Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

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Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby tmaynard on Thu May 14, 2009 6:16 pm

I recently received a starter culture for matsoni (aka Caspian Sea Yogurt). The seller's description described it as "thick and honey-like."

I've made three batches now, one in the oven with the light on (~80F), and two on the counter (~65F). All three have been what I would describe as "runny" and "lumpy." Each batch has been fermented for around 18 hours ... and they're all essentially the same in the end.

(A) What should I expect? and
(B) What can I do to firm it up a bit?

I'm using Organic non-fat milk, a 20% starter/previous batch to 80% milk blend (100ml starter, 400ml new milk), at the temperatures mentioned above.

The final product is massively delicious, but just isn't as thick as I would like: I'd prefer "spoonable" versus "drinkable."

Any tips?

Tom.
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby Dragonfluff on Sun May 31, 2009 3:24 am

Hi there tmaynard,

You could try using either full-fat milk or non-homogenized milk (where the fat has not been separated).

Good luck!

/Sara
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby tmaynard on Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:50 pm

Dragonfluff wrote:You could try using...full-fat milk

I recently tried a full-fat version (also using organic milk) and obtained essentially the same result -- a stirrable/pourable version of yogurt. I had placed high hopes on full-fat (organic) milk, but was rendered with essentially the same (pourable) yogurt even using whole milk. Please note: it doesn't taste bad, it's delicious in fact, it's just not thick.

I'm not really complaining ... I just wish it were thicker.

Tom.
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby satyamama on Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:12 am

hi Tom, as far as i know, matsoni is not a thick yogurt. i have been using/making it for a while and it is delicious and creamy, but not super think. kind of drinkable. i use raw milk.
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby beretta on Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:10 pm

I second satyamama. Georgians use matsoni for cold summer soups. I personally have never seen it as think as honey. Also, it is pissible you just did not ferment it long enough. Tastewise it is much milder when it is more liquiry and as it gets thicker it also gets more sour.
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby ejferment on Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:28 am

I suspect you need to do one long ferment, as well as to use full-fat (preferably nonhomogenized) milk. The seller I purchased from said to do the first ferment with heated-and-then-cooled milk, and to let it sit for a day or day and a half. I did (I think it was a full 36 hours, though I can't really remember--I know it was the long end of whatever they suggested), and since then it's only taken about 12 hours on the counter (without heating-and-cooling) to get a nice medium-thick yogurt. Good luck!
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby jonka on Thu Oct 01, 2009 9:43 pm

I know this is late, but I am new to the forum. I also ordered CSY (Caspian Sea Yogurt) and while it was not very thick, it definitely had this unique viscosity Matsoni is known for.
After several months it became thin and runny. The seller told me that it overfermented and advised using smaller amount of starter. Since it did not help, I re-ordered from the same seller. This time I got exactly what you are describing, Tom, from the very beginning. No honey-like viscosity I liked so much. We went thru all possible options with the seller (incl. cross contamination) but looks like I did everything I was supposed to. I always had a backup starter (incubated only in full fat, organic, cooked cow's milk) and experimented only with a surplus culture. I would usually get my batch ready in 10 hours (around 76F in the house).
In conclusion; you may want to order from a different company, this is what I am planning to do. Your yogurt should NOT be runny. When you pour it down from a spoon it should look and feel like really fresh honey or fresh, thick whipping cream. Hope this helps, good luck to both of us :)
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby palino on Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:52 pm

Hi Tom,
We have been in Georgia and Caucasus this summer and also eaten home made Matsoni a few times there. I would agree with satyamama and beretta about the consistency - it was not honey-like, it was more or less runny (a bit thicker at the top of the jar, but runny in the bottom).
So I think you dont need to worry - you got the right consistency.
good luck
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby yogurtluv on Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:16 am

Hi there, I know this is an old post but I couldn't resist not posting.
Caspian Sea Yogurt's consistency IS NOT in any way runny!!
It should be firm and "jiggly" is my word ;)
If your yogurt came out runny then the culture was old or weak and was not strong enough to form the texture.
I purchased from 5 different companies and only 1 company was the real deal.
I've been making my yogurt for over a year now and still is firm and "jiggly" :D
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Re: Matsoni (Caspian Sea Yogurt) Consistency

Postby yogurtluv on Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:18 am

Hi there, I know this is an old post but I couldn't resist not posting.
Caspian Sea Yogurt's consistency IS NOT in any way runny!!
It should be firm and "jiggly" is my word ;)
If your yogurt came out runny then the culture was old or weak and was not strong enough to form the texture.
I purchased from 5 different companies and only 1 company was the real deal.
I've been making my yogurt for over a year now and still is firm and "jiggly" :D
yogurtluv
 
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