Non-dairy milks are remarkably simple to make. However, the gritty texture of homemade nut and seed milks is a common drawback. This can be easily remedied with a simple straining of the milk. At Sanlinx, we have experimented with different straining methods over our years of experience with vegan milks, and ship all our soymilk makers with straining supplies.

Straining involves passing the milk through a fine filter to catch the bits of fiber on one side, letting the milk pass through to the other. There are several ways to strain vegan milk.

One common method is to use fabric, such as a nut milk bag, a cheesecloth, or even a piece of nylon hosiery. The milk is poured into the fabric, the edges are gathered, and the resulting pouch of milk and pulp is squeezed and wrung-out into a bowl or large pitcher. While effective, small particles of pulp can get stuck in the fabric and make cleaning difficult. It can also be too inconvenient for those who don’t like to get their hands messy. However, a fine fabric is generally the best at catching all the pieces of pulp. 

Another method is to use a metal sieve, like the one provided with our machines. Slowly pour the milk through a metal sieve, pressing the remaining liquid from the pulp with a spoon or spatula. 

While straining with a sieve is much quicker and easier, even a very fine sieve is not woven as densely as fabric, and will let some of the finest particles through. These particles are usually not detectable until the last few sips from the pitcher. 

We prefer straining with a sieve, so each one of our soymilk machines ships with a fine metal sieve and a matching pitcher. We find that most of our soymilk machine owners find one straining to be satisfactory. However, some of our customers find that they prefer to strain the milk a second time through a nut milk bag to eliminate any residual fine pulp. Waiting for the fine particles to sink to the bottom of the pitcher can also give the same effect. This comes down to personal preference – the extra time taken for a second straining results in an ultra-smooth milk, but one straining is generally enough.

Finally, not all nut and seed milks require straining. Nuts like cashews and macadamias have less tough fiber than almonds and soybeans, and don’t need straining. Rice disintegrates completely during our Grains cycle, producing an extra thick milk that doesn’t need straining. Some people may even find the texture of unstrained milks perfectly palatable. Whichever method you choose, we recommend that you save the pulp – it’s packed with fiber and nutrients, and can be added to anything from muffins and pancakes to smoothies. Check out a few ideas here!