I needed to make yogurt this weekend. I pulled out some clean quart jars only to find they all smelled like pickles or tomatoes. From previous experience I realized that you NEVER make yogurt in jars that were once used for canning pickles, tomatoes or any high acid food because the taste transfers to the yogurt. No amount of soaking and/or bleaching can get rid of this problem.
So off to the store I go to purchase new jars. This time I decided to get 1/2 pint jars (8 oz/1 cup size). It’s a bit more work using small jars and they take up more space, but it saves me time in the morning by not having to put yogurt into a new container and measure it. I just grab the jar and go.
At the store I also realized that I don’t have any yogurt left as a starter. I usually get my starter yogurt at Trader Joe’s, but since I was actually at a mainstream grocery store, I’d just get something they had to save time and fuel. I chose Horizon Organic Fat Free Plain Yogurt.
I also omitted the optional dry milk from my recipe and heated it to 140 deg F on accident.
Well, as it turns out this was the best batch of yogurt I’ve ever made. The yogurt is very creamy and “carveable” while also being very mild in flavor. It also doesn’t have very much whey.
So I think I’m going to stick with the plan of smaller jars, using this yogurt as a starter, overheating it and omitting the dry milk.
