Sneak Preview: If your yogurt didn’t set, don’t throw your milk out yet! I’ll show you what to do next. Then, we’ll talk about what may have gone wrong so that your next batch will be successful.
Have you just discovered your yogurt project still looks like milk? So now you’re asking yourself what to do next.
I can’t count how often I get desperate emails seeking to recover and make good yogurt from the same batch of milk or recycle the non-yogurt milk into something entirely different.
There may be a couple of reasons your instant pot yogurt didn’t set properly: 1. You didn’t use the right starter. Make sure the starter you use has active cultures.
Why did my yogurt fail?
I’ve had several failures through the years, primarily due to forgetfulness.
For example, I heated three batches of milk (2 quarts each) last night. Then, as usual, I set them on the counter to cool down to approximately 110˚ F.
Later in the evening, I went to bed without thinking about the milk again until I awoke at 6:00 this morning. As I lay in bed, I realized I forgot to add the “starter” and put the milk into the oven to incubate.
Throwing out all that milk was unthinkable. But it didn’t smell bad, so I heated the milk to 100 degrees, added a little more starter, and incubated it as usual. Five hours later, I had perfect yogurt.
How do I re-incubate?
After stirring in the new starter, incubate the milk mixture. Ensure that the temperature is no less than 100˚F (38˚C) and hovers between 105-110˚F (38-43˚C). Even if you use a yogurt maker or Instant Pot, check the temperature with a quick-read thermometer. These appliances can malfunction.
See the video above for instructions for making yogurt from beginning to end if you prefer pictures to words.
Option #2 for failed yogurt that still smells good but looks like milk:
Yogurt Making 101 – Problem solving
FAQ
How do I thicken my Instant Pot yogurt?
Why did my yogurt turn out runny?
Why did my yogurt turn into a liquid?
Why is my Instant Pot yogurt slimy?
Why is my Instant Pot yogurt watery?
As you can see from the above, even if you used the Instant Pot yogurt setting, your yogurt could still go watery. Apply these ways to recover too thin yogurt: First of all, check if the yogurt smells foul. If it does, throw it away immediately.
Does flavored yogurt have too much sugar?
It depends on the type of yogurt, but flavored yogurts are generally high in sugar. A healthier yogurt is one that is neutral, skimmed and naturally sweetened.
What happens if you don’t incubate yogurt in the Instant Pot?
Not incubating the yogurt for long enough will result in a runny yogurt. 7. Not using your Instant Pot on the correct setting. Put the jars of prepared yogurt mixture into the Instant Pot and add warm (not hot) water until it comes three-quarters of the way up the sides of the jars. Put the lid on and set the Instant Pot to warm.
Why is my yogurt runny?
When it comes down to the runny texture of the yogurt, one needs to be extremely careful about the thermometer. For instance, if the thermometer is miscalculated, the yogurt culture’s temperature won’t be appropriate, resulting in a runny texture. In particular, the texture will be runny when the temperature goes down too much.