# Why is my yoghurt so runny?



## tatumhills (Feb 8, 2014)

I have been trying to make yoghurt with my goat's milk but it just won't thicken. What's the secret? Thanks!

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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

Ours is pretty runny, too. I've read that it's normal. It took me awhile to get used to it after eating Dannon's Fruit on the Bottom for years. LOL. What I did to help us transition over to "real" yogurt was to think of it as a smoothie instead of yogurt. We put it in the blender with berries and bananas and called it a fruit smoothie. Delicious. Drink up!


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

mine was too so I cooked it 5-10 minutes more on the stove - much better


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

You can strain it, heard that helps, have yet to try it. Some use gelatin to thicken it, I may have to try that sometime.


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Some people add a bit of powdered milk to thicken theirs. We strain ours. WOW! It produces a thick, creamy yogurt along the lines of Greek yogurt. 

We simply put a collander on (not all the way in) a bowl, line it with a coffee filter, and add the thinner yogurt. If you have A/C, you can do this process on the counter top. Otherwise I'd suggest making room in the refrigerator. It takes awhile for all the whey to drain thru (Multiple colaners/bowls speeds up the job). You'll know when it's "greeked" because you can roll the filter away from the sides (sort of like in baking). Transfer the finished yogurt to a clean container for storage. Then you can use the whey for other projects (I've used it in soap making) or feed it to the chickens or dogs or whatever.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Cheese cloth can be used to drain away whey as well.


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## tatumhills (Feb 8, 2014)

Thank you. I have been using it for smoothies and it is delicious but sometimes I'd like to use a spoon rather than drink it 
I have also tried adding pectin but doesn't help much.
As for straining it, mine is so funny I'm not sure I can. 
What do you mean cooking it more? I'm interested in that  my process is: pasteurize the milk, let it cool to 40C then add the culture. Leave in the yoghurt maker overnight.
When do I cook it more and what temp? Thanks!

www.tatumhills.weebly.com 
www.facebook.com/tatumhillsfarm
One Saanen and her beautiful baby boy!


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

This is the mine:

Yogurt
4 cups of goat milk

3 tablespoon of yogurt with live culture

directions:

1. heat 4 cups of goat milk to just below boiling ( 180) - keep at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. 

2.take off of heat and let cool to 110 -115

3. using metal spoon mix in culture

4. place into container(s)

5. Incubate at 110-115 for the next 6 hours

6. refrigerate and use in 1-2 weeks


I use an ice chest and fill it with hot water at 115-120 degrees - seal it tight and don't open for the 6 hours.


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## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

This is an article I had bookmarked - she addresses homemade yogurt vs. the thicker, store-bought. Plus, I just enjoy her blog. 

http://girlsguidetobutter.com/2011/...ogurt-science-techniques-and-troubleshooting/


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## tatumhills (Feb 8, 2014)

Thanks! I think I its don't hear the milk enough before cooling down and incubating... I'll try again 

www.tatumhills.weebly.com 
www.facebook.com/tatumhillsfarm
One Saanen and her beautiful baby boy!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

If you buy organic yogurt at a store it will be runny. If you use organic yogurt for your culture it will come out thin as well. You must add things like "soy lecithin an emulsifier" or some such. Yogurt is sour milk and it does not become pudding or ice cream; which is what we have learned to expect. (Believe my, I ate store bought yogurt for years and was quite disappointed in my first attempts until I learned (as I have with so many things) that it is supposed to be thin.
Straining is the only natural way of thickening it that I know of. But remember, if you drain off the whey you are doubling the fat and calories. (Obviously not a problem if one is not worried about that or if you just eat half as much.) 
I make yogurt from milk straight out of the goat; still warm so I do not have to heat it. I use a quart jar and mix in 1/4 cup of a Greek yogurt I get from Trader Joe's. So mine is not totally organic either. But I do like that the consistency is a little thicker than if I use an organic starter. I put two quart jars on my yogurt maker, cover with a tea cozy to insulate and leave it all day. I put it in the 'fridge overnight and by morning it is a very satisfactory yogurt. I mix in some homemade jam or just smoosh in some fruit. I like to add seeds or nuts too.
Good luck.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

What if, you drained off the whey and then used it to soak and cook a bit of pearl tapioca in, maybe with a bit honey? Then you could mix it back in to keep the thickness.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goathiker said:


> What if, you drained off the whey and then used it to soak and cook a bit of pearl tapioca in, maybe with a bit honey? Then you could mix it back in to keep the thickness.


Good idea


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## tatumhills (Feb 8, 2014)

I used to make yoghurt with store bought cow's milk and it was naturally thick. So it's got to do with the goat's milk 

www.tatumhills.weebly.com 
www.facebook.com/tatumhillsfarm
One Saanen and her beautiful baby boy!


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## melbah1 (Jun 28, 2013)

There's a great yogurt strainer i use by Euro Cuisine. I use twice the culture i use for cow milk and incubate for 8 hours.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0091XNL0I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=14311 81922&sr =8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&keywords=yogurt+strainer&dpPl=1&dpID=31hhjW3x%2BAL&ref=plSr


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## tatumhills (Feb 8, 2014)

Thanks everyone, I am please to report that yesterday I finally managed to produce yoghurt that could be eaten with a spoon... Very happy with that!!

I heated the milk to near boiling point like someone suggested then I added a few drops of Calcium Chloride to it.

Not sure which one of these changes did the trick so I'll need to do some more experiments to see if one or both helped but in the meantime I am so happy it finally worked!

www.tatumhills.weebly.com 
www.facebook.com/tatumhillsfarm
One Saanen and her beautiful baby boy!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

:woohoo:


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

i make raw milk yogurt from my Nigerian Dwarf's milk and it is very nice and thick. i don't add anything except the culture shown in the link below. It seems expensive but it's really not because a little bit goes a long long way. You can make a whole lot of yogurt from one of those bottles of powdered culture. i bring the milk in right after milking, don't even let the milk cool down, add the proper amount of the culture in the link below, and put it in a insulated chest cooler in which i keep an aquarium heater in a water bath, and place the cultured milk in glass containers in it. This is my "yogurt incubator" and it keeps it at around 105 degrees with the lid shut on top of the cooler, with the heater in the water bath inside. i had to modify the dial on the temperature setting on the aquarium heater so that i could get it to go that hi, normally most aquarium heaters max out in the low to mid 90s, but after modifying it so i could override the built in thermostat, i can now adjust it to go as hi as 110 degrees if i want.

http://www.customprobiotics.com/custom-probiotics-yogurt-starter-1.htm


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## purplemountain (Jun 2, 2014)

*Thick yogurt is possible*

I use a mixed Nigie plus Alpine fresh raw milk, then heat to about 180. Cool to 100-110. Add the culture. Keep at 100 for 8-12 hours. Drain off any separated whey. Yogurt is almost as thick as Greek yogurt without straining or adding any thickeners.

The culture has made all the difference. Once we had a good result, we kept the culture going. Freeze the culture if we ever take a break from yogurt or when does are dry. It can be used on cow milk from the store, too, but way yummier with the goats milk. I have people that don't like goats milk, but crave our yogurt! Cultures I started with were a mix of Fage and Activia. Experiment a little with what you can find. I have used Noosa with good results, too.

Also make sure incubation temperature is consistent for consistent results. I used to used my crockpot wrapped in towels to insulate, but now use my oven since it has a 'proof' setting for 100 F.


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