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Chatelaine Kitchen

Our kitchen secret for grease-free gravy!

We've discovered a simple kitchen trick that'll cut the fat in your homemade gravy while boosting the flavour.
By Paul Lillakas
gravy boat Ryan Szulc

The holidays are finally here, and for most of us that means it's time for roasting! The secret to delicious, flavourful sauces and gravies is hidden in the rich pan drippings. These drippings hold the concentrated juices and aromatics from the roasted meat, along with lots of rendered fat. Removing this fat will cut a few calories without losing any of that wonderful, roasted flavour.

Here's our handy Chatelaine Kitchen secret: If you don't own a fat separator but want to cut the fat, we have a simple three-step trick that can be used in a pinch:

fat layer 1

1. Cool the pan drippings slightly.

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Fat layer 2
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2. Pour the contents of the roasting pan into a large zipper bag and wait for the fat to collect at the top.

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Fat layer 3
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3. Cut a small hole in the bottom corner and let the juices pour out pinching it closed before any fat escapes!

Using this method we were able cut 1/3 cup of fat from 2 cups of drippings. And the gravy boat will never know what it's missing.

Happy Roasting!

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