why does my homemade yogurt separate

Is your raw milk yogurt runny? Does your homemade yogurt separate? Is it foamy? Too sour? Too liquid? Not sour enough? Heres a list of the most common questions on making homemade yogurt, working with starter cultures, and troubleshooting your yogurt when things go a little awry.

Every society that raises animals for milk has a recipe for yogurt. These recipes vary from region to region, and their flavor is influenced by the milk they use, how long they culture that milk, and the starter culture (if any) people add to the milk. As a result, there are many different varieties of cultured dairy foods.

Making yogurt and other fermented and cultured milk products is simple. It typically involves mixing fresh milk with a starter culture and allowing that milk to sit until thickened and sour. Sometimes, cooks will strain the yogurt to provide a thicker consistency.

Separation is usually an indication of overculturing or culturing at too warm of a temperature. Adjust the length of culture time and check the culturing temperature to make sure it is within the appropriate range.
why does my homemade yogurt separate

Why is my homemade yogurt grainy or gritty?

If your yogurt tastes fine but has a weird gritty or grainy texture, this typically indicates that you heated the milk too fast. Allow the milk to come to 180 F more slowly next time. It can take upwards of 45 minutes to bring a gallon of milk to 180 F.

  • Heating milk too quickly is the biggest culprit behind gritty yogurt. So, try heating it more slowly.
  • A compromised starter culture can also cause your yogurt to be gritty. Many store-bought yogurts contain additives and thickeners, which can cause yogurt to turn gritty, lumpy, or grainy. Use an heirloom starter or plain store-bought yogurt that contains only live cultures and milk (no additives, thickeners, food starch, inulin, etc.)
  • Failure to mix your starter thoroughly into your milk can also cause it to be gritty.

Why is my yogurt curdled?

As with gritty and lumpy yogurt, sometimes yogurt will take on a curdled appearance. This is most likely due to culturing yogurt for too long or at too high of a temperature.

  • Culturing yogurt for too long will cause it to curdle before it separates into curds and whey. Try culturing your yogurt at a slightly lower temperature or for less time.
  • A starter culture that contains additives or thickeners can cause it to curdle. So use a powdered heirloom starter or fresh, additive-free plain yogurt from the store that contains nothing but live cultures and milk.
  • Too high of a temperature can cause your yogurt to curdle, so pay attention to temperature. The optimal temperature for most homemade yogurts is 108-112 F.

Yogurt Making 101 – Problem solving

FAQ

Why does my yogurt look separated?

There are a few different factors that contribute to how much whey separation occurs in yogurt. One of the most important things to consider is how much protein is in the product. Increasing the amount of protein increases gel firmness and decreases whey separation, which is commonly referred to as syneresis.

Is separated yogurt still good?

A slight separation of whey from the yogurt is totally natural and nothing to worry about. When that happens you can either stir the whey back in for a smoother yogurt or pour it off. The whey is mainly water but contains some minerals and nutrients including calcium and some whey protein.

How do you keep homemade yogurt from curdling?

Yogurt that lumps or leaks whey is often caused by culturing too hot or too long. To prevent lumpy yogurt hold the milk above 195°F / 91°C for ten minutes before cooling and culturing. Yogurt starter cultures containing Lactobacillus Casei generally result in thicker smooth yogurt.

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