your last choice. I bet yours is on “more”.
Don’t worry, everyone gets confused by that. ; )
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year of Yogurt Making!!!
Ciao,
L
like the other person; when I followed your instructions on making yogurt in jars the last time the milk boiled over; it is always on Normal. I will try it again and see what happens. But I believe if the customer service person told me it was defective then it could be.
Wow, thanks for letting me know, Elizabeth! Sounds like there are some units out with a bug on this setting! I’m sorry to hear you’ve had to deal with this!!!
Ciao,
L
Hi Laura, thank you for your instructions, I use them every time I make yogurt. Except this time I forgot about the milk as it cooled and it got down to77F. I reheated the milk in the microwave to 110F, put in my starter and put it in the IP. Is it going to be a problem that the milk cooled and was reheated after scalding? I don’t want to waste half a gallon of expensive organic milk!
It’s going to be ok. Next time, don’t worry, you can just add the starter and start the yogurt program. The important part is that temperature isn’t so hot that it kills the starter or so cold (from fridge) that keeps it sleepy and inactive for a large part of the incubation.
Ciao,
L
You were right, it came out just fine. It’s good to know that the milk can cool a bit more. Thank you!
Laura, I did exactly what you told me; when it came to adjust it was still on ‘More”; I adjusted it to normal and will let you know what happens. this is the one machine that was sent to me and I never used it. keep your fingers crossed.
So how did your Yogurt tun out?
Ciao,
L
I made my yogurt in the jars; followed step by step; the milk I put on steam (because they were in the jar)as soon as it was done, I opened the lid; milk was boiled over; I use a 2 cup canning jar and put 1 and 1/3 cup of milk into three of the jars; I took the jars out to cool down; it took about 40 minutes because the heat was over 180 degrees. put fresh water in the base of the pan and set the trivet down; after I put the starter in the jars I set the unit for 8 hours “normal”. There was water on top of all the jars!!! Maybe I should of done the steaming on “more” and return it to “normal” when incubating. I put in 2 tsps of yogurt starter; sometimes a tablespoon; is that why the yogurt starts to curdle? Should I put less of the yogurt starter in my jars? I was upset to have to clean the inside of the machine during this process to get all the milk off the lid and inside where the water is. Help.
Why did you open the lid as soon as it was done? The instructions say “When the program is finished push [cancel] to turn off the instant pot and let it cool down naturally.”
By releasing pressure quickly, the milk boiled violently out of the jars during the release – see the Pressure Cooking School episode on opening methods to understand why that happened. ; )
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/opening-methods-pcs/
Ciao,
L
you are so right; it does take learning; I always waited until the button was down to open it; using the steamer button by opening it causing it to release fast. I will definitely wait it out and try again. Thank you for your help and patience.
Laura, I have made two batches of yogurt in my Duo. The first batch came out pretty well although not quite as thick as I would have liked even after staining. The second batch did not set at all. I used a half gallon of 2% ,and two tablespoons of Fage 2% from the same cartoon I used several days earlier for the first batch.
After the boil cycle, the temperature was only 165 degrees so I used saute to raise the temperature. I don’t understand how you hold the temperature at 180 or so for a few minutes. The temperature goes beyond that so quickly. Are you constantly canceling and pressing saute again?
The second problem may be the meat thermometer I’m using. I read that it was okay to use one. But the temperature it shows varies so widely. I stir my milk after the boil cycle to make sure there are no hot spots as I have read you should do. But as I move the probe around it changes so much. The same is true in the cool down process. It can vary as much as 10 degrees as I move the probe. Is this a problem with the probe? Do you have one that you would recommend?
I put in the fridge over night. Someone suggested that I reheat the failed milk to 110 degrees and try cooling it down again to see if it will set which I am now doing. Is that a good idea?
Sorry for all the questions but here’s one final one. I’m trying to stay on a low-fat diet and I’m wondering if whole milk retains all the fat in the yogurt process. Silly question, but just making sure. I read where someone said 3.25% milk is good, but I’ve never seen it. Thanks, Laura!
Barbara, it sounds like you don’t have the right tools to measure the temperature and it could be that you’re adding a starter in milk that is too hot – effectively killing the bacteria in the starter. Just mix the milk and then test it on your wrist (as you would test milk for a baby bottle) – when it feels like it’s the same temperature (i.e. not hotter than your wrist) add the starter.
You don’t need to do anything extra with the boil cycle, just let it run and continue with the recipe – Instant Pot designed and timed it taking into consideration the difference of temperature between the base and the top.
For milk that has gotten cold, or refrigerated, I would bring the milk up to 107°F before incubation (so the bacteria from the starter does not fall asleep and underperform). Again, you can use your wrist for this and heat it until the milk does not feel cold.
In terms of milk-fat, I generally dissuade people from using low-fat milk. Personally, I think that it’s a bit of a farce. Low-fat milk is 2% while, most people don’t realize, that whole milk is really just 3.5% fat – you can confirm this by looking at the nutritional information on the milk carton. Spend your money and energy reducing fat from other foods, and enjoy the flavor and extra 1.5% fat from whole milk!
If you’re using this yogurt to replace a fatty/sugary snack or breakfast, you’re already ahead of the game. ; )
Ciao,
L
I am trying to make my first batch of yogurt with my new Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker. The problem I’m having is there is no “adjust” button and when I use the “more” button which is just a “+”, it only gives me time up or down for more or less time. I have not been able to get mine to inoculate the milk with a “boil” function. So I found a recipe using ultra-pasteurized milk with a cold milk method. I added my yogurt starter powder, 2 packets, to 1/2 gal. of ultra-pasteurized goats milk and have started the process using the yogurt button and setting the time for 8 hours. I am thoroughly confused but ran out of time to mess with this thing! I hope it turns out otherwise I’m out the milk and the starter and a lot of time.
Susan, I have the same model and had the same confusion over the buttons, adjust, etc. You’re just supposed to press the yogurt button until you see the word “boil” on the display. I just tried it. I pressed the yogurt button 3 times until the word boil appeared.
Ha! You’re absolutely right. Thanks for the advice. The goat milk yogurt actually turned out great without boiling, but it’s not something I would want to do again. I am making my second batch and the “boil” setting was visible. I am now waiting for the milk to cool down. I am going to use more of my yogurt starter powder by adding it to a cup of the cooled down milk and then add it back to the pot and then start the 8 hour yogurt process. I love my homemade yogurt. I live alone so a 1/2 gal. of whole milk makes enough for me to have it every day for about 10 days. Perfect!
When I attempted to boil the milk in the ultra I am only able to adjust temperature in custom to 176degrees F. Is this normal? I think I will boil til 176 and then sauté to bring to 181. Any other ideas
I found online how to make yogurt without the boiling; the recipe calls for Fairlife Ultra filtered milk; it is found in most grocery stores; it is 52 oz. and used any plain greek yogurt with cultures; the recipe is:
It wasn’t necessary to sterilize the pan if it is clean, but I did it anyway and let it cool down. Just add the milk to the stainless steel pan add 2 tbs of the yogurt starter and mix well; I did a cup of the milk and mixed the yogurt and then added to the rest of the milk. close the lid; I left the lid on steam lock, but I will now not touch that steam release after it has been done; (water does enter-about a tsp. on the yogurt.) Just pressure the yogurt button and make sure it is on Normal and set for 8 hours. After it is done it is recommend to put in fridge for at least 4-8 hours. After 4 both times I made it, the yogurt was thick; I made it with both whole and skim milk.
thank you the directions in the booklet were not clear read your s heated 6 cups milk in the the 8 qt instant pot duo plus cooled and added about a 1/2 cup Greek yogurt for the culture I used that because it listed more varieties of active culture . 12.5 hours later I opened it to the nicest and thickest home made yogurt I have ever made . I used to do this using the slow cooker many years back and it was usually much thinner.. very pleased milk was on sale for 1.99 a gallon, I usually pay 4.00 for a qt of yogurt yield was just over 1 1/2 qts I use yogurt in my fiber smoothies each day
Here’s a whacky Q I haven’t seen addressed: I bought Whole Milk (grass-fed cows, all that) and, of course, there was a plug of cream at the top. What do you do with that? I tried to mix it in with the rest of the milk (seems like the cream is the whole point of whole milk!)but am not sure it blended well. I’m making yogurt in 4 small Ball jars….I think one or two got more of that cream than the others. We’ll see how it goes.
Yes, you did the right thing to mix it back in. Next time heat the milk a little bit whisk it back in. ; )
Ciao,
L
Laura,
What brand of jars re you using?
Thanks!
Bormioli Rocco : )
Can you tell me what the temperature should be at boil, more and less on the Yogurt setting? I want to infuse oil at about 100 degrees and I’ve heard that Yogurt setting less will get there?
The “Yogurt: Boil” setting is at 83°C/180°F.
Ciao,
L
Lori,
According to the Duo series manual (http://instantpot.us/benefits/specifications-and-manuals/instant-pot-ip-duo-series-specifications/), the yogurt “less” setting will give you between 86 and 93.2 degrees F (I’m assuming you want Fahrenheit). Perhaps the “normal” setting, 96.8 to 109.4 degrees F would be more suitable for your purpose? If you have some other model, I would do a bit of online research to make sure the temperature ranges have not been changed.
BTW, I find that rich bread dough set over water on the “less” setting rises enthusiastically in our cool house.