draining whey

chewie · #1 08/05/12, 12:23 PM

just checking, but seems to me draining whey down the sink isn't a good idea. thought I read that a few times as well. yes or no?? currently i drain in a pan and dump outside.

tinknal · #2 08/05/12, 12:29 PM

You shouldn't drain it at all, you should use it!

stamphappy · #3 08/05/12, 12:34 PM

Oh no! We need to start a thread on uses for whey. Let's see, you can make ricotta cheese. You can make whey lemonade, feed it to your animals, make ice cubes with it to add to any drink, there's an awesome english muffin bread you can make, you can use it for any veggies that you cook by boiling, you can use it for soup stock.

Anyone else???

Illini · #4 08/05/12, 01:25 PM

Use it as a replacement for the liquid in your favorite bread recipe.

Use it to feed the chickens or pigs.

Use it.

Best,

Kathy

7thswan · #5 08/05/12, 03:07 PM

Get a piglet.

**highlands** · #6 08/05/12, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Get a piglet.

Agreed. Best use for whey, if you don't want to drink it, is to feed it to pigs so as to grew delicious meat. Chickens will also drink whey as someone noted but they're not as good at converting it to food for us as pigs are. We feed whey to about 300 pigs. They love it and it produces delicious pork.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont

Alice In TX/MO · #7 08/05/12, 05:24 PM

It makes great fertilizer for tomatoes, just don't over do it.

Also goes nicely in compost on occasion.

Bat Farm · #8 08/05/12, 05:53 PM

I was going to mention the compost and tomatoes but Alice beat me to it

We also make the ricotta and give it to the bacon and egg makers.

ETA - in regards to the actual question

I don't see why not. There have been times I've been too overwhelmed with whey to use all of it and have dumped it down the drain with problems.

Alice In TX/MO · #9 08/05/12, 07:01 PM

Do NOT dump it in septic systems. It will overwhelm the system if you are making a lot of cheese.

mamajohnson · #10 08/05/12, 10:44 PM

I have even put it in canning jars and canned it like milk or broth. (pressure canned)
Then use it in biscuits, breads, soups, gravies, etc.
I don't throw anything out if it can be canned, eaten, frozen, fed to the kids, or animals. Never even thought about using whey for fertilizer.

Terrabus · #11 08/05/12, 11:04 PM

I once gave whey to my dog. She went nuts and would have devoured all I had. I have never seen her like that before or since. I stopped because whey is a bit too heavy in protein and I didn't want to hurt her kidneys. But wow! That was a treat she couldn't get enough of and acted like it was an addiction.

chewie · #12 08/05/12, 11:23 PM

I do use some of it, but dang, I am getting 2-4 buckets (5gal) per week, that's too much for me to use! I'll just dump outside still, not the drain. thanks.

suzyhomemaker09 · #13 08/06/12, 07:09 AM

Git yerself sum chikins Chewie !!

MOgal · #14 08/06/12, 04:50 PM

Make gjetost. I'd try it in a crockpot rather than spend all the time necessary. At least I'd try that once....

Gjetost

wogglebug · #15 08/07/12, 11:35 AM

Whey is milk protein - casein. You shouldn't dump it (apart from the "use it" arguments) because it will form a lactoplastic (like casein glue) which which will clog up drains.

Ricotta is zero-fat cheese, a great diet food you can set up with yoghurt culture. The ricotta can also be used as cauliflower au-gratin or even better, cabbage au-gratin, perhaps add some grated carrot, then cheese and breadcrumbs. Cook, then toast the breadcrumb top.

As others have said, grain and whey make great pig or poultry feed. The calcium in the whey is a good additive for eggs and shells.

Sonshine · #16 08/07/12, 11:40 AM

Ok, for those of you throwing out ideas on how to use whey, how about some recipes? For instance, how do you use whey to make ricotta? I didn't know it could be used. I know, I'm a newbie when it comes to cheese making.

chewie · #17 08/07/12, 11:46 AM

I do make ricotta, tons of it. we only have 10 chickens, 2 dogs. only so much whey can be used, my goats are still giving over 2 gallons per day, and I make a lot of cheese. just got a cheese cave fridge set up, made a few blues, a big cheddar and a couple goudas. all of which leave tons of whey. to make ricotta, heat the whey til almost boiling. you will see the surface change from just liquid to white ricotta floating on top. then I shut it off, let it sit a short time, and I just ladle it off into a cheesecloth lined colander. I vac pac it and freeze for later if I dont' use it up right off.

went back and forth on getting a pig or 2, but the grain they'd need in addition to the whey veto'd the piggies. I don't have my own grain, so buying it put me out of the pig business.

frankva · #18 08/07/12, 12:34 PM

Piggybacking on this thread-

I eat a bunch of store bought, store brand yogurt. I like to dig a hole in the container and then pour off the water after it sets. Texture thing...

Am I cheating myself on protein? Is this just water that settles out or is it whey?

thanks ahead.

7thswan · #19 08/07/12, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wogglebug

Whey is milk protein - casein. You shouldn't dump it (apart from the "use it" arguments) because it will form a lacto plastic (like casein glue) which which will clog up drains.

Ricotta is zero-fat cheese, a great diet food you can set up with yogurt culture. The ricotta can also be used as cauliflower au-gratin or even better, cabbage au-gratin, perhaps add some grated carrot, then cheese and breadcrumbs. Cook, then toast the breadcrumb top.

As others have said, grain and whey make great pig or poultry feed. The calcium in the whey is a good additive for eggs and shells.

Useless piece of info for you(something my brain collects). Casein is also used to make Knitting needles. The are good for people with arthritis, as they warm with use . The stitches also stay nicely on the needle for those unnimble or inexperienced hands.

Rick · #20 08/07/12, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewie

I do make ricotta, tons of it. we only have 10 chickens, 2 dogs. only so much whey can be used, my goats are still giving over 2 gallons per day, and I make a lot of cheese. just got a cheese cave fridge set up, made a few blues, a big cheddar and a couple goudas. all of which leave tons of whey. to make ricotta, heat the whey til almost boiling. you will see the surface change from just liquid to white ricotta floating on top. then I shut it off, let it sit a short time, and I just ladle it off into a cheesecloth lined colander. I vac pac it and freeze for later if I dont' use it up right off.

went back and forth on getting a pig or 2, but the grain they'd need in addition to the whey veto'd the piggies. I don't have my own grain, so buying it put me out of the pig business.

Trade it to someone with pigs, for some bacon futures.