Yogurt Making 101: Which Milk is Best?

How the Type of Milk Affects Homemade Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is healthier and offers better nutrition than store-bought, and you can make it to suit your preferred tastes. Whether you are just starting with your first batch or want to experiment with different kinds of milk, the question that often pops up is – which milk is the best for yogurt-making?

The type of milk you choose affects the final results of your h omemade yogu rt, whichever style you decide to create. To help you figure it out, here is Yogurt-Making 101 to help you choose the best milk for making yogurt.

Organic or Grass-Fed Milk

The grass-fed label is in a similar process to what organic once went through, meaning companies can slap a label on their colorful carton without necessarily being a genuine grass-fed cow. USDA-certified organic milk comes from cows not treated with antibiotics or hormones and fed certified organic grains and grasses.

Grass-fed cows are usually treated better and produce superior, Omega 3s-filled, milk. The best option is to look for the “certified organic grass-fed dairy” label. Making yogurt with ultra-pasteurized milk doesn’t work because the milk is heated to 275 degrees – essentially cooked and unsuitable for culturing. Pasteurized milk produces a thicker yogurt.

Raw Milk

The first step with raw milk is to check if it’s legally available in your state. Although proponents of raw milk believe it’s a more nutritionally complete option, the CDC recommends against consumption based on studies showing a link to disease outbreaks. However, if you decide it’s for you, you can easily use raw milk to make yogurt, usually with an extra step to keep the reusable starter true. The results are generally a thinner yogurt than with pasteurized milk.

Powdered Milk

Powdered milk is excellent for thickening your yogurts. Some experts say keep like with like – meaning if you’re using cow- (or goat-) milk for your yogurt, use dried cow (or goat) milk powder. Powdered milk is a convenient backup as you can store it for a long time, and we recommend the full-fat versions over the nonfat dry milk.

Buffalo, Sheep, Or Goat Milk

If you’re interested in trying buffalo, sheep, or goat milk yogurt–excellent! Goat milk makes smaller curds and tends to be runnier. Additionally, recent studies show that goat’s milk may have anti-inflammatory properties too! Sheep milk has double the protein of cow’s milk and more folic acid – which is crucial for women of childbearing age. Using it results in a sweeter yogurt. Buffalo milk, with its higher fat content, creates a denser and richer yogurt.

Can I Make Yogurt with Lactose-Free Milk?

If you have a lactose intolerance, your best bet is to use non-dairy milk like lactose-free milk, coconut milk, rice milk, almond, or oat milk to make your yogurt. We recommend making nut milk at ho me as homemade is much easier to use than store-bought versions. It’s best to use a Vega n Yogurt Starter made explicitly for use with non-dairy milk. Non-dairy milk also requires thickeners to get a good set. Some thickeners to try are gelatin powder, agar agar, pectin, and tapioca starch.

Pasteurized Milk and Yogurt Making

Milk pasteurization is like giving those pesky germs a hot tub soak to ensure your milk stays fresh longer and is safe to chug. There are different types of pasteurization, so be sure to check the carton before you buy! Pasteurized milk is an excellent choice for making yogurt at home.

HTST (High-Temperature Short Time) or Flash Pasteurized milk is heated to 161ºF and held there for 15 seconds. If your bottle of milk is labeled “pasteurized,” it has most likely been treated in this way.
UHT (Ultra Heat Treated) or Ultra-pasteurized milk is heated above 275ºF for 2-5 seconds. Ultra-pasteurized milk is sterilized milk, giving it an unrefrigerated shelf-life of several months. However, making yogurt with ultra-pasteurized milk, though widely available, doesn’t culture well, so we don’t recommend using it.

Non or Homogenized Milk and Yogurt Making

Most store-bought milk is homogenized, so it is the most popular for yogurt making. That means the cream or fat is broken down into minuscule portions distributed evenly throughout the milk by pushing milk through small openings under very high pressure. The fat content of homogenized whole milk (3.25%), reduced fat (2%), low-fat milk (1%), and skim milk (0%) are all standardized by the dairy industry.

Non-homogenized whole milk, however, has a lovely cream layer on top of the milk, just like it comes out of the cow. Your non-homogenized yogurt will also have the cream layer rise to the top. The fat content varies depending on the time of year, type of cow, diet, etc. Milk with the highest fat content makes the creamiest yogurt. Many local dairies offer cream-on-top milk for your homemade yogurt.

Which Milk Is Best For Your Yogurt?

The best milk for making yogurt at home depends on personal preference. You don’t have to stick to store-bought homogenized cow’s milk. The possibilities range from fresh-from-the-dairy to powdered milk, from traditional cow to goat, sheep or buffalo milk, to milk made from plants. Each choice impacts the results of the yogurt’s thickness, creaminess, sweetness, and level of nutrients.

We say get fermenting, make yogurts and explore what tastes delightful to you and your family.