Curds & Whey

My mother loves to give my sisters and I leftover curds and whey.  Fresh whey, when properly prepared, is a great natural probiotic.  Whey is good for chickens and humans.  Whey is the most beneficial when prepared from raw milk but I realize that not everyone has access to good quality raw milk.  Luckily, it can be made from good quality, unsweetened, plain yogurt.  The following recipes for yogurt whey and raw milk whey are from mother's favorite cookbook, "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon

Homemade Yogurt Whey

 Unsweetened, unflavored (preferably organic) plain yogurt

Strainer

Cheesecloth

Bowl

Put a strainer in a large bowl and line the strainer with cheesecloth.  Pour yogurt into cheesecloth and allow fluid to drip into bowl (This fluid will look like lemonade and may have some white cloudiness to it).  Allow to drip for several hours then gather the cheese cloth and (Don't squeeze!) hang above bowl until the bag no longer drips.  The entire process can take around 7 hours.  The remaining yogurt is now called curds or kefir cheese or farmer cheese.  The flavor is a bit pungent for my mother's tastes but when mixed with Ranch Dressing mix people gobble it up!  The curds and whey can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.  Yes, that's right...when properly prepared it has a crazy shelf life!

Homemade Raw Milk Whey

Good Quality Fresh Raw Milk (1 Gallon)
Yogurt Starter Culture (1 Packet)

Strainer

Cheesecloth

Bowl

Pour yogurt starter into raw milk, mix well, and set out at room temperature for 1 to 4 days until the milk separates.  When the milk separates, put a strainer in a large bowl and line with cheesecloth, pour milk into cheesecloth and allow fluids to drip into bowl.  After a few hours, gather the ends of the cheesecloth and hang above bowl until dripping stops.  This can take 7 to 14 hours.  Refrigerate when complete.  Shelf life of 6 months.