How to Make Homemade Yogurt

The people of the middle east and Armenia have been making homemade yogurt for centuries.  It is not only economical, it’s very easy to make.

½ gallon whole milk

½ cup proofing yogurt 
(this is just plain whole milk yogurt with live cultures at room temperature, I always put some left-over yogurt aside to make more yogurt with)

1. 1.    Rinse a heavy 4quart pot with cold water to prevent scorching, mix often

1. 2.    Pour the milk in and gently heat on medium-low until the milk just about comes to a boil, frothing and rising in the pot (210 degrees), 30 - 45 minutes

1. 3.     Remove from the heat immediately. Don’t worry about the skin on top, simply mix it in

1. 4.    Let the milk cool until you can stick your baby finger in and hold it there to the count of 10 without burning

1. 5.    Stir in your proofing yogurt, mix it in thoroughly

1. 6.    Cover the pot, transfer to the oven (turned off) or any warm spot, and lay a kitchen towel over it

1. 7.     Let the yogurt incubate, undisturbed, overnight. Then chill it for at least a day in the fridge  

1. 8.    Don’t worry if you notice it’s become watery, that’s just the whey separating from the yogurt, if you want to you can simply soak the whey up with paper towels

How to Make Lebneh

My children always used the Lebneh as a spread on pita bread, it has less calories and less fat content than cream cheese and is healthier for you.

Lebneh is simply strained yogurt.  Place a large colander in the kitchen sink.  Take a clean bed sheet that you no longer use because it’s old, cut it into large square pieces 2’ x 2’ or use large sheets of cheese cloth and place it into the colander with the ends hanging over the edges.  

Pour the yogurt you had previously made into the cloth, pick up from the 4 corners of the cloth and make a hobo bundle tying a secure knot at the top.

Hang this bundle of yogurt from your kitchen faucet overnight so that all the extra moisture in it will drain. Leave the colander underneath the hanging bundle just in case it falls.  If you prefer you can hang the yogurt bundle from a wooden spoon and balance the spoon over a large pot overnight.

In the morning place the Lebneh into a container and refrigerate.  Wash your pieces of cloth and put them away for use next time you make yogurt.

To serve, smooth it onto a plate with the back of a spoon, drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.  It’s great with Kalamata olives, cucumbers, mint, and as always, pita bread.

Enjoy!