Whey is mostly water that is left over from collecting the curds to make cheese, but it also contains residual amounts of protein (casein), calcium, lactose (milk sugar), fat, cheese bacteria (cheese culture), salts, minerals and enzymes. Traditionally, whey is a waste product – but there are so many great uses for this cheese-making by-product!
REMEMBER THE RULE: DO NOT POUR WHEY DOWN THE DRAIN – a high volume of acidic liquid can cause sewerage problems, changing the acidity and affecting the local waterways.
SWEET WHEY
Sweet whey is not fully acidified and still has adequate amounts of lactose present, so by heating the whey with some extra milk (or cream) and acid (i.e. lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid) you can also make ricotta while the hard cheese is draining. Two cheeses from the same batch of milk! Some cheese companies make cheese just to make sweet whey to sell as a protein supplement (because there is such a profitable market). Sweet whey is gentler on the garden as a tonic, too.
ACIDIC WHEY
Has a higher amount of calcium when compared to sweet whey. Acidic whey has a pH below 5.1. It is often used to cook (finish) mozzarella and halloumi cheese.
OTHER USES FOR WHEY:
- Reducing salt in fermented vegetable dishes i.e. sauerkraut
- Used instead of water in soups and stocks
- Using whey instead of water in baking bread, muffins and pancakes
- Cook pasta in whey – top up pot with hot water as required (ricotta will stick to pasta if made with fresh sweet whey)
- Garden tonic i.e. 1 part whey to 10 parts water
- Put whey in the compost
- Animal feed - traditionally pigs but also cows, dogs and chickens (sweet whey only)
