The “secret” to Greek-style yogurt is draining the whey…

So how do we drain it?

1.) Now that your yogurt batch is finished incubating, carefully pour the yogurt out of the glass jar and into the plastic inner container that came with your Yogurt maker.

Since the yogurt is gelatinous-like it will probably try to plop out of the jar – so pour carefully. Use a rubber scraper to help get all of the yummies out of the jar.

NOTE: All this glass jar, plastic container switching back-and-forth sounds a bit odd, but this is what works best for us. Obviously, you will skip this step if you incubate your yogurt using the plastic container that comes with the Yogourmet Yogurt Maker.

Using a good whisk, beat the yogurt until a velvety smooth consistency is achieved.

2.) Use 2 (two) natural, unbleached coffee filters placed together to cover the plastic container. Smooth the edges of the filters over the top of the container, like forming a molded lid. Use adhesive tape (we like Scotch® brand Matte-Finish Magic Tape) to hold the filters down over the edges. You need only use 3 or 4 pieces of tape to secure the filters in place.

3.) Continue following these steps below:

(a) Use the plastic strainer and place it on top of the yogurt container;

(b) Carefully turn the 2-piece container/strainer unit upside down;

(c) Suspend it over a bowl for draining.

Finally, place the bowl/container/strainer unit in the refrigerator to drain the whey out of the yogurt.

Now look… I have this Puddle of Whey in the bottom of the Bowl!

That’s good – that means your whey is draining. That’s the trick to a thick and rich Greek-style yogurt.

4.) After a few hours of accumulating a nice little puddle of whey in the bottom of the bowl, remove the yogurt from the refrigerator and carefully turn the container/strainer unit right side up on the counter. Empty out the whey (or find some other creative thing to do with this high-protein, tart, watery substance).

5.) Follow these steps to continue with the whey draining process:

(a) Gently peel down two of the pieces of tape from the sides of the container;

(b) Peel back the filters leaving it partially connected by the back pieces of tape (like a hinge);

(c) Using the whisk, stir the yogurt until it is velvety smooth.

TIP: Don’t throw away the filters because you will continue to use them some more…

6.) Now, carefully re-affix the SAME two coffee filters back onto the top of the yogurt container just as you did the first time. The tape can easily be brought back up over the wet filters – adding just enough of a “hold” to keep them in place while you put the strainer upside-down on the yogurt container.

As time goes on, you’ll probably get so good at this part that you won’t even need to use any tape the second go around!

7.) Invert and suspend the container/strainer unit back onto the bowl and return it to the refrigerator for more draining.

Repeat the process of removing the filters and whisking the yogurt a few more times during the day – or as many times as you wish to achieve a thick, creamy consistency. You will know when the time to drain and whisk is because you will see a puddle of whey in the bottom of the bowl. Figure about every 4 to 6 hours or so.

TIP: The draining time will vary according to the thickness of the yogurt and your own preference regarding texture and tartness.

Seriously… How long do I need to keep draining this whey?

It depends on how thick you want your yogurt to be. We like to drain our for at least a day or two. This extra process makes the richest, thickest consistancy.

We repeat this process of dumping the whey, straining and whisking the yogurt many times during the day, because we like the yogurt to be very thick and rich. We have found that the the process of whisking the yogurt before each draining, the faster the whey drains off each time.

The key is whisking between each drain.

If you are diligent about repeating this process, your efforts will be rewarded with wonderfully creamy, thick and rich tasting yogurt!

In case you’re wondering, the reason we switch over and use the plastic container for the draining process – rather than leave the yogurt in the glass jar – is because the yogurt seems to drain easier as there is no air restriction at the top of the plastic container like there is with the contoured glass jar…

Ok, I’ve drained out the whey to my liking… now what?

Once the yogurt’s consistency is just right for you, spoon out 3 to 4 tablespoons into a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Stash this precious little yogurt batch in the refrigerator to be used as the starter for your NEXT batch.

We recommend putting a sticker with the date on it so you will know when it was made. It should be kept no more than 2 to 3 weeks but, if you’re like us, you’ll be making fresh yogurt at least once a week!

At this point, you have several options. Pour into small glass jars or into a bowl to store in the refrigerator. Mixture will be very thick when cold (and reportedly keeps longer when thicker).

ENJOY!