Greek Yogurt Straining Calculator
Enter your yogurt weight and pick a style to see how much strained yogurt to expect, how much whey you will collect, and how long it takes in the fridge.
Results
- Whey collected
- 250 ml
- Fridge time
- 4 h in the refrigerator
Save the whey: it goes into smoothies, bread dough and pancake batter, or works as the liquid for lacto-fermented pickles. It keeps about a week refrigerated.
How the straining math works
Straining is a straight mass balance: the whey share of the weight leaves the yogurt and everything else stays behind. Greek-style drains about 25% of the mass in 3-4 hours, thick Greek about 35% in 6-8 hours and labneh about 50% in 10-12 hours - all strained cold in the refrigerator so the yogurt stays safe the whole time.
Making the base batch yourself? The yogurt starter ratio calculator sizes the culture and the milk fat adjustment calculator enriches the milk so the strained yogurt stays creamy.
Frequently asked questions
What should I strain the yogurt through?
A fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, a nut-milk bag or a clean cotton tea towel, set over a bowl deep enough that the yogurt does not touch the draining whey. Cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for the whole straining time.
Can I strain too long?
Yes - past labneh thickness you are heading toward cream cheese, which is delicious but a different product. Check at the low end of the time window, taste the texture, and stop when it is right; you can always strain longer but you cannot add whey back gracefully.
Is the whey good for anything?
Plenty: it adds tang and tenderness to bread dough and pancakes, blends into smoothies, marinates chicken, and can replace the water in lacto-fermented vegetable brines. Acid whey from yogurt is what most recipes mean, and it keeps about a week refrigerated.