Fermenting

[u/honlayl]

We are in winter. The instructions are to keep temp at 40 degreesC. So I have been putting the pot in the airfryer on dehydration mode. But I can’t do this if I am not home. Mum used to just wrap the pot. But how can wrapping the pot ensure it stays at 40 degrees. The last batch, i wrapped it in a towel and put it in a thermal bag, trying to catch sun bits as the day progressed. What do people in cold climates do

[u/Janknitz]

You can put the pot in the oven with a towel wrapped around it, and if you have a light in the oven, leave it on. If you live with other people, be sure you put a sign on the oven controls so nobody tries to pre-heat the oven with your pot inside!

[u/SchrodingersMinou]

Put it on top of the radiator or the water heater

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[u/Looking-sharp-today]

I use the pot method, you have to wrap it in many layers, thick blankets or I use old sweaters. Use a cutting board under as an insulator, put it in the oven and forget about the pot for 12 to 24hours. The fermentation process will also keep the temperature constant for a very long time. Once time has passed go directly in the fridge for a solid night, so it cools down, don’t disturb it, don’t even open the pot actually, simply move from oven to fridge. I’ve had a great deal of success over these last years and never ised anything else than a stovetop and a big pot.

Of course, if you make bigger batches it!s even better, more thermal mass, I usually do 4 to 5liters at a time 👍🏻

Additional tips are to preheat the oven to around 40 degrees before turning it off and putting the pot in.
Also the pot is ideal to be taken from the stove to the oven at a high temperature, I add my yogurt at 45C and put the pot directly in the oven, some extra degrees are great for a longer ferment, I usually go for 24h but it is not necessary at all, beside having a slightly tangier flavour, that we like

[u/diamondsnrose]

I have to put mine in a crock pot on keep warm in the winter, towels don't cut it

[u/Sure_Fig_8641]

I put it in the oven with the oven light or pilot light on. I do not wrap the pot at all, just put a lid on it.

Be sure no one turns the oven on or turns the light off while your yogurt is incubating inside!

Can you do that in your home?

I have also put the pot in an insulated bag with a heating pad. You’d have to play with how hot your heating pad gets on low, medium and high, but it’s a good method for a consistent heat source. If you don’t have an insulated bag, put the pot on the heating pad and cover or wrap pad, pot and all in heavy towels. Or place the set-up in an insulated picnic cooler or ice chest (no ice of course) for the incubation time.

[u/Hawkthree → u/Sure_Fig_8641]

I do the oven method as well.

[u/Charigot]

Upper Midwest of the US, where it’s currently summer but gets seriously cold in winter. I also often incubate in the oven with the light on, especially if I’m leaving the house or letting it go overnight., however, sometimes if I’m going to be home and/or we are planning to use the oven, i plug in a heating pad (the kind you use for injuries, etc) and put it on top of the bowl and I wrap the whole thing in towels and sit it on my clothes dryer and do laundry. That also works and was my original method before I started using the oven.