A gravy separator, also known as a fat separator, is a kitchen tool that separates fat from pan drippings. It comes in different styles, with the simplest being a pitcher with a spout. It is useful for holiday roasts and clarifying soups and stews.
A gravy separator is a kitchen tool designed to separate the fat from the pan drippings, leaving the flavorful juices behind. You may also hear a gravy separator referred to as a fat separator, which is actually a more accurate term, since gravy doesn’t have to be involved. Many kitchen supply stores carry this useful kitchen item, especially in the fall when cooks are gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas roasts.
There are different styles of gravy separator. The simplest and probably most efficient is a specially designed pitcher with a spout that connects onto the bottom half of the pitcher. To use the gravy separator, cooks pour the juices and drippings in and allow them to sit until the fat rises to the top. Then, cooks can flip the gravy separator over to pour juices, as it will emerge first as the spout is on the bottom of the tool. Some companies include a filter in the spout to catch large chunks in the drips.
One of the main advantages of this type of gravy separator is that it has the potential to be very large, accommodating the drippings from a large skillet or multiple roasts. It also comes with volume metrics, letting people know how much cash they need to work with. When buying a fat separator jug, remember to get one that is heat resistant and dishwasher safe, as you will be pouring very hot juices over it and will want to run it through a dishwasher to remove any fat that may otherwise have built up inside .
You can also find gravy separators built into basting bulbs, which can be good for quick work, but not so ideal when you want to get a lot of liquid. Several companies also make special ladles that can be used to skim fat from a bowl or pan of drippings. Both of these methods tend to get messy, however, and won’t nearly remove a jug’s fat.
In addition to being useful for holiday roasts, a fat separator can also be useful for clarifying soups and stews or drippings from pans on the stovetop. The pitcher comes in a range of sizes to suit various needs and many have lids to protect their contents.
If you need to separate the fat from a pan of drippings in a hurry and you don’t have a gravy separator, place it in the freezer for a few minutes, until the fat floats to the top and freezes. Then, you can gently peel it off and discard it, leaving the usable drippings behind.
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