Homemade Yogurt: Transform Milk into Yogurt

There’s something magical about transforming fresh, creamy Jersey milk into thick, tangy yogurt right in your own kitchen. The rich butterfat content of Jersey milk creates an incredibly luxurious yogurt that puts store-bought varieties to shame. Whether you’re using a vintage Chambers stove like my trusty 1950s model or a modern Instant Pot, the process is surprisingly simple and deeply satisfying.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients:

1 gallon fresh raw Jersey milk
2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures (or reserved from your last batch)

Note: This recipe can easily be halved if you prefer to make smaller batches

Equipment:

Heavy-bottomed saucepan (for stovetop method)
Candy or instant-read thermometer
Whisk
Clean glass jars or containers
1950s Chambers stove, regular stovetop, or Instant Pot with yogurt function

The Traditional Stovetop Method (Perfect for My 1950s Chambers Stove)

Step 1: Heat the Milk Pour your raw Jersey milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or large pot—you’ll need something that can comfortably hold a gallon of milk. The even heat distribution of my vintage Chambers stove is perfect for this, but any stovetop will work. Heat the milk slowly to 180°F (82°C), stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. This temperature pasteurizes the milk and helps create the proper protein structure for thick yogurt.

Step 2: Cool Down Remove the milk from heat and let it cool to 115°F (46°C). This is the perfect temperature for the yogurt cultures to thrive without being killed by excessive heat. You can speed this up by placing the pot in a cold water bath.

Step 3: Add the Culture Once cooled, whisk in your starter culture. I love using a spoonful from my previous batch of homemade yogurt, but when starting fresh or if you don’t have any on hand, grab a small container of plain yogurt from the store—just make sure it contains live active cultures.

Step 4: Incubate Transfer the mixture to clean glass jars. On my 1950s Chambers stove, I place the jars right in the warm insulated well, which maintains the perfect temperature around 110°F (43°C) for 6-12 hours. The longer you let it culture, the tangier it becomes. If you don’t have a Chambers stove with an insulated well, you can wrap the jars in towels and place them in a slightly warm oven (just the pilot light), or use a yogurt maker if you have one.

The Modern Instant Pot Method

If you’re using an Instant Pot with a yogurt function, you’ll need the 8-quart size to accommodate a full gallon. The process is even simpler:

Pour the gallon of raw Jersey milk directly into your Instant Pot insert
Use the “Yogurt” function and select “More” to heat the milk to 180°F
Let it cool to 115°F (the Instant Pot will beep when ready)
Whisk in your culture starter
Use the normal “Yogurt” function to incubate for 6-12 hours

Tips for Perfect Jersey Milk Yogurt

The high butterfat content in Jersey milk means you’ll get naturally thick, creamy yogurt without any additives. Don’t be surprised if your homemade version is much richer than commercial yogurt—that’s the Jersey difference!

Keep a small portion of each batch as starter for your next one. With proper care, you can maintain your own yogurt culture indefinitely.

Store your finished yogurt in the refrigerator, where it will continue to thicken slightly and develop flavor for up to two weeks.

The Reward

There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of spooning into a bowl of your own homemade yogurt, knowing it came from happy Jersey cows and your own kitchen. The creamy texture and bright, tangy flavor make it perfect for breakfast with fresh fruit, as a base for smoothies, or even in baking.

Once you start making your own yogurt from raw Jersey milk, you’ll wonder why you ever bought it from the store. The process is forgiving, the results are consistently delicious, and there’s something deeply satisfying about this ancient fermentation process happening right in your kitchen—whether powered by a 1950s Chambers stove or a modern Instant Pot.