You've probably heard about the technique of degreasing broths or sauces , and if you're new to traditional cooking techniques, you'll be wondering what degreasing is .
Degreasing is the culinary technique that allows you to remove this excess fat , improving both the flavour and texture of your preparations. The need to degrease comes from the inevitable fact that, when we cook meats, stews or casseroles, fat is released from the ingredients that are included in the recipe. For example, you surely now remember how drops of fat appear - oily drops - in the water of the broth that includes vegetables and meat - it is fat that has been released from the foods that it includes.
You have probably come across broths and soups with oil. This is the fat released by food, and that is what we aim to eliminate with the degreasing technique. The same applies to stews and casseroles.
The concept of degreasing broths or sauces is not new, and has been done traditionally. You can degrease simply:
- You can wait for the broth or juices to cool, so that the fat rises to the surface and can be easily removed with a spoon.
- or you can put the liquid in the refrigerator so that the fat solidifies and then remove it in bulk.
- In broths and soups, you can also pass the broth through a clean cotton cloth placed in a bowl, so that the fat and food remains on the cloth. This technique is traditionally used to obtain very clean broths.
- You can use more modern techniques or utensils, such as a fat separator jug .
Catalan escudella has traditionally been passed through a cotton cloth to obtain a broth as free of fat as possible.
What is a fat separator jug?
The fat separator jug is a tool that has revolutionized the technique of degreasing, facilitating this process quickly and without complications.
This is a jug specifically designed to efficiently separate liquid from fat: it is a kitchen utensil designed to easily separate fat from liquids, such as broths, sauces or cooking juices. This is especially useful when you want to obtain a lighter sauce or broth without the fat that is released when cooking meats or other foods.
The fat separator jug is a high-quality and highly efficient utensil.
Example of use: If you are making a stew and want to use the juices for a sauce, but don't want too much fat left over, you use the separator jug to pour off the cooked juices. By separating the fat, you get a lighter liquid to thicken or reduce, thus making a more refined sauce.
The concept is simple, but very effective: when you pour the cooking juices into the jug, the fat, which is lighter, floats to the top while the denser liquid remains at the bottom.
One of the key features of this utensil is that the spout of the jug is located at the bottom , allowing you to pour liquids without the fat passing through the spout. This way, you can use the tastiest juices for your sauces or broths, leaving the fat behind.
In addition, in many cases, the jug incorporates a strainer at the top , which helps to separate the remains of meat and vegetables from the liquids that you are going to degrease, thus helping to obtain a totally fine resulting sauce.
When to degrease?
The ideal time to skim is right after cooking, when the juices are still hot and the fat hasn't solidified. You can skim broths, roast juices, stews, casseroles, and any cooking liquid that has a visible layer of fat on the surface. By doing so, you're ensuring you get the best flavor without the excess fat that can weigh you down.
How to use the fat separator jug?
Using the separator jug is very simple:
- Pour hot liquid into the jug: After cooking meat, stews or casseroles, collect the juices and pour them directly into the separator jug .
- Wait a few seconds: Give the liquid a moment to allow the fat to rise to the surface. You will notice that a layer forms on top, while the rest of the liquid remains at the bottom.
- Carefully pour the juices from the jug: Thanks to the spout at the bottom of the jug, you can start pouring the juices without letting the fat get into the sauce. Stop just before the fat reaches the spout.
- Discard or reserve the fat: The fat that remains at the top of the jar can be discarded or reused if you want to use it for other types of preparations.
Benefits of degreasing with a separator jug
Using a fat separator jug offers multiple advantages:
- Convenience and speed: Unlike traditional methods of refrigerating juices or removing fat with a spoon, the jug allows you to separate the fat immediately , right after cooking.
- Better flavour and texture: By removing the fat, you get a cleaner, more concentrated liquid , which significantly improves the flavour and texture of sauces and broths. The result is a lighter, tastier preparation.
- Healthier eating: Defatting your broths and juices reduces the amount of saturated fat in your meals , which translates into a healthier dish.
- Ease of use: The design of the jug is intuitive and does not require special technical skills, anyone can use it.
After making a stew, remove the fat, blend the leftover vegetables and meat with the defatted liquid and pass it through the pan to reduce. Return it to your stew and you will see what an explosion of flavour!
How to use the leftovers left in the strainer
The vegetables and scraps left in the strainer of your fat-separating jug are full of flavour and can be the perfect base for a thicker, more textured, rustic sauce . But how can you use these scraps after separation?
Step by step to make a sauce with the remains of the strainer:
Collect the scraps: Once you've separated the juices and fat with the jug, collect any leftover vegetables, meat and herbs in the strainer. These scraps often include carrots, onions, garlic, bits of meat or bones, which have absorbed all the flavour from the cooking process.
- Blending (optional): If you want a fuller-bodied sauce or a smoother texture, you can choose to blend the scraps with a hand blender or food processor. If you prefer a more rustic sauce, you can simply leave the chunks as is.
- Sauté or caramelize (optional): If your leftovers are too soft or you like a deeper flavor, you can sauté them in a pan with a little butter or oil for a few minutes. This intensifies the flavor and helps the vegetables caramelize, adding more richness to the sauce.
- Add liquid: Once you have the leftovers in the pan, add the defatted liquid you reserved earlier from the separator jug. This can be meat juice, broth, or even a little wine, depending on the type of sauce you want to make. If you don't have enough liquid, you can add more broth or water (I'll tell you how to do this below).
- Reduce and concentrate: Allow the mixture to simmer, reducing the liquid and allowing the flavors to concentrate. This process is a sauce reduction process , which also helps to thicken the sauce naturally.
- Adjusting the texture: If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a thickener, such as a roux (butter and flour cooked together) or dissolve a little cornstarch in cold water and add it to the sauce, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. If the sauce is too thick, simply add a little more broth or water.
- Season: Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, fresh herbs, or even a touch of lemon or vinegar for extra freshness.
- Serving: Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency and flavor, it is ready to serve over meats, side dishes, or as an accompaniment to a special dish.
Example of sauce with remains from the strainer
Imagine you've cooked a roast and the remains left in the colander include pieces of onion, carrot, garlic and some meat or bones. Here's an example of how you could make a delicious sauce:
- Blend the scraps in a blender until well combined (or mash them with a fork if you prefer a coarser texture).
- Sauté this mixture in a pan with a little butter to intensify the flavor.
- Add red wine and let the alcohol evaporate a little.
- Add the defatted broth that you reserved in the separator jug.
- Allow the mixture to reduce until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Add a little fresh rosemary or thyme and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Optionally, you can strain the sauce if you prefer a finer texture.
- This way, you will not only take advantage of the skimmed juices, but also the leftover vegetables and meat, which contain a lot of flavour. The result will be a rich and complex sauce, perfect to accompany your dishes.
Conclusion
While degreasing is a time-honored cooking technique, the fat separator jug is a modern solution that simplifies the process and makes it much more efficient. Whether you want to make lighter sauces, cleaner broths or simply improve the quality of your dishes, this utensil will become a must-have in your kitchen.
