GAPS Yogurt- A Probiotic Food
There are two ways to make GAPS compliant yogurt.
One method uses store bought organic milk, the other uses raw unpasteurized milk.
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When using store bought organic milk, heat the milk up the 180 degrees. This thermometer works well.
Cool it down to 120 degrees.
In a pint of raw milk, stir in two to four heaping tablespoons of quality full fat yogurt from the store, like this one, or use your previous batch of yogurt. Yogurts like this one or this one and this one are started with powdered culture and do not yield a good quality GAPS homemade yogurt. They are not advised as starters. To read more click here. For store bought milk, which has been heated, only two teaspoons per gallon is needed since the beneficial microbes are gone.
Whisk until combined thoroughly.
Pour the mixed milk mixture into mason jars.
For making in an Instant Pot:
Put jars in Instant Pot, click on “yogurt” then immediately press “+” until the clock reads 24:00 or higher until 27:00. If this button isn’t pressed immediately, the machine will automatically default to an 8 hour yogurt brew. The machine will start itself. GAPS yogurt is left to ferment 24 to 27 hours as this ensures the lactose is consumed by the bacteria, leaving the yogurt lactose free. This brew time also ensures all of the casein, the protein in milk, has been converted to para-casein, an easy to digest molecule. To read more click here and here.
For making in other methods:
If you do not have an Instant Pot, put jars in the oven with the light on for the same 24-27 hours, on a heating pad with a towel over top of the jars, on top of an old refrigerator where heat emits or in the dehydrator between 95- 110 degrees. Note, most dehydrators run roughly five degrees high which will be too hot if the dehydrator is set at 110. It can also be made by putting the jars in a soft cooler with equal numbers of mason jars filled with boiling water with the lid.
***** If you are trying to make more whey, due to a dairy intolerance, where you wish to rebuild the precursor enzymes, set the dehydrator a bit higher. Temperatures at 115 degrees or just higher will yield more whey, less yogurt.
To make raw milk yogurt, put three heaping tablespoons of your yogurt starter or previous batch of yogurt into a pint mason jar. Pour raw milk on top leaving an inch headroom. Stir the yogurt into the milk until thoroughly combined. Raw milk yogurt does not need to be heated prior to making yogurt. Raw milk yogurt requires more starter due to the high number of enzymes in the yogurt. The good in the milk fights the starter a bit so more is required to get it started. Raw milk yogurt is teaming with more beneficial strains, as stated in the linked posts above.
Put jars in Instant Pot, click on “yogurt” then immediately press “+” until the clock reads 24:00 or higher until 27:00. The machine will start itself. GAPS yogurt is left to ferment 24 to 27 hours as this ensures the lactose is consumed by the bacteria, leaving the yogurt lactose free. This brew time also ensures all of the casein, the protein in milk, has been converted to para-casein, an easy to digest molecule.
If you do not have an Instant Pot, put jars in the oven with the light on for the same 24-17 hours, on a heating pad with a towel over top of the jars or in the dehydrator between 95- 110 degrees.
Some people add gelatin to their yogurt to make it thicker. Yogurt made with the proper amount of starter has the same consistency of the store, after refrigerated. Gelatin is not necessary. Adding gelatin instead of more starter robs you of a higher probiotic quantity in the yogurt. It’s better to make the yogurt properly instead of adding other ingredients.
To watch a video on yogurt making, click here.
*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com
“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.
18 Comments
Perfect timing 🙂 thanks
Are there store bought versions of organic yogurt that have also converted casein into para-casein? Is that normal for most yogurts or something you can only get with homemade? Would non-homogenized but pasteurized milk follow the first recipe?
It depends on where you live. Reading labels helps, it’ll say fermented 24 hours. If it’s fermented 24 to 27 hours then it’s converted the casein.
Hi Becky
My yogurt is not setting. I used a dehydrator and a yogurt maker and both ended up runny. I used Stoneyfield organic yogurt as my starter in raw organic milk. Any ideas? I used to to have success with making yogurt but it’s been a year since I’ve made any.
Thanks
Raw milk needs more starter than pasteurized. I use three heaping tablespoons yogurt starter to one pint when using raw milk. Pasteurized milk needs to be heated to 180, cooled to 120 then only two teaspoons yogurt starter is necessary for a whole gallon. You also may want to try a different starter, something grassfed or fermented 24 hours. Keep us updated on your success!
How long will the yogurt keep? Do you cover the mason jars when storing? Do you let them cool completely before refrigeration?
It’s fantastic within the first week and will gradually sour from there. At that point, it’s still edible, just sour. It will also do well as a starter for making another batch of yogurt. If it goes too long it’s barely edible because it’s so sour, but it’s still good for you as sour foods increase the function of the digestive tract. If it’s pink on top, it’s mold and not edible. Yes, I cover them in the refrigerator but I just put them straight from brewing to the refrigerator.
Hi Becky, I use thermos to keep my milk/ starter for 24h. But it’s always been runny. In 1littre of raw milk I get about 300gr yogurt and the rest is whey. I think I put enough starter. What am I doing wrong? My husband’s complaining, he likes his yogurt thicker.?
Thank you
If there is too much whey, the temperature is too hot. If it’s thin, runny, there isn’t enough starter.
Are there any 30-50$ options for none rich white lady single people who cant afford a 200$ dehydrator and dont need all that yogurt? I cant find any in store to look at them in person so I have no idea their scale. I just want to make two mason jars a week.
You don’t have to buy a dehydrator, there are several ways listed in the post. Putting them in the oven with the light on for 24 hours is free. So is the heating pad and putting them in a soft cooler with jars filled with boiling water, and putting them on the refrigerator.
Hi Becky, I would like to make yogurt with store bought organic milk according to your recipe, one question, once you combine together warm milk with few spoon of good quality yogurt and you place your mixture into the jars what you do with them afterwards? Just put them intro the fridge or leave it outside for while? Other methods which you described require some warm to get yogurt ferment in order to get rid of the lactos, unfortunately I don’t have dehydrator or yogurt maker yet so would like to use the easiest method just now. Thanks a lot
Yogurt is a fermented food, it needs to sit in a warm spot to ferment, then it goes to the refrigerator. Any warm spot that is between 95 and 110 will do.
Is it possible that the instant pot is too hot? I made mine (using raw milk) and left it in the instant pot on normal for 24 hours. It was 1/4 curds and 3/4 whey.
Yes.
Hi Becky, thanks for sharing. Can I make yogurt using whey (from straining raw milk) as a starter?
It’s best to use some of the previous batch of yogurt.