I’ve been making yogurt for at least 15 years. I always use whole milk and add a little yogurt. I started out with a storebought starter and then just saved a little of my own from each batch to use as the starter for the next batch. Sometimes we run out or I got a couple of weeks between batches and then I start over with a fresh storebought starter. Noosa Lemon Yogurt is my prefered starter. The sweet, yummy stuff is on the bottom so I just scoop off some of the top plain yogurt and use that.
Just last week I read that you could use whey as the starter. A blog reader wrote and said that’s how she makes hers all the time. I tried it and tonight, we had a taste test.
This blog really needs a better photographer! Don’t ask me why I cut off half the bowl on the right but you can still see the yogurt.
The yogurt on the left is made with a yogurt starter and the yogurt on the right was made with a whey starter. The one on the right is more yellow because the whey is more yellow.
I did everything exactly the same, even using milk from the same carton.
There was no comparison. The whey yogurt had no flavor – really none. It wasn’t grainy but it had a different feel . . like it thought about being grainy but never did it.
The yogurt on the left is the typical yogurt I make – tart and smooth.
When I first started making yogurt, I’d make a bowl for Vince and a bowl for me and my bowl would have lots of sugar in it. His would have a little sugar. Now, we both eat it with no sweetener at all. That’s HUGE for me. Every now and then, but rarely, I’ll add a little honey to mine but 9 times out of 10, or more, I eat it with no sweetener.
Every day we eat at least one cup of yogurt each. You see why I make yogurt three or four times per week and why I buy at least three gallons of milk per week!
For us, we’ll stick with making yogurt using yesterday’s yogurt as a starter.
Sara says
My older daughter makes yogurt, and the kids love it. The all say it’s better than store bought yogurt. Now I’m wondering if she buys the starter. Do you suppose the whey doesn’t have enough flavor left in it to begin with, so the yogurt doesn’t develop any flavors? I wish I could remember what my grandmother used her whey for.
Judy Laquidara says
You almost always have to buy the starter to get started but then can use some from your last batch as the starter for the next batch and keep it going that way.
I have no idea why it was different with the whey, especially when it works for others. It could be the milk . . not sure what else would make a difference.
patty says
Noosa does make the best yogurt. When I first started making my own yogurt I used Dannon and why it was a surprise to me that the yogurt tasted like Dannon I don’t know! LOL!! I do find that using the Noosa as a starter, my yogurt is softer even after I drain it, but it is so good!