At almost every class I teach, I’m asked “What do you do with all the leftover whey”? Since milk is 7/8 water and only 1/8 solid, there is a lot of liquid (whey) left over when your cheese (curd) is set. Here are some ideas for what to do with all that good whey (which contains vitamins, proteins and minerals):
- Feed to backyard chickens
- Use as a base in sauces or soups (see Soup recipe link below!)
- Reconstitute dried beans
- Use as the liquid to cook rice or pasta
- Use as the liquid in baking (see recipe for Whey English Muffin bread below)
- Freeze in ice cube trays and use in smoothies
- Make whey ricotta and whey butter
- Mix with carbonated water and/or other flavors for a nice protein drink
I’m sure there are many other good uses for this plentiful byproduct of cheese making. Send me your additions so I can share them with my students!
Whey English Muffin Bread
1 TBSP sugar 2 tsp baking soda
2 2/3 cups whey 2 tsp salt
2 TBSP yeast cornmeal, for sprinkling
6 cups flour
- Dissolve sugar in 2/3 cup warm whey.
- Pour yeast into a large bowl. Add sugar/whey and let sit 10 minutes.
- Grease 2 loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.
- In large bowl, combine 3 cups of flour and the baking soda.
- Warm the remaining 2 cups of whey to lukewarm and stir in the salt. Stir this into the yeast mixture.
- Pour yeast mixture into the flour mixture and stir. Add the remaining flour and combine thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans and press flat. Sprinkle the tops with cornmeal. Let rise in a warm place until center is 1 3/4 inches above the rim of the pan (30-40 mins).
- Bake 30 minutes
Makes 2 loaves. Eat one and freeze one!
Recipe for Wynkoop’s Gorgonzola Ale Soup submitted by student Karen Ragland which would be a great use for any whey but especially yummy from the whey left over from making Gorgonzola!
Bon Appétit!
posted by Kate Johnson
