How to Make Whey (aka How to Make Greek Yogurt)

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I realized after giving you recipes for fermented carrots, "rainbow" sauerkraut and instructions for how to cook oatmeal the right way, that it would be helpful to give you instructions for making your own whey (which, consequently, all of those recipes call for...).

 So here it is.

 One of the wonderful things about this recipe is that it also makes... Greek Yogurt. If you haven't discovered the joy of Greek yogurt it is my personal opinion that you haven't lived. (Just sayin'...)

How to Make Whey (or How to Make Greek Yogurt)


 You Will Need:

 Equipment:
  • A tall bowl
  • A spoon that fits across your bowl
  • 90 thread Cheesecloth (where to find)

 Ingredients:

  • 2 cups full-fat yogurt (try and find one that does NOT have nonfat milk powder added--otherwise the Greek yogurt will be quite tart)

Yield: Makes approximately 3/4 cup whey.
To start, get out your yogurt. This is the kind I prefer:


Place your cheesecloth over your bowl, like so. 


Pour in your yogurt.


Place your spoon across the bowl. Tie the cheesecloth around the spoon. They whey strains out the bottom. How long you allow the yogurt to strain for will determine whether you end up with Greek yogurt or cream cheese. If you allow all the whey to strain (around 6-8 hours), you end up with cream cheese. If you only allow part, you have Greek yogurt. I wanted Greek yogurt so I left mine for around three hours. Play with it. Find what you like. 


Pour the whey into a  glass jar and keep in your refrigerator. Stays good "technically" for six months. (Note: I have used year-old whey and it was still good.) Use for fermenting, adding to smoothies, or mixed with water and lemon juice. 


And then, of course... Mmmm... Greek yogurt. Little Owl loves this stuff, too. I have been mixing it with sweet potatoes for her. 


Enjoy!

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18 comments:

  1. linda @ Axiom at HomeDecember 7, 2012 at 4:49 PM

    Great post, I love all the pictures and the way you are straining it. It makes it seem easy enough that I should give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownDecember 18, 2012 at 6:48 PM

      Hey, Linda. Hope you do. I don't think you will regret it. :)

      Delete
    2. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2014 at 7:37 AM

      Great website! Love that you show every step! :)

      Delete
  2. KimMarch 6, 2013 at 7:30 PM

    Thanks for the tip on how long whey can store for, I have built up a bit from my milk kefir and was wondering if it was still ok to use :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMay 30, 2013 at 12:03 PM

      Hey Kim! Thanks for stopping in. I use my nose to determine whether or not the whey has gone bad... not the most scientific but I'm still kickin over here. :)

      Delete
  3. eberry5003May 5, 2013 at 9:03 AM

    Everyone is always calling the leftover 'substance' something different, I've been wondering why some people call it greek yogurt and some call it cream cheese. Thanks for the explanation!
    I now find it funny when people pay extra money for Greek Yogurt!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Laywoman JulesFebruary 2, 2014 at 11:47 AM

    I am enjoying your blogs - are you on facebook also?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownFebruary 2, 2014 at 10:13 PM

      Hey! Yes, I am: www.facebook.com/littleowlcrunchymomma :)

      Delete
  5. EmmMarch 4, 2014 at 6:26 AM

    I'm interested in doing this to make the fermented carrot sticks. But now, I need to figure out how to make yogurt because we use raw milk products, never anything pasteurized. Hmmm. Learning never ends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacquelyn ByersMarch 11, 2014 at 4:54 PM

      Hey Emm!

      Raw milk is FULL of probiotics! What do you make with your raw milk? Anything? All you need is to separate out a little bit of whey. It doesn't have to just be from yogurt.

      We drink raw milk, too! Love the stuff. <3

      Delete
  6. AnonymousMarch 10, 2014 at 7:50 PM

    I dont have a cheese cloth, would a regular dish rag work?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacquelyn ByersMarch 11, 2014 at 4:55 PM

      In a pinch I've used one. :) You just need to separate out the liquid. That's all. So you might need to squeeze the rag a little more than you would a cheesecloth. Best of luck. <3

      Delete
    2. JoAnneMarch 22, 2014 at 8:05 AM

      I use 2 unbleached coffee filters, doubled up! I set them in a small strainer with a handle, which sits on top of a jar.

      Delete
  7. UnknownJune 5, 2014 at 9:41 AM

    Hi there! I'm wondering whether the yogurt you used to get your whey was pasteurized or not. If so,....would the whey still have probiotics in it? Wouldn't they all be killed through the pasteurization process?

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousSeptember 28, 2014 at 8:49 PM

    Hi! How can I get whey from raw milk? Ive tried letting the milk clabber (?) then a technique like hanging by the spoon to drain it. But it smelt awful lol Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousDecember 13, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    I make my own yogurt and then make Greek yogurt as the next step. I think my way of draining the whey is much easier. Line a colander with coffee filters. I use three spaced around the sides and bottom of the colander. Set the colander in a baking dish and add the yogurt. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Let set in the refrigerator overnight.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJune 20, 2015 at 12:49 PM

    I made whey from raw milk, letting it rest, then separating the whey from the curds (cream cheese). Can I use this whey to use as the starter culture to make yogurt?

    ReplyDelete

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