Help, just got a new fat separator

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legend_018

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I never owned one before. I got a good grips one - 4 cups. If anyone has one of these, please help me. I'm not using it right now, but trying to figure out how it's used. It says to insert strainer and stopper into the fat separator. Pour gravy thru the strainer into the Separator. Fat rises to the top while lean gravy settles to the bottom.

1. Do you have to have a total 4 cups of gravy for this to work? What if I only make 2 cups of gravy for example. The bottom of the strainer is actually a little bit above the 4 cup mark. Trying to figure how something can rise if the strainer is ABOVE the top of the liquid level.

I guess when I opened the package, I expected the holes on the strainer would be smaller, but maybe I just need to see it work once to understand how it all works. At first I thought maybe it would stop the fat from going into the cup/fat separator as your pouring it, but than I read that it says the fat RISES to the top.

This is suppose to eliminate having to put the gravy into the refrigerator over night so I can strain fat off the top and so I can do it RIGHT after cooking at times.

There were very good reviews about this Good Grips Fat Separator.

Funny it almost looks like a measuring cup with a handle and a strainer to fit the top. I could of made this. ha ha ha ha.

I'm trying to figure out or make sense to how this might work.
 
The strainer is just a strainer. It will strain out any large chunks.

Look at the separator and you will see that the spout attches at the bottom of the cup. That's how it works.

Fat is lighter than water, so it will rise to the top. Since you pour from the bottom, you pour off the lean liquid leaving the fat in the cup.

You don't need to have 4 cups of liquid.
 
The key to the fat separator is that the spout is attached to the bottom of the cup.

The strainer is there to take solid chunks out of the liquid you're trying to separate. After you've poured in all the liquid, you can remove and clean off the strainer.

Let the liquid sit undisturbed for a few minutes to allow time for the fat to rise to the top of the liquid. (like cream rose to the top of a milk bottle in the days before homogenization).

Then you can pour the fatless liquid out of the fat separator because the liquid flows from the bottom of the cup out the spout. You have to stop pouring when the liquid level gets low and only fat is left.
 
I hope you find you enjoy the separator. I love mine, especially this time of year when we are trying to lighten things up. But if you are really into cooking as most of us are, you can strain the fat off chickens, ducks,and geese and use it to cook with. So yummy.
 
I have the 4-C OXO Good Grips fat separator as well. While I prefer the glass units (for ease of cleaning), I've got by fine with this unit.

First step is to throw away the gray insert plastic "strainer". Thats right, brand new out of the package and into the trash... :LOL: While you're at it, you might consider ditching the almost equally useless stopper for the spout.

Before use, utilize a fine-mesh strainer to filter whatever fluids you're separating. Then use as directed above - waiting a minute or so before pouring off the juices. Pour slowly (and don't pour, then level off to check your progress, keep pouring as described below) and watch what is traveling out of the spout through the side of the spout. When you see some cloudy turbulence, right the separator to keep the fats from flowing out.

If you want you can practice by pouring in some water and vegetable oil. and pouring it off.

Make sure you have a $1 bottle brush to clean the interior of the spout lest you poison the family on meal two! ;)
 
ok thanks, reading through all the posts and I think I'm feeling more comfortable with how this works.
 
I tried a fat separator once, and hated it. I put my gravy in a measuring cup, let the fat come to the top and then place a paper towel on top, it soaks up the fat and I just discard the paper towel. Works for me.
 
I tried a fat separator once, and hated it. I put my gravy in a measuring cup, let the fat come to the top and then place a paper towel on top, it soaks up the fat and I just discard the paper towel. Works for me.

I've done that too. It works well enough when you're in a hurry, otherwise, I just let it sit in the fridge as long as possible and scoop off the fat later.
 
I tried a fat separator once, and hated it. I put my gravy in a measuring cup, let the fat come to the top and then place a paper towel on top, it soaks up the fat and I just discard the paper towel. Works for me.


I use the paper towel method too. I don't bother with the measuring cup, I do it in the pan.
 
I tried a fat separator once, and hated it. I put my gravy in a measuring cup, let the fat come to the top and then place a paper towel on top, it soaks up the fat and I just discard the paper towel. Works for me.

LOL! I do that, too!
 
I've tried the papertowel method, but I gets so messy, wet, can't tell if I'm getting the fat off etc. etc. i actually bought two of them, one for me and one for my mom. She recently made a turkey dinner and was rushing to get gravy ready afterwards. My stepdad was complaining about how greasy the gravy was and how it wasn't done right. I tried to tell him that what can you expect - if you don't let it sit for a few hours or over night to get the fat out. We were discussing fat separators that day and so for her birthday I got her one. She don't know yet though since her birthday party is here on Sunday.
 
Yes, but what if you want to save and use the fat! :pig:
I wouldn't dream of discarding turkey fat, or fat from roast chicken!


I typically use the paper towel method when I'm just removing a little fat from the surface of a pot of soup or pot roast. For lots of fat such as turkey or chicken drippings, I use a fat separator or spoon off the majority of the fat with a spoon or ladle.
 
My gravy/fat seperator, happen to be quite good friends!! I LOVE mine! I use it quite frequently even. Many yrs. ago, I had a retangular-ish shaped pour handled one, &, it was made of cheap plastic, so, it cracked on me quite early on...GAH! I used the paper towel trick many times enough after that, then, one day, bucked-up, & got a new seperator....I LOVE it sooo much, that, we are planning a honeymoon to Paris this spring!!! LOL :)

ETA - I don't give a HOOT what "customs" has to say about this either!!! *sticks out tounge to customs employees* HA
 
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Then don't throw it out. Its at the bottom of the cup at the end.

I was referring to people always using the paper towel method - I use a separator all the time and love it!

If a soup has some small globules of fat floating around, I actually like it. Similar to dressing a minestrone with a thin stream of EVOO, or a South-East Asian soup with some garlic-chile oil.
 
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