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Forget cheese cloth for straining yogurt…

Yogurt so thick it sticks to the spoon when held upside down.
Where the whey collects.

Consider this a public service post for those out there planning to make homemade yogurt and intend to strain it to make Greek Yogurt.

If you Google straining yogurt, you’ll likely find a variety of blog posts telling you how to strain yogurt using cheese cloth. Or if you don’t have cheese cloth, using something like a colander. I have just one word for those methods, YUCK.

If you want more words, let me add messy and inconvenient.

I started making homemade yogurt over two years ago, and it has become one of my favorite things. I’ve probably already posted on it. I started out using my bread proofer, but then switched to the Instant Pot, because it is just so much easier.

After making the yogurt and chilling if for a few hours I like to strain it—and no, I don’t use cheese cloth, nor a regular colander.  Remember, I just said I switched to the Instant Pot for making yogurt because it was so much easier—and for the same reason I use the gadget in the photo above. 

It’s the Euro Cuisine Greek 2-Quart Yogurt Maker that I bought at Wayfair. It currently cost just under $42, but they have another one—same brand—that goes for around $25. Not sure what the difference is between the two. But I bought the more expensive one about 2 ½ years ago and love it. 

Why buy this when cheese cloth is cheaper, and you might already have a colander? It’s easier and neater.

After my yogurt chills I fill the gadget with my yogurt, put the cover on it, and set it in the refrigerator. It serves as a strainer and yogurt carton.  The whey goes to the bottom. The longer you leave it sit, the thicker it becomes. As you can see by the picture of the upside-down spoonful of homemade yogurt, it is pretty think.  That spoonful in the picture tasted a little like cream cheese. I’ve also used it in recipes that calls for cream cheese.

But that is too thick, you say. Simply scoop your yogurt into a serving bowl, stir in a spoonful of whey or two, until you reach your ideal consistency.

The problem with the cheesecloth or colander option, you can’t just forget about the yogurt when it’s straining through cheese cloth—not to mention the clean-up, mess, and needing to transfer it to another container.  

Yet, sometimes I transfer my strained yogurt and whey to glass jars, so I can add the rest of the yogurt to the strainer. Or, sometimes I simply wait until I’ve eaten what was in the strainer, until I add more.

So, if you decide homemade yogurt is for you—and you want to strain it to make Greek yogurt or cheese, then I recommend a gadget like this one. I believe it is well worth the money.

You’re welcome.