Yogurt in the Instant Pot

Original recipe from Clearing Clutter for Clarity.

Yogurt making with the Instant Pot is so easy. It takes several hours to be completed, but your active time is short and simple. Your Instant Pot likely comes with its own directions, but if it's anything like mine (I have the 6 quart DUO from 2017), this will work perfectly. Click here to read on how to make yogurt in a crock pot. Fermented foods are significantly healthful, and yogurt is a very easy and delicious fermented food! Our kids love it plain, but we often switch if up with creative additives as well.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups* milk of choice (whole milk lends for a delicious creamy taste)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

*Note: my instant pot has measurement markings on it already. However, they aren't accurate. I fill the pot to the 6 cup mark and that is actually 8 cups!

Directions:

1. Be aware this process takes almost 10 hours, and plan accordingly.
2. Pour milk into the Instant Pot insert and cover with lid. No need to play with the steam release valve, as the pot won't be pressurizing for this recipe. My inner pot is labeled for measuring, but the labels are off. I pour milk until the 6 CUP mark, which is a perfect half gallon for me.
3. Hit the "yogurt" button and then the "adjust" button until the screen says "boil."
4. After about 30 minutes, the milk will have been heated thoroughly (killing unwanted bacteria) and the pot will beep.
5. Remove the insert to cool milk. I set mine, uncovered, on the counter for 1 hour (set timer so you don't forget it!). You can also fill your sink with an ice bath and cool the milk that way, shrinking the wait time to about 10 minutes.
6. Skim off the "skin" which probably formed on top of the milk. I use a fork for this.
7. Thoroughly whisk 2-4 T of plain yogurt into the milk. Return it to the Instant Pot and hit the "yogurt" button again. Now push the "adjust" button until the screen reads "8 hours"--I find this to be a perfect amount of time. If you leave the yogurt longer, it will grow more sour, so you can play with the time. Once it begins its ferment, the Instant Pot screen will count up toward your end time.
8. When the pot finally beeps, scoop or pour your yogurt into 2 quart jars for serving. Save some aside for future yogurt making (I fill a 4 oz jar as my "starter"). Do not scrape the yogurt from the bottom, as it will have a different texture (I do scrape that yogurt out into a separate container for smoothies or cooking). 
9. To make GREEK YOGURT (as per the kitchn): Place a sieve into a bowl of similar size. Line it with a couple layers of cheesecloth or a clean hanky. Pour yogurt into sieve and place the whole setup into the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight, according to how thick you want your yogurt. Enjoy! 

Uses

1. Enjoy plain! Or mix individual servings with sweeteners such as cinnamon sugar, honey, jam, apple butter, fresh or dried fruit, or granola.
2. Use in baking: plain yogurt is the secret ingredients to some of our favorite dishes!  For instance, try these versatile yogurt muffins, creamy rice pudding, or savory eggplant wild rice.  Add it to smoothies, use it in place of sour cream, top pancakes or hot cereal with yogurt and fruit, or turn it into Greek yogurt.  The possibilities are endless!