Straining yogurt

What this skill is for

Straining removes liquid whey from plain yogurt to make it thicker. Use it when a dip or spread needs more body, not for every yogurt dish. Start with ready-to-eat plain yogurt; this lesson does not teach fermenting milk.

For our thick yogurt and herb meze, the yogurt should hold a spoon swirl before mixing. If yours already does, no extra straining is needed. If you strain thinner yogurt first, measure the recipe’s required quantity after straining, because some of the starting weight leaves as whey.

How to do it

1. Use clean equipment. Line a fine sieve with clean food-safe muslin or cheesecloth folded finely enough to hold yogurt. Set it securely over a bowl, with space below the cloth.
2. Spoon in plain yogurt, leaving room to cover the setup without pressing the cover into the yogurt. Do not add garlic, herbs or the rest of the dip ingredients yet.
3. Cover and put the setup in the refrigerator while it drains. Do not leave yogurt hanging on the counter. Check that the bowl collects the whey and the cloth stays above it.
4. Check the consistency with a clean spoon. For the meze example, look for a swirl that holds rather than immediately leveling out. Stop at the texture the recipe asks for, not at a fixed number of hours.
5. Move the thickened yogurt to a clean container and keep it refrigerated until needed. Measure the finished yogurt for the recipe, then add its other ingredients. Empty collected whey as needed so the yogurt never sits in it.

Recognize success

• Pale liquid collects in the bowl and the yogurt stays inside the cloth.
• The yogurt reaches the intended body; a spoon swirl holds for the meze example.
• The sieve and cloth remain clear of the collected whey.

Common mistakes and what to do

• Coarse cloth can let yogurt escape with the whey. Use a finer clean lining; do not mistake leaked yogurt for successful straining.
• A shallow bowl lets the yogurt sit in whey. Choose more clearance or empty the bowl before the liquid reaches the cloth.
• Measuring only before straining leaves less yogurt than the recipe needs. Measure the thickened result before starting the recipe.
• Straining already-thick yogurt can make a dip firmer than intended. Check the starting texture and stop when it suits the dish.