Kitchen Tip: How to Strain Yogurt

How to strain Yogurt and Why?
Straining yogurt is not only fast and easy to do,
the"after"results are well worth it.

Why?
The reason for straining yogurt is a simple one:
When you strain the liquid or whey from yogurt,
you reduce the liquid, therefore minimizing
the amount of liquid in a recipe.
Strained yogurt adds a creamier and
richer texture to recipes.
Another bonus for straining yogurt,
it's good for you and
it's delicious~

Kitchen Tip~
This same method also works great for ricotta cheese.

I've been straining yogurt for well over a year now.
I strain my yogurt as soon as I bring it home from the grocery store.
Once you get into the habit of straining yogurt right away,
it will become a regular part of your grocery shopping routine.

While your putting the grocery's away,
get out some cheesecloth, wire mesh and a bowl.
Line the wire mesh strainer with cheesecloth,
dump in the yogurt, twist the top of the cheesecloth,
tightly down around the yogurt,
secure the cheesecloth with a plastic twist tab,
rinse out the container the yogurt came in,
save the container and set it aside.
Put the bowl into the refrigerator....and
continue putting the grocery's away.
How easy is that!

How to Strain Yogurt

Directions

• 1-16 oz container plain regular yogurt or Greek yogurt*
• Large glass bowl
• Wire mesh strainer
• Cheesecloth

Directions

1. Place wire mesh strainer over large glass bowl.
2. Place double thickness of cheesecloth over wire mesh strainer.
3. Carefully dump yogurt into cheesecloth.
4. Bring corners of cheesecloth together and twist.
5. Secure with a twist tie if necessary.
6. Place bowl with wire mesh and yogurt in refrigerator.
7. Allow liquid to drain out overnight or 8 hours.
8. This will remove all of the liquid.
9. Empty liquid in bowl if needed.
10. Yogurt should have consistency like sour cream.
11. Untwist the top of the cheesecloth or untwist the twist tie
12. Scoop out yogurt with a spoon or flip the strained yogurt over into an empty bowl, let the strained yogurt fall out. Peel off cheesecloth.

Note:
You can use the strained yogurt right away or
rinse out the original container the yogurt came in
label it "strained" and
put the strained yogurt back in the container.
Store in the refrigerator.
It will stay good until the freshness date
stamped on the container.

Use strained yogurt in baked goods, pancakes, dips,
smoothies, sauces, ice cream/frozen yogurt and
in place of sour cream.

*Commercial brands of Greek yogurt contain a fair amount of liquid.
Straining Greek yogurt leaves behind a thick and creamy yogurt.

Yogurt