How To Make Your Own Greek Yogurt

Kemp Minifie

Greek yogurt is hogging the dairy case these days at your local supermarket, but it’s ridiculously easy to make it yourself. The effort involves no more than five minutes of mindless work on your part. The yogurt does the rest on its own.

The only equipment you’ll need is likely to be in your kitchen already, but if not, it’s basic supermarket stuff:  A deep bowl, a large sieve—preferably fine-mesh—that can hang over the bowl with plenty of free space between the bottoms of the sieve and bowl, and cheesecloth (helpful but not essential).

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Buy a large container of your favorite plain yogurt. (I prefer whole-milk yogurt for its flavor, texture, and wholesome balance of vitamins and minerals), but it’s your choice. Rig up your drainage system by setting the sieve over the bowl.  Line the sieve with a large piece of cheesecloth for extra insurance, but hey, know that I’ve drained plenty of yogurt with no liner, just the sieve.

Now put the contraption in your fridge and let the yogurt drain for anywhere from 1 to 24 hours. The yogurt gives up a lot of its liquid in the first hour, but will continue to keep draining after that. Check the consistency after the first hour and keep going if you want it thicker.  The method is foolproof, because if the yogurt becomes too thick, just stir in some of the whey that’s collected in the bottom of the bowl.

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Speaking of whey, don’t throw it out! It may look watery, but it’s got plenty of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. The liquid is tangy and therefore useful in balancing sweet fruits in a smoothie or use it in baked goods in place of buttermilk. It’s even supposed to be good for your skin and hair. No need to keep it to yourself, either. Share the goodness with your pet dog or cat by mixing it in with their regular food.

If you want to go all out DIY and make your own yogurt to turn into Greek yogurt, we’ve got you covered there, too. Check out our primer on making homemade yogurt.

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