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Summary: You may be able to rescue your failed yogurt! Sometimes a yogurt failure can be redeemed by “rebatching.”
Failed Yogurt
Well, I did get more milk, to continue the yogurt experimentation, and made yogurt again over the weekend. A gallon of it.
And it didn’t work.
I was totally at a loss as to why it didn’t set up, as I’d done everything the same as the last two times. Or so I thought. Well, when I moved on to the next stage of my experiment, I discovered the reason for the failure. Someone, who shall remain nameless, turned the dehydrator up to 155 degrees while it was incubating the yogurt. Sheesh.
Nobody likes to throw away food — and certainly not raw milk, which is not alway easy to obtain in the first place — so I decided to try a page out of soapmakers’ book, and see if I could “rebatch” it. I whisked each jar of (failed) “yogurt” with new starter, and attempted to incubate it again. The hope was that this would rescue it. I hoped so, ’cause that’s a lot of milk!
The Verdict
It works! The texture is still slightly funky, but I’m not sure if that’s due to remaking it, or because the unnamed kidlet turned the heat up to 155 degrees again. (Arrggh!) Apparently I caught it quickly enough this time, because we still essentially have yogurt, and this is definitely better than the weird, sweetened milk I had last night.
So we don’t have perfect yogurt, but we don’t have trash-worthy stuff, either. It was a successful rescue, I think.
The Takeaway
If your yogurt doesn’t set up properly the first time, try treating the failed “yogurt” like milk, and starting over. (Reheat it, add new starter, and incubate again.) The texture may suffer some, but it can save you having to throw the whole thing away.
(I would not do this if your failed yogurt tastes “off,” as though the milk has had a chance to go bad. But chances are, if you’re checking on your expected-to-be-ready yogurt, you’ve caught it quickly enough to try again.)
Updated Oct. 23, 2020. Originally published Nov. 16 & 30, 2009.
The Takeaway. If your yogurt doesn't set up properly the first time, try treating the failed “yogurt” like milk, and starting over. (Reheat it, add new starter, and incubate again.) The texture may suffer some, but it can save you having to throw the whole thing away.
Does Boiling before Culturing Ruin the Yogurt? No. The milk will not curdle when boiled unless acid is also present, and the integrity of the fat in milk is actually strengthened by boiling.
The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.
If too much starter culture is used, the bacteria will be crowded and run out of food (lactose) before the yogurt is set. Too much starter can produce a sour taste, rather than the desired tart taste.
Mold or yeast growth: Amidor reports that this can be green, blue, gray or white in color. ...
Excessive clumping or curdling: yogurt should have a smooth texture, so a clumpy or curdled consistency is a sign of spoilage and a tip-off to throw the yogurt away.
Incubated at 115°F/46°C, yogurt will coagulate within about three hours, but if left too long it can easily curdle. I prefer to ferment it a bit more slowly at a slightly lower temperature, four to eight hours at a more forgiving 110°F/43°C.
I prefer whole milk, both for yogurt and, well, life, but you can use 2%, 1%, or skim, as well. They all work. Some folks like to bulk up leaner milks with some dry nonfat milk powder (roughly from 1/3 to 3/4 cup powder per quart of milk) to thicken it, especially in the absence of luscious dairy fat.
If your yogurt doesn't set up properly the first time, try treating the failed “yogurt” like milk, and starting over. (Reheat it, add new starter, and incubate again.) The texture may suffer some, but it can save you having to throw the whole thing away.
If you add a very small amount of rennet *before* the milk turns to yogurt (add it at the same time as you add the yogurt culture) and use a room temperature yogurt, then drain it, you have made a cheese called "fromage blanc" which is quite popular in France. Congrats on your cheese :-) I hope you enjoy it!
In traditional yogurt manufacturing, the yogurt is not agitated during fermentation. However, stirring could be beneficial, particularly for improving heat and mass transport across the fermentation tank.
This yogurt is a lifesaver particularly if you are someone who loves creamy condiments like sour cream, ranch dressing and cream cheese. In addition, yogurt that ferments for 24-hours is virtually lactose free and provides a higher probiotic count than commercial yogurt because it is fermented longer.
Provided it hasn't spoiled, you can still use it to make your next batch of yogurt, but check to see if it sets earlier than usual as it may acidify more quickly.
Slimy yogurt can't really be fixed. You could try straining it, but the sliminess probably will still remain. If you wish, you could try adding some milk powder to thicken it, to try and lessen the sliminess. The other alternative is to add water to it, and beat it to get buttermilk.
The milk was not held at 180 degrees long enough. The longer you hold milk at that temperature the thicker your end result. Try to keep the milk at 180 for at least 30 minutes. The yogurt maker (or alternative method) is not maintaining the correct temperature.
The boiling also breaks down some enzymes in the milk and thickens the solids. This additionally supports the thickening of the milk during fermentation and practically helps the lactobacteria in doing the job, further reducing the incubation time.
Spoiled milk is the result of an overgrowth of bacteria that causes changes in taste, smell, and texture. Drinking it may make you sick, but cooking with it won't, as long as it's just a little off. Using your slightly spoiled milk in innovative ways can also help you reduce food waste.
Thus, you don't have to boil milk for safety reasons unless it's raw, unpasteurized milk. In that case, bringing it to a boil or near a boil will significantly reduce most bacteria levels sufficiently ( 1 ). People often boil milk when they use it in cooking. You can boil raw milk to kill any harmful bacteria.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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