Using an electric turkey fryer to heat-treat colostrum

[Jcran]

I am looking for a less expensive way to heat treat/pasteurize milk. I KNOW I can do the heat it up and thermos it route, but I want to do something where I can forget for a while. SO I've been on the lookout for a gadget that has a digital readout that I can SET to a certain temp, say 135 degrees and it will hold it at that temp for a set amount of time. I bought a slow cooker off of amazon that is supposed to be able to set, but it uses a probe to get the contents UP to that temp then switches to warming mode. I'm going to test it out tonight, using store milk and mason jars in a water bath (I think this will ROCK for making yogurt) and see if the "warm" setting will hold it there. However, in my search, I read a post on some blog that mentioned using a programmable electric turkey fryer (says its great for canning, etc) for that purpose. It is about 100 dollars which I don't want to spend unless it is foolproof. From all the online pics the temp control looks like a dial which seems like it would be hard to dial right in to the correct temp. Anyone out there used this method?

[Tracy in Idaho]

I use a $20 Presto deep fryer from Wally World....it takes some experimenting to get the right temp, but it works great.

I fill it with water, put canning rings on the bottom -- I put my colostrum into ziplock freezer bags and set them in there. Works like a champ, and if you forget about it for a while, it doesn't pudding on you.

[springvalley]

I have a silly question, why do you pasteurize your colostrum? Is this just a goat thing? I know some dairy farms that do that with their calves, but I have no idea why. > Thanks Marc

[Laverne]

The CAE virus is mainly passed to the kid in the colostrum so for prevention of that. Many won't even heat treat colustrum from a CAE positive goat and will only heat treat from a negative doe along with any goat milk used. Many buyers only want prevention raised kids. If a herd has been CAE negative for a few years some will go raw. Mine are CAE negative and I dam raise.

[suzyhomemaker09]

In my experience if you are heat treating colostrum there is no " walk away and leave it " method....very defined temperature to reach and anything above kills....
Then in your post you mention just pasteurizing...
Perhaps i just don't understand what you're looking to do.

Great for canning on a turkey fryer means water bathing...It will very probably be great for making yogurt..I make it in a Weck type electrical canner...
Much like this http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=170778

It holds 8 standard quart mason/ball type jars. Works fantastically ...but in making yogurt if you leave it in " cooking" a little longer than necessary you still have a usable product...milk not so much.