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1
Bring the 4 ozs of yogurt to room temperature in a large glass bowl on the counter.
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2
In a sauce pot on a moderately hot stove heat the Raw milk to 100 - 102 degrees stirring constantly and do not go over 104 degrees or you will kill the live enzymes in the raw milk.
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3
immediately cool to about 90 degrees by placing the sauce pot on the ice cubes in the pie pan while continuing to stir.
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4
thoroughly stir/whisk the warm milk into the yogurt and cover with the cheese cloth.
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5
place in 100 degree oven overnight ( 8 hours) but watch that your oven doesn't cycle and spike too high - killing the enzymes and culture.
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6
remove from oven.
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7
use a knife and slash cut several cris-X-crosses through the yogurt to start the separating process.
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8
chill in refrigerator several hours - you should start to see weeping liquid that is the color of lemonade but viscous like chicken broth.
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9
line the strainer with the cheese cloth over a bowl and let most of the liquid whey drain from the yogurt
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10
pick up the corners of the cheese cloth and squeeze a bit to help the whey drain out.
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11
tie the cheese cloth corners together and suspend in a tall glass pitcher or the mason jar using the wooden spoon as a support.
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12
leave to drain for several hours.
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13
harvest your 1 1/4 cups of yogurt out of the cheese cloth and refrigerate - eat as store bought by adding fresh berries.
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14
pour all of the whey into a clean glass jar and refrigerate
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15
skim off undesirable left over solids or strain again through the cheese cloth
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16
keeps fresh 6 months if refrigerated properly.