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Yogurt - Instant Pot

The best yogurt.


I tried this when I first got an instant pot and decided it wasn't worth the effort, mainly because the amount of yogurt that I was left with after straining was the same price (or slightly more expensive) than just buying a tub of Nancy's. But I now realize that where I went wrong was that I used 2% milk instead of whole, and I probably didn't let it "set" fully, and then I had to strain it too much to get it thick. I'm better at it now, and it's totally worth it. I'm glad that quarantine led me to try again; it's been hard to find good yogurt through grocery pickup, so I've taken to just buying extra milk and making the yogurt myself.

In addition to now using whole milk and making sure that it actually sets, I also follow a tip that I read somewhere: After completing the "boil" step, I take the lid off and boil the milk for an extra 5 minutes. This makes the yogurt thicker.

My instant pot is a Duo Mini. I think that the yogurt button instructions might work differently on other models.


The Recipe:
1/2 gallon whole milk (it's really better with whole milk)
2 tb plain yogurt (it works great with Nancy's, but I've gotten it to work with basic store brands)
  • Pour milk into instant pot, put on the lid (venting or sealing; it doesn't matter) and hit the yogurt button until it says "boil." 
  • After about an hour, the instant pot will beep and the display will change from "boil" to "yogt." At that point, take off the lid and hit the yogurt button again to get back to "boil." Keep it on this setting, uncovered, for 5 minutes to end up with thicker yogurt, then hit "cancel."
  • Cool the milk to 110-116 degrees. Speed up this process by submerging it in a large bowl of ice water.
  • Skim off the film that has likely formed on the top of the milk.
  • Mix the yogurt into the hot milk by whisking it with a cup of the milk in a small bowl, then mixing that back into the big pot.
  • But the lid back on (again it can be on venting or sealing), and hit the yogurt button until you get to the 8:00 display. Once it starts, it'll reset back to 0:00 and start counting up until 8 hours.
  • Let the instant pot sit, relatively undisturbed, until it sets into yogurt. You'll likely see a big of whey around the edges, and if you gently tip the pot, it'll be thick. Start checking after 6 hours (don't wait for all 8), but be prepared for it to take as much as 11. For me, it sets at about 6 hours using Nancy's as a starter, and about 10 hours using Simple Truth. 
  • Let the finished yogurt sit at room temperature to cool for 2 hours before placing it in the refrigerator. I leave it in the instant pot insert, covered, in the refrigerator overnight, and transfer it to a new container in the morning.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A
Overall reason: It takes a lot of time, but it's good.
Time to prepare: 10-15 hours including cooling on the counter. Start it early in the morning!
Kid quote: It's different. I don't like it. It's too sweet. I mean, it's not sweet enough.


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