How to strain yogurt

Question

What is the best method for yogurt straining? cheesecloth? yogurt strainers? coffee filters? I appreciate it if you could share your experience.

score 9 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:33

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Yogurt is a protein mesh that traps the rest of the milk components. Many of the trapped components are water soluble- in particular un-denatured albumin, residual lactose, lactic acid, and riboflavin. The water and these water soluble components are the whey.

Draining off the whey makes the yogurt thicker, and sweeter as some of the acid washes away.

Stir the yogurt well to break up as much of the protein mesh as possible and free the trapped whey.

Then do as Elendil suggests and hang the yogurt in a cloth to drain for a couple hours. I use sturdy mesh cloth from the remnants pile at the fabric store. Cheesecloth is too fragile to be used very many times. How many times can cheesecloth be reused?

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:33

Community

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answered Apr 14 '11 at 12:21

Sobachatina

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Paper towel will also work in a pinch. Don't hang it obviously. We put it in a colander. – yossarian Apr 14 '11 at 12:31
I also use a metal mesh colander. It works fine. – michael Apr 14 '11 at 13:36
@michael- That is surprising. I would think that would need to be a fairly tight mesh? – Sobachatina Apr 14 '11 at 13:39
@Sobachatina It does seem strange, but michael is right. Just a standard fine sieve works just fine as long you don't put any pressure on it. – Jolenealaska Apr 12 '14 at 06:57

ElendilTheTall · Answer 2 · 2011-04-14T12:20:24.443

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I usually hang it in cheesecloth or muslin, over a bowl or the sink. This works fine and has the benefit of being washable and reusable.

edited Apr 14 '11 at 12:20

answered Apr 14 '11 at 12:01

ElendilTheTall

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I second you, in India a sweet yoghurt dish is made with strained yoghurt, yoghurt is hung in muslin cloth for some time and then cardamom powder with sugar, confectioner's sugar, is mixed – Kumar Apr 14 '11 at 18:12

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 05 '12 at 20:52

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A tea towel in a colander also seems to work. I'm doing it right now and the results look pretty good.

answered Feb 05 '12 at 20:52

Ben Criger

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered May 05 '11 at 05:24

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I have tried the paper towel in colander and it works great. I left it overnight and had thick creamy yogurt for raita and chicken marinade.

answered May 05 '11 at 05:24

Sandra

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How to strain yogurt

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