My machine heats the milk so I imagine yours does too. I would leave it alone and see what happens.

Ironically, if you would have been making kefir, it wouldn't have been a mistake at all. Add kefir grains to 2-3 c. of milk (straight out of the refrigerator) in a quart jar. Tighten the lid on the jar and let sit on your kitchen counter (away from direct sunlight) for 12-24 hours at room temperature. Ta Da! A thick lovely curd.

But to your question. Check the user's manual troubleshooting section for more information.

I would have turned the machine on. The cultures would still be alive, just less active, and would have been growing very slowly by the time the mistake was discovered. It may also take a little longer to ferment than normal. But tricky business all around because yogurt is so sensitive to temperature.

-Grainlady

Thanks so much night owls/early birds. I did look for a trouble shooting section/ page in my manual, but there isn't one! The manual does give directions for making yogurt with room temperature milk, so I think I'm ok. I'm going to check it when the 10 hours is up (how long it usually checks to set up), and see if it smells funky and or if its set. If its runny, I'll leave it in for another hour.

TEN HOURS????? I usually have yogurt in 4-hours. How much liquid and what kind of "milk" or mixture are you fermenting, and how much culture are you adding to it? Two quarts + 3 T. yogurt is a fairly standard ratio.

If you are using leftover yogurt from your last batch (or several subsequent batches), it may be getting weak and you need an infusion of new bacteria from new (commercial) yogurt.

I'd also suggest using Stonyfield Farm Yogurt as a starter. While all yogurt brands with live active cultures have 2 bacteria strains, Stonyfield has 6 live cultures and I think it improves the yogurt quality.

You can use an ice cube tray lined with plastic wrap, and put 1-Tablespoon of the Stonyfield yogurt in each cube and freeze it, pop the yogurt cubes out and store them in a container in the freezer to use later. When you need a new starter, you can use the frozen cubes of yogurt (thaw in the refrigerator) as your culture, the next time you need a new/stronger culture.

-Grainlady (the 3 a.m. early bird)

I use commercial (Byrne dairy) 2% milk. Yes, the yogurt maker directions have you set the time for 10 hours for 2% milk. I use 7 oz of Chobani plain Greek style yogurt as the starter (per the directions) for 5 1/4 cups milk. That mixture is divided into 7-7 oz glass containers and put into the yogurt maker.

Booberry, I usually put yogurt into the dehydrator and leave it for 6 hours. The instructions I have say to check after 6 hours and if it's not thick enough leave it in longer, but it won't get any thicker after 10 hours, so maybe that's the reason behind the 10 hour timing.

I also would just turn the machine on, as yogurt is pretty much just spoiled milk anyway. (grin)

So, how did it turn out?

Annie

My machine takes 10 hours too!

The yogurt's a little runny, but smelled and tasted just fine!

I make a gallon of yogurt every two to three weeks and have been making it for years by simmering milk (usually whole) for half an hour, cooling it, mixing it with a small container of plain nonfat yogurt, straining it into two-cup glass containers and putting it in the oven over night. I heat the oven to 170 degrees and then turn it off just before the yogurt goes in. I put two half sheets in the oven while it is heating and put the containers on those. For Greek yogurt, empty a container of yogurt into a strainer over a bowl (no need for cheesecloth), double cover with plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator over night. Yogurt making is very simple.

If one is on a specified carbohydrate diet for a colon disease, they culture their yogurt for 18 hr. I have made yogurt for over 50 years now. The longer you culture it, the less sugar is left in the milk. Also for lazy people, there is a yogurt called Finish yogurt, but you have to buy starter online. You mix starter with milk, (no boiling), let it set on the counter overnight, and there you have yogurt the next day. No heating milk, no machines. I knew some people that made it all the time, plus the yogurt you make is used for starting the next batch and it will last forever. If you go on youtube, they have simple directions on how to make it. BTW, I have never tasted it, so no input there.
Darlene

For anyone interested in the Finnish Yogurt (aka Viili), you can find more information and order the culture for Viili Yogurt Starter at Cultures for Health.

And for the record.... "lazy people" was a poor characterization by Darlene for anyone who is interested in a DIFFERENT method for making yogurt.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Cultures For Health - Viili Yogurt Starter

IâÂÂve tried a lot of different commercial yogurts for starter, including Chobai. The best IâÂÂve found so far is Trader JoeâÂÂs plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt. It doesnâÂÂt say whole milk on the front, you have to read the back. But their other greek yogurts are non fat or low fat, so you can figure out which is whole milk. I used the non-organic one. I also use whole milk to make mine.

After tasting real Greek Yogurt in Greece, of which the best tasting ones are about 10% fat, I was on a search to duplicate the taste. It has additional bacterial cultures too. In the US it seems like most greek yogurts are just denser. They donâÂÂt have the velvety texture and rich mouthfeel of the real greek yogurt.

This is the closest IâÂÂve ever gotten to it. ItâÂÂs the only yogurt IâÂÂve ever been able to eat plain. The time I had leftover cream and added it in to the milk was amazing.