@boygenius1991 I said I'm sick of hearing about greek yogurt. it's been pushed too hard in advertisements, like "acai berries" or avocados. I'm not a huge fan of greek yogurt. I consider it inferior to normal yogurt. I'll eat it if someone offer it to me, but I will never seek it out or buy it at the store
@medz No. I think I'm still in the category which you consider "kids" so I'm going to say no. This would save me little money and give me a huge headache and a huge mess to clean up. I eat a LOT of greek yogurt and would never ever purchase this. never ever ever. ever. never.
@Thumperchick You want to heat the milk to around 180F (you don't really want to boil it) to get rid of any bacteria that might have crawled in since the milk was pasteurized. That way the only thing that grows is bacteria in the yogurt that you stir in once the milk cools to 110F or so.
Home-made yogurt is absolutely the best. I do "Greek style", using Fage as my "starter".
Once I tasted the stuff I made myself I knew I'd never eat store-bought again. SO much better (full disclosure - I use whole, raw milk from a local farm).
I use a proofing box - but this is the same principal. I heat to 195, hold it there for 5 minutes, cool to 115, and then add the "starter" and incubate at 115 for 4 hours. Strain for 12 hours in the fridge and I jar it up.
@Stallion I think this is great if you don't have another reliable means to do it. The only time involved is sitting there watching the milk temp as it heats and then cools. Other than that - it sits. The straining has a learning curve to get it to the consistency you prefer. Too much straining and it can get as thick as cream cheese, too little and it can be runny. And the time depends on quantity. I have settled on 6 cups of milk, a 4 hour incubation, a 12 hour strain, and then stir before jarring it up - the edges will be thicker and the center a little more runny. When mixed, for me, it's perfect.
@Thumperchick - I think this has to be better than a crockpot. My experiences with crockpot cooking is that it's never consistent in temps - it varies (sometimes a LOT) depending on how much "stuff" is in it. The one's I've tried (two big 7qt models and one 3 quart, all with "advanced controls") have all been the same - temps that vary from 80 degrees to "just below the surface of the sun", even the "low" setting can hit boiling, which is dumb. I have to believe this will be much less hassle and much more consistent/reliable. And - for $14 if you like it enough you can spend a little more on a more capable unit.
I do wish they listed the temp. To me - 8 hours incubation is a LONG time.
@Thumperchick I don't know about this particular brand, but I have 'yogourmet' that makes 2 quarts and it always turns out perfect Greek yogurt. This Oster gets good reviews on Amazon, so I don't think you'd have a problem with temperature fluctuations.I don't know how they are at meh with links, but I basically use the recipe found by googling 'yogurt salad in a jar.' It's a bit of work making it, but I save a ton of money and I love the stuff. p.s. if they delete the link, pm me and I'll send you my longhand copy of it.
@Thumperchick I found the most inconsistency in my results when I tried to make too much at once, or when I let it sit too long (3 to 4 hours is, amazingly, enough). 6 cups is the sweet spot for my method. Take notes on what you do and you'll get it nailed.
@Thumperchick That is SO delicious. Yet another thing I never tried until I was north of 50. I am lucky enough to have a large supply of orange blossom honey near me in FL :)
And as far as thickness - you absolutely have to strain unless you want custard. I have found that straining in large quantities can result in inconsistent thickness "across the batch" - the simple solution here is to dump it back into a bowl, mix well, and then jar it up.
I've made Greek yogurt before using cheese cloth to strain it, and it was a big messy mess. So I'm pretty excited that it comes with a built-in reusable strainer that is perfectly designed for straining yogurt.
I do wish that the big container was made of glass because generally I don't like cooking things in plastic, but maybe I can overlook that.
I also find it strange that it holds the six little containers and one big container at the same time. I think most people would want one or the other at any given time. And if you're making Greek yogurt you probably don't want to make it in little jars anyway because you have to dump it out to strain it (unless those little jars have strainer bottoms too, but I don't think so).
@christinerenee I use plain old coffee filters and colander. I make a ring with 4 of them (one on the bottom, three to cover the sides). After straining the yogurt peels right away from it.
If the cheesecloth is messy you should probably use a few more layers......
Oh man, I can never see a yogurt maker without wanting to buy it. Which is why I have 3 yogurt makers already. If I give one to a friend, I could probably justify buying one more....
My wife has been toying with the idea of making yogurt since she already makes kifir and we eat/like the chobani except for the huge amounts of carbs/sugar. For $14, I just scored a thoughtful Xmas gift.
reputable-decorative-cucumber
Better than being a shady-disheveled-potato I suppose.
For me this is a definite meh. Although I would like to remind everyone the holiday season is pretty much upon us. Might be a good gift for a "spend no more than $20" Secret Santa at the office. Or a good gift for that relative that always gets you stuff that you won't use...
PS this is probs the most perfect gift I've ever bought for mom, who is a yogurt-loving vegetarian and former microbiologist (I literally get to buy her an incubator how cool is thatttttt)
@katylava I'd like to see the math on this where it makes sense to make greek yogurt vs buy it before I'm convinced. Milk isn't cheap and if you are trying to save money by buying in bulk, you then have to worry about milk/yogurt shelf life.
@joeerle Around here I can get a 5.3 ounce container of Chobani for about a dollar if I know where to shop. It's closer to $1.20 or $1.30 if I just go to the big grocery store. But let's say its a dollar for the sake of argument. So a quart (32 ounces) is around $6 if I bought it in the little containers. Since you strain regular yogurt to make Greek yogurt it takes more than a quart of milk to make a quart of yogurt. Let's say it takes a half gallon. I can get a half gallon of milk for around $2. So I can make $6 of Greek yogurt from $2 of milk.
@evan_t With only 3 quarts of freshly bought yogurt from the store, you can easily make 2 quarts of yogurt! You don't even need this machine! Just use 2 single quart sized jars, and use a spoon to scoop yogurt from the tub you've just purchased. Refrigerate until you use it. Simply discard any excess left in the tub.
@kadagan The machine holds the milk at 100-110 degrees so the bacteria in the yogurt you stir in can multiply and turn the milk into yogurt. Refrigerate after 12-16 hours.
I'm sorry. I have read this thread, the other yogurt threads, and some Amazon reviews. I'm still not clear whether you have to boil milk in a separate pot to use this machine, or if the machine will create yogurt from just plain milk and culture. Can anyone help? If the whole process can be done in the machine, I'll probably buy one.
@KDemoThis Amazon review has pictures of the manual.. It looks like the second page of it tells you to boil the milk before starting.
I found it very interesting that it says you can use soy or almond milk in addition to cow milk.. Might work out well for the lactose intolerant people out there!
@kadagan - Thanks so much. I saw that, but wasn't sure if there were two separate sets of instructions for firmer and less firm yogurt. It starts over at #1 in the second section. Good point on the soy and almond milk. I also read here that culturing uses up lactose, so yogurt is better than milk for those with lactose intolerance. Thanks again, though.
@KDemo You do have to boil the milk separately. What this gadget does is handle the incubation period and straining. (This is the part a lot of yogurt makers have the most trouble with.)
@luvche21 - Oh, I noted the thread last time even. Just haven't gotten around to it, but I love yogurt and I fully intend to try. I have your blog bookmarked now. Thanks so much for the fountain of great information, and willingness to help.
Specs
Directions in a nutshell:
Condition: New
Warranty: 1 Year Jarden (page 19)
Estimated Delivery: 11/13 - 11/15
Shipping: $5 or free with VMP
What’s in the Box?
1x Yogurt maker base
6x 7oz glass jars with lids
1x 32oz plastic bin with lid
1x Greek yogurt mesh strainer
1x Clear plastic cover
Pictures
Tons of yogurt
Everything included
Put fruit in it if you want
Classic lifestyle shot
Price Comparison
$59.99 List, $49.13 at Amazon
Find a relevant price comparison? Please share it in a comment in this thread
Estimated Delivery
Monday, January 28th - Monday, February 4th
Greek to me
Gyro
@Stallion
No you said it wrong it is pronounced gyro
@jml326 You say gyro,I say Gyro. The question is, who's throwing the roll of the tongue in the mix? Gyro!!!!
Wtf. So random.
@jsh139 screw austerity!
OOOPa!!!!
@DMlivezey Saganaki
I dunno! Having a yogurt maker seems so...cultured.
@densa it will "curdle" your hair
@densa are you supposed to run this in your kitchen on your raised food prep surfaces? I say it's too counter culture for me.
I'm sick of hearing about greek yogurt. no thank you
@boygenius1991 You either don't like yogurt, or have never had good Greek yogurt.
@Pufferfishy wait you're implying good Greek yogurt is bad? Heathen!
@boygenius1991 I said I'm sick of hearing about greek yogurt. it's been pushed too hard in advertisements, like "acai berries" or avocados. I'm not a huge fan of greek yogurt. I consider it inferior to normal yogurt. I'll eat it if someone offer it to me, but I will never seek it out or buy it at the store
@boygenius1991 Hey now! What did avocados ever do to you?
@Thumperchick nothing. I love avocados. overmarketed/overhyped doesn't mean they're bad.
check out this article:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/02/avocados-ripe-ready-evil-geniuses-hooked?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=22&utm_campaign=from22WordsURWelcome
This is something that in my head, sounds like a great idea, but the lazy in me would use it once or twice.
R.I.P. Snow Cone Maker 2014-2014
@lichme Snow Cone maker used 3 times this past summer, and hopefully 100 times next summer! Yogurt machine? Nope.
@lichme I used my Yonana once. But it looks nice on my counter.
@MesmerLab Yeah that thing was tempting but I quickly came to my senses with that one and passed.
@MesmerLab Yonana is so goddamn good.
@lichme I used my ice cream maker once! And the drum is still taking up valuable freezer space!
Is this what the kids are into these days?
@medz No. I think I'm still in the category which you consider "kids" so I'm going to say no. This would save me little money and give me a huge headache and a huge mess to clean up. I eat a LOT of greek yogurt and would never ever purchase this. never ever ever. ever. never.
Gross. Bacteria. Meh.
@wiseoldyster You are full of bacteria.
Lifestyle items not included?? No lioness meh...meh must be "lion" to me
@AttyVette I think it is a Liger?
Incredible! Something I want less than refurbished cordless phones.
@Tin_Foil wait, you've never seen the bluetooth speakers?
The man ain't got no culture
Wait, I still have to boil the milk? Why did I impulse buy this?
fittest-ocular-pegasus
@Thumperchick Fail
@Thumperchick baby wants it
@Thumperchick Babies love yogurt... I hate (as does raylan) Greek yogurt... Saying it's a greet yogurt maker made me not buy.
@Thumperchick You want to heat the milk to around 180F (you don't really want to boil it) to get rid of any bacteria that might have crawled in since the milk was pasteurized. That way the only thing that grows is bacteria in the yogurt that you stir in once the milk cools to 110F or so.
Excellent lifestyle items. I finally feel like a retailer gets me.
liquid whey for Greek yogurt?? " Whey" too much work for me.
Όχι ευχαριστώ.
@awk χαχαχαχα
This is whey to advanced for me.
@connorbush
@connorbush Awe curds. just realized @AttyVette used this pun first.
The good thing about yogurt is that it can't go bad. It already went bad. That's what makes it yogurt.
@Fish_Kungfu yogurt goes way bad
@danblondell whey, whey bad.
Is this some kind of bloody joke?
@CrossIT No, that's pudding not yogurt.
Home-made yogurt is absolutely the best. I do "Greek style", using Fage as my "starter".
Once I tasted the stuff I made myself I knew I'd never eat store-bought again. SO much better (full disclosure - I use whole, raw milk from a local farm).
I use a proofing box - but this is the same principal. I heat to 195, hold it there for 5 minutes, cool to 115, and then add the "starter" and incubate at 115 for 4 hours.
Strain for 12 hours in the fridge and I jar it up.
@Pufferfishy So is this machine ideal or better to source different stuff to make yogurt? How much time goes into a batch?
@Pufferfishy I have used the crockpot method, with varying success. I'm hoping this will help the incubation period along better. Thoughts?
@Stallion I think this is great if you don't have another reliable means to do it. The only time involved is sitting there watching the milk temp as it heats and then cools. Other than that - it sits. The straining has a learning curve to get it to the consistency you prefer. Too much straining and it can get as thick as cream cheese, too little and it can be runny. And the time depends on quantity. I have settled on 6 cups of milk, a 4 hour incubation, a 12 hour strain, and then stir before jarring it up - the edges will be thicker and the center a little more runny. When mixed, for me, it's perfect.
@Thumperchick - I think this has to be better than a crockpot. My experiences with crockpot cooking is that it's never consistent in temps - it varies (sometimes a LOT) depending on how much "stuff" is in it. The one's I've tried (two big 7qt models and one 3 quart, all with "advanced controls") have all been the same - temps that vary from 80 degrees to "just below the surface of the sun", even the "low" setting can hit boiling, which is dumb. I have to believe this will be much less hassle and much more consistent/reliable. And - for $14 if you like it enough you can spend a little more on a more capable unit.
I do wish they listed the temp. To me - 8 hours incubation is a LONG time.
There was thread here on yogurt - it had a LOT of information, as does the page for the bread proofer I have.....
OH - and you can get a dozen 12oz Mason jelly jars at the evil Wal*Mart for like 6 bucks.
@Pufferfishy thanks! I eat yogurt for breakfast most days and I hope this helps me get better consistency from my homemade batches.
THIS THREAD was very useful
@Thumperchick I don't know about this particular brand, but I have 'yogourmet' that makes 2 quarts and it always turns out perfect Greek yogurt. This Oster gets good reviews on Amazon, so I don't think you'd have a problem with temperature fluctuations.I don't know how they are at meh with links, but I basically use the recipe found by googling 'yogurt salad in a jar.' It's a bit of work making it, but I save a ton of money and I love the stuff.
p.s. if they delete the link, pm me and I'll send you my longhand copy of it.
@Thumperchick I found the most inconsistency in my results when I tried to make too much at once, or when I let it sit too long (3 to 4 hours is, amazingly, enough). 6 cups is the sweet spot for my method. Take notes on what you do and you'll get it nailed.
@Pufferfishy Damn it! Looks like me and @Thumperchick will be trading yogurt recipes! treacherous-listless-comb
@Pufferfishy Mine just never quite got a thick consistency. I'm hoping this will help. The culture and flavor was always there, though.
@Stallion My favorite recipe is totally not a recipe - It's a little bit of honey in plain greek yogurt.
@Thumperchick That is SO delicious. Yet another thing I never tried until I was north of 50. I am lucky enough to have a large supply of orange blossom honey near me in FL :)
And as far as thickness - you absolutely have to strain unless you want custard. I have found that straining in large quantities can result in inconsistent thickness "across the batch" - the simple solution here is to dump it back into a bowl, mix well, and then jar it up.
@Pavlov Nice edit - wasn't feeling the first one. FryFTW.
@Pufferfishy The first was a misfire - my bad.
@wew fyi, you can post links.. but there are no PMs. haha
just wait till next week when the Ouzo maker goes up!
@alacrity Ding!!!
@alacrity yum.
Could you form Plato with this too?
pfff.... when did this place get so cultured?
@alacrity Whey too cool for me.
@Stallion
my wife wants to know if it comes with John Stamos. If so, she wants 3.
Hell, at least 1 of 'em can mow my lawn...
Accidental-weedy-dress
I blame @katylava for this one.
@Pavlov literate-creamy-fudge
I've made Greek yogurt before using cheese cloth to strain it, and it was a big messy mess. So I'm pretty excited that it comes with a built-in reusable strainer that is perfectly designed for straining yogurt.
I do wish that the big container was made of glass because generally I don't like cooking things in plastic, but maybe I can overlook that.
I also find it strange that it holds the six little containers and one big container at the same time. I think most people would want one or the other at any given time. And if you're making Greek yogurt you probably don't want to make it in little jars anyway because you have to dump it out to strain it (unless those little jars have strainer bottoms too, but I don't think so).
@christinerenee I use plain old coffee filters and colander. I make a ring with 4 of them (one on the bottom, three to cover the sides). After straining the yogurt peels right away from it.
If the cheesecloth is messy you should probably use a few more layers......
@Pufferfishy Coffee filters are a great idea. I probably should have used more layers of cheesecloth, but I'm too cheap for that.
$14 for a few jars and a strainer? Google the recipe and use your own containers. Very Meh
@craigcush that's funny. I don't like yogurt. Was trying to figure out if perhaps the various containers could be put to different use.
@RedOak I'll bet you could do some science experiments. What other cultures could you grow in those warm containers?
@craigcush from my understanding, it's the cooker itself as well.
@christinerenee um, isn't yogurt a "science experiment"? That would be why I'm not a fan of it also as a food item.
@RedOak I am a fan of yogurt -- but I do try not to think too much about what it actually is.
Oh man, I can never see a yogurt maker without wanting to buy it. Which is why I have 3 yogurt makers already. If I give one to a friend, I could probably justify buying one more....
@mossygreen that's a great idea! if i change my mind while it's in transit, it will make a great gift!
@ulnek Thanks! I have many creative justifications for hoarding.
papery-airborne-owl
Woo hoooo t
Looks like a ton of work.. I already have a full-time job. Hopefully, I will sleep on this and it will be sold out. Whey Good for Me...
Something you don't want in your fuku
My wife has been toying with the idea of making yogurt since she already makes kifir and we eat/like the chobani except for the huge amounts of carbs/sugar. For $14, I just scored a thoughtful Xmas gift.
reputable-decorative-cucumber
Better than being a shady-disheveled-potato I suppose.
@RedOx Wow - you guys do kifir and don't do yogurt? You're halfway to the party!!
For me this is a definite meh. Although I would like to remind everyone the holiday season is pretty much upon us. Might be a good gift for a "spend no more than $20" Secret Santa at the office. Or a good gift for that relative that always gets you stuff that you won't use...
Is the strainer part with the On Off button? How does that work?
HEY! I STARTED A YOGURT MAKING POST IN OVER IN THE FORUMS!
Curious about buying but not sure? Want to know how to make yogurt? Lets chat over there!
@luvche21 I referenced this above - was super helpful.
Oh - I take that back - I referenced the old one from August......
@Pufferfishy Well that one helps too! I should have put a link to that in the new topic I started.
Would definitely buy if I hadn't already picked up a cheap yogurt maker about a month ago.
I wonder if I could just use my sous vide machine to heat and hold water to the proper temperatures?
Not one Stamos reference. Im out.....
@somf69 Stamos is a malaka. Better?
I'll take "Things I've never wanted at any cost" for $100 Alex.
Christmas shopping done.
Have no use for this, but the description is epic!
unbalanced-opaque-offer ........ yup that about describes it.
shivering-futuristic-goat, here's to you @christinewas
PS this is probs the most perfect gift I've ever bought for mom, who is a yogurt-loving vegetarian and former microbiologist (I literally get to buy her an incubator how cool is thatttttt)
corny-periodic-glass
@marklog So fitting!
@marklog I want. On a T-shirt too.
@RedOak Here you go: http://oldglory.com/lp/Wise-Ass-Periodic-Table-T-Shirt/p/73865
@cinoclav cool thanks! 'Have to think about thar $7 shipping charge tho.
@RedOak I'm sure there are others out there, I just linked the first one I saw. Though I like it too so I may look further when I have some time.
Now that is good labneh!
Me: "Why would I ever need to make my own yogurt? I dont have time for that...." Clicks Meh
Comes back an hour later
Me: "Fine... I'll buy it..."
Eternal tired hawk. Back to bed for me.
Just go to the store and buy greek yogurt. It costs the same as normal yogurt. Why would you buy regular yogurt and mix it with boiled milk? MEH!!
@joeerle because the boiled milk becomes yogurt and then you have yogurt cheaper than what it costs at the store.
@katylava I'd like to see the math on this where it makes sense to make greek yogurt vs buy it before I'm convinced. Milk isn't cheap and if you are trying to save money by buying in bulk, you then have to worry about milk/yogurt shelf life.
@joeerle milk is cheaper than yogurt, is it not? i eat yogurt every day. shelf life is not a problem for me.
@joeerle Around here I can get a 5.3 ounce container of Chobani for about a dollar if I know where to shop. It's closer to $1.20 or $1.30 if I just go to the big grocery store. But let's say its a dollar for the sake of argument. So a quart (32 ounces) is around $6 if I bought it in the little containers. Since you strain regular yogurt to make Greek yogurt it takes more than a quart of milk to make a quart of yogurt. Let's say it takes a half gallon. I can get a half gallon of milk for around $2. So I can make $6 of Greek yogurt from $2 of milk.
Am I reading this right? One of the ingredients for making yogurt is "yogurt"?
The fuck?
@evan_t With only 3 quarts of freshly bought yogurt from the store, you can easily make 2 quarts of yogurt! You don't even need this machine! Just use 2 single quart sized jars, and use a spoon to scoop yogurt from the tub you've just purchased. Refrigerate until you use it. Simply discard any excess left in the tub.
@kadagan The machine holds the milk at 100-110 degrees so the bacteria in the yogurt you stir in can multiply and turn the milk into yogurt. Refrigerate after 12-16 hours.
@evan_t Yep, you can't make yogurt without a yogurt culture. A spoonful of plain yogurt will turn half a gallon of milk into half a gallon of yogurt.
@pdhenry I'm aware of that, I was kidding..
I'm sorry. I have read this thread, the other yogurt threads, and some Amazon reviews. I'm still not clear whether you have to boil milk in a separate pot to use this machine, or if the machine will create yogurt from just plain milk and culture.
Can anyone help? If the whole process can be done in the machine, I'll probably buy one.
@KDemo This Amazon review has pictures of the manual.. It looks like the second page of it tells you to boil the milk before starting.
I found it very interesting that it says you can use soy or almond milk in addition to cow milk.. Might work out well for the lactose intolerant people out there!
@kadagan - Thanks so much. I saw that, but wasn't sure if there were two separate sets of instructions for firmer and less firm yogurt. It starts over at #1 in the second section.
Good point on the soy and almond milk. I also read here that culturing uses up lactose, so yogurt is better than milk for those with lactose intolerance. Thanks again, though.
@KDemo You do have to boil the milk separately. What this gadget does is handle the incubation period and straining. (This is the part a lot of yogurt makers have the most trouble with.)
@Thumperchick - Thank you for clarifying. Maybe next time.
@KDemo Most instructions out there say to boil the milk, and I highly recommend it.
Even though you missed it this time, you can do it VERY easily without an incubator. If you're interested, check out my blog post for instructions on how to do it.
@luvche21 - Oh, I noted the thread last time even. Just haven't gotten around to it, but I love yogurt and I fully intend to try. I have your blog bookmarked now. Thanks so much for the fountain of great information, and willingness to help.
@KDemo You're welcome! I'm glad that I've been able to help, I sure enjoy it!
Sold out, congratulations! Nearly perfect timing.