How To Thicken Yogurt For A Rich And Creamy Texture

There is nothing more upsetting than opening a fresh container of yogurt and realizing that it's just too watery too enjoy. However, this is not an irreversible issue! In fact, there are many ways to combat yogurt that is too much liquid and not enough solid. This is especially prevalent in yogurt with too much whey collecting on top.

Whey is a natural occurrence, but it can definitely feel peculiar when it appears as a small yellow pool on the top of a dish of yogurt. When this happens, it can be very easy to just pour the liquid whey down the drain and stir up the remaining yogurt to enjoy. However, excess whey can actually come in handy for a lot of other unique uses, like replacing milk in a smoothie or in a marinade for chicken or turkey. An easier way to collect the most whey is with the help of a strainer and cheesecloth.

Excess whey can be collected by straining yogurt through a cheesecloth. The cheesecloth can come in handy for improving many dishes, like ridding bacon of extra fat and allowing the chef to use the grease for other cooking endeavors. (The Golden Rule: Bacon goes well with everything.) Similarly, the cloth can be used to thicken existing yogurt and collect the liquid whey. After the whey separates from the yogurt, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

The possibilities of extra whey are endless. In fact, Reddit users provide numerous examples detailing their own common whey uses, like improving acidity in soup or chili, aiding freshly baked bread, and even using it as a starter for a new batch of fresh yogurt. While the immediate reaction to seeing the icky yellow grease-like substance topping a fresh yogurt cup may be to stir it in or pour it out, consider the many uses of liquid whey and improve many dishes after that delicious yogurt dish!