Yogurt Fail Questions
I just tried to make yogurt and ended up making something else (the question is what). I just finished the process of bringing the milk up to 180 f and then bringing it down to 110 f and was ready to add my starter when I opened up the pot and realized that the milk had already solidified and separated completely into a custardy yogurt like substance and whey. I tasted the result and it seems OK but its not sour (and definitely not yogurt).
FYI, I added powdered milk and was using 1/3 1% and 2/3 0% Milk. All milk was fresh and pasteurized.
Questions:
- What did I make and is it edible?
- What did I do wrong?
Thanks
Best Answer
The point of heating the milk to 180F (and then holding it there for a few minutes) is to denature some of the milk proteins so they will participate in the yogurt structure and improve the texture.
You wrote that you added milk powder. This is a good thing because it adds extra protein. It is perfectly reasonable for there to be enough protein that simply heating it will form a loose curd. Acidifying the milk would produce a more firm structure for yogurt or cheese, etc.
Milk can also curdle prematurely if it has accidentally acidified already. For example if it has started to spoil from a mixture of wild bacteria. If your milk is of questionable freshness then I would recommend throwing it out to be safe.
If you are confident that your milk is fresh and has been handled well, and if the curd is fragile and tastes like milk, I would recommend inoculating it and fermenting it for yogurt as normal.
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How do you fix yogurt that failed?
If your yogurt doesn't set up properly the first time, try treating the failed \u201cyogurt\u201d like milk, and starting over. (Reheat it, add new starter, and incubate again.) The texture may suffer some, but it can save you having to throw the whole thing away.Why did my yogurt fail?
This can be due to a few issues: 1) poorly cleaned jars and utensils, 2) very old milk that wasn't properly heated and then cooled down prior to culturing, 3) a compromised starter culture. Discard the yogurt, and start fresh with a new starter and clean materials.Why is my yogurt not thickening?
Yogurt usually will not thicken until cooled, especially non-dairy yogurt. In some cases, thickening can take up to 24 hours. Even if the yogurt is thin, it is still a cultured food and may be consumed (it's great for whipping up smoothies!)What happens if you overheat milk when making yogurt?
Yogurt that lumps or leaks whey is often caused by culturing too hot or too long. To prevent lumpy yogurt hold the milk above 195\xb0F / 91\xb0C for ten minutes before cooling and culturing. Yogurt starter cultures containing Lactobacillus Casei generally result in thicker smooth yogurt.Yogurt Making 101 - Problem solving
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