After posting, about an inexpensive alternative to Greek yogurt, Lena left a comment saying she likes to buy Greek yogurt because she can use it as a substitute for sour cream. Here’s my best solution to Lena’s predicament.
Dairy 101: Milk can be separated into solid curds and liquid whey. Whey is nearly pure lactose. Greek yogurt is simply plain yogurt that has been strained. Therefore, Greek yogurt contains more curds and less whey, which is why it is thicker than normal yogurt and also why it contains more protein that regular yogurt.
Here is the very easy and safe way that you can turn regular yogurt into Greek yogurt:
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Instructions
- Place cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter into a strainer or colander.
- Place the strainer or colander over an empty bowl so that it’s suspended and there are several inches of space between the strainer and the bottom of the bowl. This will provide an adequate amount of room for the drained whey (mostly water) to collect below the strainer.
There is yogurt in the colander, but it’s hard to see in my blurry Instagram photo - Pour the regular yogurt into the lined strainer.
- Place the whole contraption into your refrigerator for about three hours or as long as overnight.
- Once the yogurt has halved in volume (or has reached the consistency you desire), scrape it out of the cheesecloth or filter and place in a clean covered dish or container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
And there you have it! Greek yogurt!
**After I took the pictures and posted this, I realized my glass mug probably wasn’t wide enough to catch all the liquid straining through the colander. In hopes of getting to bed at a reasonable hour I decided not to retake the photos. Hopefully you get the idea though. 🙂 This problem could be solved by setting the whole contraption onto a plate or into a tupperware bowl.
World At The Wayside 