Uses for whey?

[tankgirl73]

I'm about to venture on my first yogurt-making project!  I'm really astounded that it's as easy as this, i mean, I kept hearing people talk about how easy it is but I didn't believe them, so I finally looked it up and i'm like "oh, wow, that IS easy".
 

Anyway, I like my yogurt nice and thick, so I'm planning on draining out some of the whey once it's cultured.  I was just wondering if there's any useful things to do with the whey, rather than just "wasting" it by dumping it down the drain!

[skreader]

The amounts of whey I get from draining yoghurt are pretty negligible. I'd recommend either just drink it off yourself immediately, or throw it in a sauce or soup or oatmeal.

Or, if you have one, try feeding it to the dog.

[tankgirl73]

Haha... I used one litre of milk which made one litre (4 cups) of regular yogurt.  I kept 2 cups of it as is, no whey drained off.  But I like my yogurt thick, so the other 2 cups I set in a coffee filter over a bowl.  After about an hour, I had 1 cup of amazing thick yogurt and 1 cup of yellow-green whey!

So I wouldn't say it's 'negligible' -- not when making greek-style yogurt, anyway.  :)

Well I did some research and it seems there's lots of uses for it -- drinking it straight (not sure if I'd like the flavour), mixing it into stews, making whey biscuits, adding it to smoothies for a protein punch (that's what whey protein powder is made from, after all!).  No dog, but 2 cats, if I'm desperate we'll see if they like it.  

This yogurt is so amazingly yummy... I added about 4 Tbsp of local raw honey to my 1 cup of ultra-thick yogurt and it's just divine, a real nice imitation of the store-bought yogurt I prefer (which is organic and pretty 'pure' in terms of ingredients but uses "honey-flavoured sugar" instead of honey!)... 

2 litres of organic whole milk runs $5-7, depending on the store and the brand.  That would make 4 pints of regular-thickness yogurt, which runs $4-5 a pint in the store for good organic stuff.  Or 2 pints of thick Greek-style, which has been costing me $6/pint.  So it's definitely cheaper!  And it really was easy and came out so nice and yummy.  We're sold!

[ollyoxenfree]

Yes, love that homemade yoghurt. I usually make a batch once a week now. You can also use the whey to replace some or all of the liquids in breads, muffins etc. 

I've noticed our regular supermarket often marks down the organic milk to half-price for quick sale. I think with rising food costs, people aren't buying it, so it's sitting on the shelf until the sell-by date. I always check and grab some to make yoghurt if I find it at a good price. 

[skreader]

When I wrote "negligible" I guess I was comparing  to the litres of whey left-over when I make cheese. :)

Glad you're happy w/ your yoghurt making. Drained yoghurt is great for Tzatziki (which is usually the only time I drain mine).

Good luck in using it up. Maybe think about using it in smoothies if you make those.

Originally Posted by tankgirl73 

.  But I like my yogurt thick, so the other 2 cups I set in a coffee filter over a bowl.  After about an hour, I had 1 cup of amazing thick yogurt and 1 cup of yellow-green whey!

So I wouldn't say it's 'negligible' -- not when making greek-style yogurt, anyway.  :)

[EllaMae]

Don't throw that whey out!  Drinking it straight is refreshing and so good for you.  Also, any legume or grain that you need to pre-soak to make it more digestible can be done through the use of whey mixed in the soaking water.  In Sally Fallon's now famous cookbook, Nourishing Traditions, she explains all this.  One example:  take rolled oats, cover w/ warm water, add a tablespoon of whey, let soak overnight or longer, then cook for a yummy, slightly soured porridge.  My new favorite way for whey is a smoothie:  add one cup whey, one cup berries of your choice, a tablespoon or so of raw honey, and blend.  SO YUMMY!