Good Gravy!

Good Gravy! I love gravy...mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken fried steak and gravy, roast beef and gravy, and what would Thanksgiving be without Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing...and gravy?...you get the picture. But, who feels guilty about putting gravy on things because it has all that FAT? Ok, well sometimes I don't care that much, but sometimes I do. What if there was a way to decrease the fat content of your homemade gravy? I didn't say make it "perfect" or "healthy" necessarily, just better. Of course, I wouldn't be posting this if there wasn't a solution. So, here it is:

A Gravy Separator

A gravy separator is designed to separate the fat from pan drippings (or juices left in your crockpot, if you cook in there like I do), leaving the "flavorful juices" behind.

There are a TON of different styles of gravy separators. The simplest and, according to WiseGeek.com, the most efficient is a "specially designed pitcher with a spout which connects the bottom half of the pitcher. To use the gravy separator, cooks pour pan juices and drippings in and allow them to sit until the fat rises to the top."

To do this faster, and/or a little more efficiently, you can fill the gravy separator half-full with ice cubes. The fat will congield to the ice cubs, which will make the process quicker and easier. Pour your juices into the separator, and wait for the fat to rise. Then just tip the gravy separator to pour out the juices, while will emerge first since the spout is on the bottom of the tool. Some brands of separators include a filter in the spout to catch large chunks in the drippings. (If I cook a roast, I always cook it with a packet of Onion Soup Mix. If you don't like the onion parts, a filter is useful. However, you can also pour the juices through a small kitchen strainer, which works just as well.) I usually pour the liquid from my separator directly into a sauce-pan so that I can thicken it on the stove (with a 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch softened in water).

This type of gravy separator can be very large, which can hold a lot of drippings. They usually contain volume measurements, so you know how much liquid you have to deal with.

*Hint: when you buy a "fat separator," try to find one that is heat-resistent and dishwasher safe. You will likely be pouring hot juices into it, and then you will want to run it through the dishwasher to remove the grease that would otherwise build up.

*Another Hint: If you need to separate fat from a pan of drippings in a hurry and you don't have a gravy separator, stick it in the freezer for a few minutes, just until the fat floats to the top and congeals. Then, you can gently peel it off and discard it, leaving the usable drippings behind.

How Easy Is That?!?