It had to happen: Out of 200 gallons of yogurt homemade in 2 years, my first "bad" batch...UPDATED

[hlthe2b]

Last edited Wed May 1, 2019, 06:43 AM - Edit history (2)

So, I'm experimenting to see if I can salvage it and will update in 12-24 hours if it works...

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I eat lots of yogurt and have averaged making 2 gallons/week for the past two years using a variety of methods, starting with the most low tech system (a cooler, heating pad, glass jug, 8 cup pyrex bowl to microwave the milk and analog thermometer) to what I've used the past year or so with great pleasure--the 6-in-1 DUO Instant Pot.

So, I made my usual batch Friday over the weekend and low and behold--watery as heck. Only weakly cultured. Yikes! Smelled fine and what had thickened seemed "ok" but overall the batch was a watery mess.

So, what could explain that? Malfunctioning Instant Pot? Failure to cool the milk down after boiling before inoculating with the culture? Bad culture?

Of the three, bad culture seemed most likely since I'd used a carefully thawed airtight container of about 1/4 cup Mountain High yogurt that I habitually alternate with starter taken from my own last batch. I just "renew" with these frozen containers of commercial yogurt about twice a year, otherwise always using a bit taken from the last batch. Never had a problem.

So, I made a batch Sunday with culture from my last batch, rather than the commercial product--no problems. Thus, the instant pot seems not to be malfunctioning and I have to think it was the culture.
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So, now what to do about that almost two gallons of watery product from last week? Well, I warmed it to room temperature in individual half gallon glass and plastic containers, reinoculated them with culture taken from my last "good" batch and stuck them on the heating pad in the cooler for the next 8-10 hours or so. If successful, I can authoritatively attest to "how to salvage a yogurt failure". Fingers crossed.

One bad batch out of 200 or so--not all that bad, though, especially since, at $4.99/64 oz of commercial yogurt, versus $2.49/128 oz home-made, I figure I've saved about $1,498.00 over the past two years!

UPDATE: so, re-inoculating the entire batch with 3 tbsp taken from my last "good" batch, placing in the cooler on the heating pad (on medium--make sure your heating pad doesn't have auto shut-off) and reincubating for 8 hours, did help a great deal. I still will probably use this gallon and a half for smoothies as it's consistency remains a bit "off" but I'm glad I don't have to throw out the whole batch--something I would not have batted an eye at years ago, but increasingly makes me feel wasteful and guilty... LOL My parents DID have an impact on me, however belated!

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Can you make it extra thick like Greek yogurt?,

[hlthe2b]

2. Oh, yes.. I routinely filter half of each batch into greek yogurt, but the batch has to have

"cultured" (curdled?) appropriately for that to work. If it is just watery, filtering doesn't help.

I've had the technique down to a science --sans using any thickeners, it has always come out routinely thick and creamy. But, not this time.

[irisblue]

3. Given that are live cultures...your compost pile?

[hlthe2b]

4. It may come to that if I can't salvage... I do use the whey I filter when I make Greek yogurt..

for the garden from time to time...

[Major Nikon]

5. Any one of the things you mentioned could be the cause

Since you described the result as "weak", I suspect you didn't allow the milk to cool enough prior to pitching with your culture and you killed off most of it before it had a chance to ferment.

Personally I wouldn't try to redo a failed batch. You are greatly increasing the chances of fermenting something other than L. bulgaricus and/or S. thermophilus. Usually when this happens it's just spoilage bacteria and you'll know it immediately because the batch will smell like rotten ass. However, it is possible to ferment pathogenic bacteria, many of which produce no off smells or tastes, but you won't shit right for a week or worse.

If you can check the temperature of your instant pot, it should be between 110-115F, although other fermentation temperatures and times can yield different results. L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus won't culture very well below 95F and will die at temperatures above 122F.

[dem in texas]

6. i buy Freanna Yogurt now

I made yogurt for years but stopped making it when I started having to travel so much. After I retired, I was the only yogurt eater left at home, so I started buying it. Now my husband is eating it too and we go through about 2 quarts a week, I used to buy Mountain High or Brown Cow, but now I am hooked on Freanna, it is Dutch style, thin and runny like Yoplait. it is whole milk yogurt, so good with fruit for breakfast.

[hlthe2b]

7. I've never tried that brand. But, I find making yogurt in the Instant Pot so easy, I doubt

I will ever go back to buying it again. I calculated the savings over the past two years at just under $1500 and that's not "chump change" for sure! Excluding this episode, I pretty much have it down to an "art" taking very little hands-on time, so I'll keep it up for a while at least.