Sometimes when you simmer soups, gravies and sauces, the ingredients result in fat rising to the top. Skim the grease or fat from the top of your sauce to reduce your overall fat intake and make it a healthier dish. Skimming fat is less challenging if your sauce has cooled, but you can still remove the grease from the top as it cooks, if necessary.
Hot Sauce
Turn down the heat on the burner. Slide your hand into an oven mitt or grab a kitchen towel to protect your hand.
Grasp the handle or the edge of the pot and tip the pot to the side so all the fat pools in one area.
Skim the fat from the top of the sauce using a large, flat spoon. Spoon the fat into a smaller bowl to discard later.
Chilled Sauce
Remove the pot of sauce from the heat and place it in a large bowl filled with ice to cool it down quickly. Leave it covered on the stove to cool to room temperature if you don’t want to use ice.
Pour the cooled sauce into an airtight container and place it in the fridge to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the refrigerator and spoon the fat from the top. The fat will be congealed and firm, so you can spoon it off without difficulty.