How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt

This simple step turns homemade yogurt into thick, creamy Greek yogurt. It’s totally worth it. Whey makes yogurt tangy and fluffy; straining makes it sweet and rich.

How to make Greek yogurt

Line a colander or colander with cheesecloth. Double it if the weave of the cheesecloth is loose. (For smaller amounts, a coffee filter or heavy-duty paper towel will do.) Place the strainer over a bowl. The whey will start dripping down from the yogurt into the bowl.

You can do this in the fridge, but if the weather is cool and the ambient temperature in your kitchen is around 20°C or below, it’s fine to strain your yogurt on the counter.

You will be surprised how much whey falls out. By straining yogurt from half a gallon of milk, you can get nearly 4 cups of whey. This reduces your yogurt yield, but not as much as you think. Ideally, strained yogurt has a textural lightness, a hint of fluffiness.

How long does it take?

Depending on how stiff you want your yogurt to be, it will take anywhere from 1 to 8 hours. I like to strain my yogurt a day after making it because it’s firm and completely chilled.

Get the consistency you like

After sifting, your yogurt will look curdled and lumpy. Stir it thoroughly by hand and you will see it transform and become smooth and shiny.

If you’ve strained your yogurt too much and it’s stiffer than you’d like, simply whisk the whey back in, a few tablespoons at a time, until it’s the consistency you want.

Can you reuse the cheesecloth?

You can use your cheesecloth multiple times. I have a special yogurt sieve cloth and it shows no signs of wear. Make sure you rinse it well after straining and remove any clinging blobs of yogurt. Soak in a solution of warm water and baking soda for an hour, then rinse and allow to air dry.

I don’t wash my cheesecloth in the washing machine for several reasons. You don’t want your yogurt to taste or smell like detergent, especially if it’s scented. You don’t want to bleach it for the same reasons. You can run it through the dryer, but remember that this will shrink it and make the fabric tighter, so it will take longer to stretch.

Ways to use leftover whey

Yoghurt whey is acidic, with acidic power. It’s a bit more difficult to use than regular sweet whey (from cheese or butter making), but it can come in handy in the kitchen.

• Use half water and half whey when cooking whole grains for a little flavor.
• Add it to bread doughs to give them a sour edge.
• Mixed it with milk as a substitute for buttermilk in batters.
• Use it instead of water when making cake batter. The acid helps form a flaky crust.
• Use it half water, half whey when using it as a cooking liquid for beans.

Whey has a long shelf life. Refrigerate between two weeks and a few months. If it’s too old, check your jar for mold – if it doesn’t look or smell good, throw it out. I promise you will have way more whey than you will ever consume.

Use whey for glamorous hair!

I know we’re a cooking side, not a beauty side, but try using whey as a rinse. Serious. It’s my favorite thing of all and I threw away a lot of hair styling products after discovering this. I read about rinsing my hair with whey, tried it on a lark and am now totally converted. Mildly acidic whey has just the right pH to add shine and body to hair. Simply pour 1/2 to 1 cup over your hair (wet, dry, or freshly shampooed) in the shower and work well into your scalp with your fingertips. Leave it on for about a minute and then rinse thoroughly. Believe me, grooming with food is the wave of the future. It is whey the end!

More DIY cooking projects!

• How to cook dried beans
• How to make homemade pasta
• How to make corn tortillas
• How to make lemon curd
• How to make easy fridge pickles