Raw Milk Greek Yogurt

Making raw milk greek yogurt is so easy and delicious. All you need is some raw milk and yogurt from a previous batch (or store-bought yogurt) and you can have raw milk yogurt with all of the nutrients preserved using this cold-start method. 

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There are many ways to make yogurt at home without a yogurt maker. The easiest way to make it is in an instant pot using the yogurt setting. The instant pot acts as an incubator, fermenting the yogurt at the consistent temperature of 110 degrees F. 

why raw milk?

I use fresh raw milk from a local farm that has not been pasteurized because of the health benefits. Raw milk is milk that comes from grass-fed cows, and is unpasteurized and unhomogenized. There are many health benefits of raw milk. Raw milk contains all of its natural enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Yogurt made from raw milk is full of vitamins, minerals, beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and several strains of probiotics which is great for gut health and immune system support. 

If you haven’t hopped on the raw milk train, it might be time to check it out! Visit this Raw Milk Finder to see if there are any farms in your area where you can purchase raw milk. *Note that each state has its own laws around raw milk, so look into local regulations.*

If you don’t have access to raw milk, feel free to use store-bought pasteurized milk. Organic whole milk is a great choice. The culturing process of making raw greek yogurt will help to restore some of the enzymes lost through the pasteurization process.

what is raw milk yogurt?

Raw milk yogurt is made with milk that has not been pasteurized. The best homemade yogurt is made with milk that was milked within the past few days. The flavor and texture of the yogurt is determined by the fat content of the milk and the starter culture used to inoculate the yogurt. Raw milk yogurt tends to have a thin, runny consistency. This is great for smoothies, but we prefer a thicker yogurt when we are eating it plain. I’m going to show you how I make delicious, thick raw milk yogurt in the instant pot. 

Raw milk greek yogurt has many health benefits. Obviously, it is full of probiotics that are great for gut health. But there are many other great things about a cold-start, long-fermented raw milk yogurt. Just like sprouting grains or seeds, fermenting raw milk produces lots of beneficial qualities. Fermentation breaks down the casein which is one of the hardest proteins for humans to digest. The live and active cultures in yogurt also help consume the lactose in milk, which is the sugar that many people don’t tolerate well. Yogurt that has been fermented for 24 hours is also acceptable for anyone following the GAPs protocol.

new to raw dairy products? try these recipes too!

• Raw Butter
• Raw Milk Ice Cream
• Raw Milk Kefir
• Raw Sour Cream

homemade greek yogurt in the instant pot

A few years ago for Christmas I was given an Instant Pot. I’m not big on kitchen gadgets that just take up counter or cabinet space. But my Instant Pot definitely makes the cut. I use it constantly, especially for this creamy yogurt. How nice that the yogurt button magically turns a gallon of raw milk into gut healthy whole milk delicious yogurt. If you are in the market for an Instant Pot, make sure that you get one with a yogurt function! This one does. I have made yogurt with raw milk and milk from the grocery store all with great success.

If you’re familiar with the GAPs diet (a gut-healing protocol), then you’ve likely heard about 24-hour yogurt. Our human digestive systems can’t easily digest the lactose in milk, but when the yogurt is fermented for at least 24 hours, the good bacteria in the yogurt starter culture consume all of the lactose. This makes it more gentle on the gut and easier to digest.

tips for making homemade greek yogurt

-Use a culture from a previous batch of yogurt. If this is your first time making yogurt, use a full-fat, organic plain yogurt from the store. Make sure that it contains the yogurt strains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, These live cultures are crucial.

-If you use yogurt from a previous batch as your starter culture, it works best to use it about 4-5 times before replacing the culture with a new store-bought yogurt.

-The silicone ring on the Instant Pot lid can tend to hold smells, so you can leave the ring off for this recipe. The yogurt just needs to be covered, not sealed.

-If you do not want to strain it to make thick yogurt, skip this step and enjoy a runny yogurt instead.

-If the milk you are using still has the cream, there will be a thick yellowish layer on the top of after fermenting in the instant pot for 24 hours. Just stir this in. I like to stir the whole batch of yogurt pretty well at this point to make a less clumpy yogurt in the end.

-Serve your homemade, raw greek yogurt with a drizzle of maple syrup, fresh fruit and homemade granola for a delicious breakfast or snack!

-Don’t forget to save 1 cup of yogurt to make the next batch!

supplies you will need

• Instant Pot
• Whisk
• Organic cotton yogurt bag
• Half gallon mason jar
• Wide mouth plastic lid (optional, but super handy)

ingredients you will need

• 1 gallon of raw milk (or organic whole milk is raw milk is unavailable)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (organic, whole milk yogurt that contains live and active cultures)

In this recipe, we are going to use plain yogurt as the yogurt starter culture as the source of bacteria to inoculate the milk.

how to make raw milk greek yogurt

1. Pour a gallon of raw milk into the Instant Pot.

2. Whisk in 1 cup of yogurt from a previous batch (or store-bought with active cultures). This will have all of the live cultures that will culture that whole gallon of milk into yogurt. Put the cover on the instant pot. It’s not cooking under pressure, so it won’t need to be sealed.

3. Press the yogurt button and set increase the time to 24 hours. Using the yogurt setting is my favorite way to make yogurt because it keeps the instant pot at a consistent temperature. Yogurt needs to culture between 106 and 113 degrees F. The instant pot is able to hold that constant temperature for 24 hours, which will guarantee perfect yogurt every time.

​4. After 24 hours, transfer yogurt to a glass jar or container and refrigerate, sealed, for 24 hours.

5. Strain yogurt using a yogurt bag for 4-8 hours (depending on how thick you like it).

6. Enjoy homemade, raw milk greek yogurt as a nutritious breakfast or snack! Store in the refrigerator in a sealed mason jar.

NOTE: After you have your first batch of yogurt, always save one cup of yogurt to inoculate the next batch. If you forget, just use some organic plain yogurt from the grocery store.

Not interested in straining your yogurt to achieve that thick, greek yogurt consistency? Check out this Raw Milk Yogurt in the Instant Pot recipe where I show you how to thicken your yogurt with grass-fed gelatin instead!

what is the difference between regular yogurt and greek yogurt?

Greek yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove the whey, making it thicker than regular yogurt. To make raw greek yogurt, you will need the strain the whey. The longer the yogurt is strained, the thicker the greek yogurt will be. I have found the easiest way to do this is to use an organic cotton yogurt bag, specifically made for straining yogurt. I hang the bag on the handle of my kitchen cabinet with a glass bowl underneath to catch the whey. Whey is not a useless byproduct, however! There are many uses for whey.

what to do with the leftover whey

• use for making oatmeal instead of water
• soaking legumes
• ​fermenting vegetables
• soaking chicken feed
• use in smoothies
• dilute 50/50 with water and fertilize plants

raw milk info:

where can i find raw milk?

Visit the website realmilk.com/raw-milk-finder and see if there are any farmers in your area selling raw milk. This site is certainly helpful, but the best way may just be by word of mouth. Don’t be afraid to ask around for info on a raw milk source.

is raw milk safe to drink?

Raw milk is safe as long as you are careful about where you are getting it from. If your milk is coming from a small, clean, healthy farm that maintain sanitary milking conditions, then yes! The milk will be full of bioavailable (absorbable) vitamin A, D, and K, phosphorus, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Not to mention many beneficial bacteria (great for gut health), enzymes and probiotics! If it is coming from a conventional dairy farm, then no. Traditional dairy farms are usually really large scale and the cows are forced to produce more milk than they would naturally. This leads to mastitis which leads to infection which leads to antibiotic use… never drink raw milk that was intended to be pasteurized.

raw milk greek yogurt: potential risks

Although most people who consume raw milk to do not feel that it is inherently dangerous, there is always a risk because of the small number of people who have become ill from raw milk. I feel totally comfortable giving my family raw milk, but it is a personal decision for everyone. Talk to your farmer, do your research, and decide if this option is a risk you’re willing to take.

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