If you’ve watched even one of the videos from the 75+ free video library available on this blog, you probably know that I have a microwave in my kitchen.
Do I use it for cooking or heating anything that my family consumes?
No. I haven’t used a microwave to heat or cook anything in many, many years. I much prefer my small countertop convection oven which doesn’t heat food unnaturally and create carcinogens like a microwave does.
Why don’t I just remove the microwave from my kitchen then?
The truth is that the microwave can function as a handy airtight cupboard and proves quite useful for other tasks besides cooking and heating believe it or not.
I mentioned in one of my videos that I frequently use it for airtight, room temperature storage of freshly baked breads, cookies, and other baked goods.
It also works very well for making homemade raw yogurt.
If you don’t have access to raw yogurt, then you don’t know what you’re missing. Pasteurized yogurt even if organic pales in comparison to the digestibility and nutrient value of raw yogurt, so if you are able to snag some raw milk from a local farm, here’s how to make it into raw yogurt.
*This cool recipe idea was given to me by my friend Cynthia Calisch, Sarasota Florida Chapter Leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Raw Yogurt
Ingredients
1/4 cup Seven Stars plain, whole organic yogurt
3 3/4 cups Pastured raw cow or goat milk
Instructions
Scoop 1/4 cup of the Seven Stars plain organic whole yogurt into a clean, glass mason jar. This is the best brand that is widely available in the United States at the healthfood store. After you’ve made raw yogurt one time, you can use your own raw yogurt as the starter for subsequent batches.
Warm the raw milk on the stove to between 105 – 115F. No enzymes or nutrition is lost heating to this temperature but the warmed milk enables the yogurt culture to “take” better than room temperature raw milk.
Pour about a half a cup of the warmed milk into the mason jar and mix with the store yogurt.
Pour the remaining warmed milk into the mason jar, stir and close the lid tightly.
Wrap the mason jar in a thick hand towel, secure with a rubber band and place inside your microwave closing the door. Leave the light in the microwave on to keep a bit of warmth inside.
In 24 hours, open the microwave and voila! You will have yourself a lovely quart of raw yogurt!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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{ 95 comments… read them below or add one }
I also use my microwave to incubate my yoghurt.
Do you strain it and if so do you use cheesecloth?
Yeahhhh I was just planning to make some yogurt and I do have Seven Stars! Unfortunately, I do not have access to raw milk, but I do have low-temp pasturization milk.
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No disrespect, but I have a hard time believing that if you’re reheating food in a microwave on a low power level it’s going to destroy significantly more nutrients than conventional heating methods. Here’s a good read if you’re interested: http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=1315
The microwave is not being used to reheat anything! Please read the post. It is being used to incubate the yogurt.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
Apparently, many are completely not understanding the post at all. The microwave is never even turned on. It is used as an airtight incubator.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
Apologies, thanks for the simple yogurt recipe. However, I’m going to stick to homemade kefir, because it’s less messy
. Concerning the microwave, I was referring to your mention of avoiding microwaves for heating. In my opinion, if you use a microwave at a low power level (allowing food to cook more evenly) and not cook in plastic or other toxic materials, it can be considered a safe and convenient form of heating.
No worries. I just don’t want newbies getting the wrong idea that microwaves are ok to use! The title of this post is an “F” for sure.
YOU didn’t read the comment you replied to! “D” was questioning your condemnation of the microwave, not suggesting that you use it to heat anything when you make yogurt.
It’s a different kind of heat. It’s like radiation, very unlike the heat from a fire, gas or electric stove. It does more than destroy nutrients, it changes the molecular structure even on low temps.
Paula\’s last post: February 25, 2012
Oh my . Do people just read the title of the post and comment without even reading it?
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
All of those things you have mentioned are sources of radiation. Even visible light is radiation.
???? The yogurt is wrapped in a towel. The light would not harm the yogurt even if the towel was not used. I really wish folks would read the post before getting critical.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
I was replying to D’s comment, I know Sarah doesn’t use the microwave:)
Paula\’s last post: February 25, 2012
Sarah, I want to stress that the person using the D for their name here, is not the D. that I usually use when I post. I have communicated with you a time or two by email and I don’t know if email addresses are visible to you when people sign in to post, but I just wanted to be sure to clarify that the other D is not me.
Let me also say that I knew, the minute I read the headline, there had to be a catch because I know you don’t use a microwave. You use a microwave in the same fashion as I use a dishwasher – which is to say, I use my dishwasher to store dirty dishes until I have time to wash them by hand! MY dishwasher (which, btw, is less than a year old) has been serviced four time and still gets the dishes dirtier than when I put them in. The repairmen stand here and scratch their heads but have no clue. Go figure.
How do you leave the light on in the micro with the door closed?
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Mine has a “light” button on the front where you can turn on the light with the door closed.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
I was thinking the same thing as Melissa. My microwave doesn’t have a button to turn the light on and off, so it doesn’t work for us! However, thankfully we are able to use our dehydrator for our raw milk yogurt.
It’s an interesting post, thank you Sarah… I often look at my dejected microwave and wonder what I could do with him…
mine doesn’t have a light either…but I am boiling a pot of water on the stove and am going to put it in a bowl in the microwave for a heat source. This is how I used to do it, but with a cooler. I love this idea of using the microwave….no big clunky cooler on my counter.
you could put the yogurt it in the oven with just the oven light on, this is how I do it and it works perfectly every time. Just be sure to put it in before bed, so a bulk of the fermenting is done while the oven is not needed,
So I have to admit – this is an attention-grabbing title.
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Well I don’t see how a light in a microwave is giving off any more radiation then you get from sitting in front of a computer while reading this article.
If its the light or the microwave that is bothering you there are other ways of keeping it warm. Like in a cooler wrapped up tightly with warm towels fresh from the dryer. Or put it in your oven with its light on and the door propped just ajar.
Sarah, this may sound silly but can you make yogurt from raw cream? I have made raw milk yogurt a couple times before and it seems like the top layer is so creamy and amazingly wonderful, and I thought that it might be thicker from cream rising to the top?!?! I may be way off on that one. I also noticed that raw milk yogurt seems to not spoil, or if it does it takes a lot longer then non-raw homemade yogurt.
Thanks for all your posts! Please never retire from blogging!!!
Another friend uses a cooler .. yes this works too but the microwave with the light on with the door closed works better. Yes, the oven works well too the problem is that we use the oven where the microwave is not used and wasted space unless you get creative
I think what you would end up with instead of yogurt if you fermented straight cream with a yogurt culture would be something similar in texture and taste to creme fraiche.
You’re so right .. raw milk yogurt never spoils it seems. At least I’ve never wasted a drop at my house.
Great idea! I use my microwave as a baked goods cupboard too
Sarah, my jaw dropped when I read “microwave” because we know you don’t use it! Great idea, we use our crockpot.
http://rojerthat.com/2011/12/16/homemade-yogurt-its-easy/
I obviously did not title this post very well
Poor Sarah…. pat..pat..pat. We love you!
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I have tried raw milk yogurt several times and I never get it right. If you were using a dyhrator, what temp would you set it and how long to leave it? I tried my light in my microwave and mine will not come on while not on. Strange! But I do have a dyhrator. Also, I don’t have that brand of yogurt in my area, what would be another choice? Any thoughts?
Teresa, we use our crockpot to heat it to the recommended temp. then cover our crockpot and turn off. leave overnite, see our link
http://rojerthat.com/2011/12/16/homemade-yogurt-its-easy/
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oh, I tossed mine! well, actually I e-cycled it…my crockpot is FAR more useful in it’s place
Too bad we got rid of ours almost 4 years ago! Never even missed it, until now
got rid of ours about two years ago. I still havent figured out the crockpot yogurt thing yet
Mine’s a fermenting incubation cabinet, timer, and vent fan. It’s a pretty handy appliance when it’s not killing your food.
mine’s a spice cabinet and the turning glass dish acts as a nice lazy suzan
That is such a cool idea, Lisa! I must mention it to my husband… our spices take up SO much shelf space in our pantry!
Thanks for that!
If you are going to use the microwave to store spices, be sure not to ever use the so-called “surface light”. My mw is an above-the-stove model, and the surface lights are located sort of underneath the body of the mw and shine down onto my stovetop while I’m cooking, and can also be used as a kitchen night light. My mw is a GE and if anyone else is using one like it, those bulbs throw off a lot of heat. Mine doesn’t have an interior light which I can turn on independently. If the mw oven door is open the light’s on, if it’s closed the light’s off. But I could make yogurt with the heat that goes up into the mw from those bulbs, for sure.
Also, my mw “turntable” doesn’t turn independently either. It will only turn if the oven is functioning. It’s not like a lazy susan. But even if I wanted to use my mw as a spice cabinet I can’t because of the heat from the surface lights, which I use quite often up here in the hinterlands where it’s dark by 4:00 in the afternoon and stays dark until 7:30 a.m. Even with only one bulb going while the second bulb was burned out recently, the inside of the oven gets downright warm. Too warm to store delicate spices and herbs, which will deteriorate quickly when exposed to warm temps for any length of time.
Thank you so much for posting!!!!
Dang. There goes my microwave.
Love this idea! I also like to use it as a moist place to let breads rise in the winter. I put a bowl of water in there and heat it up for a five minutes. Then I remove it and put the bread inside and leave to rise. It stays warm and moist for a long time.
this is an awesome idea!
but i also have a question…this is my second time making raw milk yogurt. the first time it was “chunckier” so to speak and more runny. this time it is thicker and has the consistency of store bought yogurt. which one is correct?? this time i just introduced the starter to the raw milk, two tsp in each mason jar, but didn’t stir it in. (read this on someone’s blog) they both taste similar, but i just want to make sure the second way is just as beneficial. do you know anything about this?
thanks!!
YOu can get quite a variation in texture though in general raw milk yogurt is more drinkable style than pasteurized yogurt.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Raw Yogurt (Made in the Microwave)
Great Idea!!!
We just moved recently and left our above range microwave.behind. Havent used it.in a long time. I have tried making it in my crockpot recently and it came out great. Only problem the recipe calls for the milk to be heated to around 180 first then cooled to 115 to 120. When it cools down is when to add the culture. Im thinking that maybe skipping the step of heating it to 185 might work with the crockpot? To maintain the temp I cover my crock pot with a double folded bathtowel and turn the pot on low every couple of hours for about 15 minutes.
Hello?! Why didn’t I think of this? I have a unused microwave above my oven and I purposefully didn’t start my yogurt today because I’ll be using the oven tonight. My little yogurt maker is wonderful, but can’t do big mason jar batches. By the way, I noticed a few times when I forgot to turn of the yogurt maker or the oven light turned off and the yogurt sat at room temp for hours before the light or maker got turned back on, the yogurt resulted in a nicer thicker consistency. Also I actually use VSL#3 unflavored probiotic as my starter and it still turns out great without heating up. I just put some in my 1/2 gallon of milk shake it up and pour into mason jars. VSL#3 is expensive, so making yogurt out of it stretches it.
awhile ago i was in the kitchen thinking about ditching the microwave and after i discussed it with my husband i went to use it (i think i was just curious to see if it was still working) and it had stopped working! buttons all worked but press start and only the light turned on! What a weird series of events ^^
microwave bad bad. destroy’s food. cant imagine using it on something that’s suposed to be so good for you.
you should read the article.
read the post – she never turns the microwave on
I am just getting ready to make my first batch! Thanks for the simple recipe!
PS: I knew when I read the headline story I knew you meant it to use as storage(before even reading the article), not as using a microwave. If anyone has seen your video should know you do not “use” your microwave.
After reading all comments above I have to conclude that most people don’t read the post, or simply don’t understand what they read and then jump to comment “something” just for the fun of it. Too bad!
Thanks Sarah for all your great post!
Got rid of the microwave long ago. Noticed your’s but glad you clarified this cause now it makes sense.
After heating to 105-115 and wrapping and stuffing into a microwave with the light on, what is the temperature at which the yogurt should stay for the 24 hour period? I have tested my microwave’s light with a jar of water started at 110F with a candy thermometer in it, and it seems to level out at 85F. Is that a high enough temp?
75F in the morning. It’s winter here (the snowy kind
) and I can’t find a place warm enough in my house. Heating pad? Crock pot?
http://simplyhomemaking60.blogspot.com/2011/02/easy-yogurt.html
Yolanda\’s last post: Monday Jumble
We use ours for storage and for heating up neck warmers in winter. I like the idea of a moist place to let bread rise. It’s time to make yogurt, and I will give this a try!
If yours doesn’t have a switch to turn on the light inside, you can use a napkin lodged in the door channel to make the light go on (takes a few tries to get it right). My big oven with the light on doesn’t rise to the right temp. for fermenting yogurt, but the otherwise unused microwave does.
Sarah, you have finally found a safe use for a microwave. Of course, you never turn on the bad radiation, Very creative.
we live in the tropics, and ours makes a wonderful hideaway from ants for nuts and dried fruits that they would usually get into.
catchy title
Do you want to incubate your yogourt in an airtight environment? Doesn’t that lead to the growth of dangerous anaerobic bacteria?
Sarah, you have done the impossible! You actually found a safe and beneficial use for a microwave!
I would never have believed it. Of course, you never turn on the harmful radiation.
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Can you use the Fage plain greek yogurt as a starter?
Yes
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The Milk Cure for Healing Lyme Disease
Hi Sarah!
What would be an alternative to Seven Stars Brand. I can’t find that brand here.
Thanks,
Sarah
Just get the best brand of plain whole milk yogurt you can .. biodynamic yogurt from pastured cows if possible.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: The Milk Cure for Healing Lyme Disease
Can anybody help me with this?
After heating to 105-115 and wrapping and stuffing into a microwave with the light on, what is the temperature at which the yogurt should stay for the 24 hour period? I have tested my microwave’s light with a jar of water started at 110F with a candy thermometer in it, and it seems to level out at 75F in the morning. It’s winter here (the snowy kind ) and I can’t find a place warm enough in my house. Heating pad? Crock pot?
I make my raw milk yogurt absolutely the same way, but I use oven with the light on instead. I have also tried making sour cream this way. Here is what I did:
Heated up the raw cream to 115F, add a little TJ’s organic yogurt, wrapped it and put in the oven with the light on. After 8 hours I checked it and nothing happened. So I thought something went wrong. I added a little kefir in there and let it stand on the counter for a day. I became thicker but was still too liquid. So I transfered it to the fridge thinking to use it in smoothies. The next day when I open the jar, I found, to my surprise, the creamiest sour cream ever. There was a liitle whey on the bottom, but the top layer taste amazing and was extrmely smooth! Not sure what worked at the end, but my next batch I am making the same way
I love the title of this post! After a split-second of puzzlement, even before reading the post I figured it out. I will be trying this.
Sarah i hate to tell you but a microwave is not air tight. It has open vents and a exhaust fan. I have learned a lot from you, THANKS. I guess i have been heating my milk more than is needed for making yogurt, i have been heating it to 180 and then cooling to 110-100 before adding my culture, of course i don’t have access to fresh whole milk at this time. But i am in the process of making my annual maple syrup and sugar, mmmmmmmmm good!
Scott
It’s great for disinfecting the damp kitchen sponge! 1-2 minutes all kinds of germs are killed. Makes me wonder what it does to the food. I am trying to use it less and less. Except for weekly sponge cleaning,
I’m very new to all of this so forgive my ignorance…I have access to low temp pasteurized milk but not raw…are you guys getting the “for pet consumption” milk? I’m assuming that label is “legal” so is that what I should be looking for?
Can you tell us more about the countertop convection ovens? When our microwave broke last year, I threw it away and breathed a sigh of relief. I got my kids switched over to other methods of reheating…. and then my husband brought home another microwave. Argh. I dare not break another microwave, er, I mean wait for this one to break without having some alternate convenient countertop appliance ready to take its place.
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Help! Okay, I think I confused your instructions of waiting 24 hours, and the instructions of Nourishing traditions to keep it at 100 degrees. I warmed the raw milk, and stuck it in a 100 degree oven with the starter. After about 18 hours I checked it and it started to separate and become a bit chunky, though not completely curdled. I tasted it and it’s a bit sour. What have I created? Can I strain it or something?
I tried this and ended up with something that doesn’t look much like yogurt. The jar is filled with whey, with a thick chunk of white at the bottom and floating white on top. Is that still edible?
I’ve done this before and the answer is YES. It’s definitely edible. I strained it through a dish towel and was left with delicious Greek style yogurt.
wow this looks so good! I never thought of using the microwave, I am going to try this out and i will report back
I just tried this recipe yesterday and am now enjoying my yummy yogurt. This was by far, the easiest method I have used in making raw yogurt. Thanks, for posting this! I will definitely be using this recipe from now on. :O)
Hey…you had me with the picture. I was going to give you hell about using the microwave. I am glad I decided to read the post before I reacted. Thanks for the great yogurt recipe.
Will the yogurt turn out thick or watery? I just made some raw yogurt and am slightly dissapointed cause it’s kind of runny.
I have found homemade yogurt is usually runnier unless you add something like dry milk powder {yuck!}. You can make it thicker by straining it through a cheesecloth or flour sack towel from your kitchen cabinet knob for a few hours. You’ll be left with thicker Greek-style yogurt in the cheesecloth and whey in the bowl below. Just don’t leave it too long or you’ll end up with yogurt cheese!
I am trying this right now- except I don’t have a microwave, so I found a warm little niche on top of my hot water heater! The milk I’m using is raw, grass fed, and milked this a.m! How perfect is that!? I can’t wait to see how it turns out!!!
Oh my goodness I just opened my jar and it came out PEFECT!!! Thank you so much Healthyhomeeconomist!!!! I am on cloud nine! It is so easy and nutritious and DELICIOUS! I added blueberries and some organic maple syrup and it is so yummy I CANNOT stop eating it! LOL I’m seriously way too excited right now!
Thanks again! ~Julie
Jenni in March mentioned “pet food” as a legal term for raw milk. Yup. In our neck of the woods
we have to buy “pet food”, not raw milk, or the powers that be will swoop down and destroy the operation. It’s kind of like hiding from the gestapo. (sp?)
LOL
For most up-to-date information you have to pay a quick visit the web and on web I
found this site as a best website for newest updates.
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How many times can I reuse my homemade raw yogurt as a starter for the next batch? How can I tell when the health benefits are gone?
This is awesome! I’m going to try it this weekend.
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My last batch of yogurt was just a bunch of curdled stuff. Is it still yogurt? Or is it clabbered milk. I made drinks and leather with it. Do I still get the benefit of yogurt when it turns out like this?
Love the microwave thing. My mic has a light on the outside bottom, so it’s warm enough on the inside for incubation. Good thing- I had to dust it out to use it! Thanks for the great idea.
My girlfriend taught me how to make almond yogurt with sprouted almonds, fresh coconut water (and flesh) and my favorite blend of powder or liquid probiotics. I’m curious. Has anyone tried making frozen yogurt from the raw milk? Does that defeat the purpose of using raw? I love tart frozen yogurt but getting it from a shop is usually not as healthy as one I imagine I could make.
Thank u for your humor Sarah! Those of us who follow u consistently get u! Lol this is my first attempt at making raw yogurt and because we got our kitchen built sans microwave I think the only difference i will make to keep the temp consistent is make this in my Excalibur left on at 115′. If it turns out a bit runny I may pass it through my cheesecloth that I use forsaking whey. Thank u so much for all your work Sarah
Hi Sarah,
I made my first batch of raw yogurt this morning and am awaiting results. I did not have a thermometer to check the temperature. The milk almost came to boil and I hope i did not kill it! What do you think of the probiotic starter from a generic supermarket? Is it optimal?
Sara,
LOVE YOUR POSTS! Thank you for all you do! I have raw milk that started to sour. I decided to make raw milk yogurt. I shook up the milk, heated the milk to 110 F and it separated and turned into a gooey clump like a stringy blob! HELP! What happened? Is it still good to use? What should I do? Also, I received an Excalibar Dehydrator for Christmas and would like to use it for making yogurt. Should I use the dehydrator at 110 F for 5 – 7 hours according to the instructions? Shouldn’t it be for 24 hour to get the beneficial bacteria? Is it better to culture raw milk on the counter for 24hours than to use a dehydrator?
Thank you,
Celeste
Hello Sarah. I appreciate your post and thank you for useful ways to use my raw milk. What is critical to making yogurt- organic? whole milk? I found “yogormet” at a healthfood store about two hours away(…so its a drive to find the right thing) it’s freeze dried, which i think would matter. So…what does matter?
Thanks for this post! It has helped unintimidate me to this! Two questions. 1) can I use my raw milk that’s been frozen? 2) if my microwave doesn’t have a light function are there alternate heat sources? Or should I let the yogurt sit longer to compensate?
Thanks!!
Sarah, please help me out here.
I TOTALLY get the whole anti-microwave movement and have embraced it for a few years. However I recently received this article from a trusted source, and now I’m all confused. Can you please shed some light on this subject? http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/02/26/jane-says-everything-you-know-about-microwaves-wrong?cmpid=tpfood-eml-2013-3-8-microwaves
Thanks so much!
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