Easily Skim Fat from Broth with Our Test Kitchen Tips (2024)

FAQs

Easily Skim Fat from Broth with Our Test Kitchen Tips? ›

Our Test Kitchen finds the easiest way to remove the fat from the broth is to chill the broth first. Cover and refrigerate the soup or broth 6 to 8 hours or until the fat solidifies on the surface. Then use a spoon to easily lift off the hardened fat.

Opt for a metal ladle, as it conducts cold temperature effectively and is sturdy enough to skim the fat off the surface without bending or breaking. Set a bowlful of towels nearby to catch any drips or excess liquid during the skimming process, keeping your workspace clean.

Once a broth is boiling and scum is visible, quickly lower it to a simmer to prevent the impurities being incorporated back into the stock or beans. Then, as Nguyen suggests, use a fine-mesh skimming tool to remove the foamy bits.

In the theme of traditional cooking, wherein no part of a meal goes to waste, saving the skimmed fat from the top of bone broth is also an excellent way to have yourself a truly nutrient dense cooking fat.

Another, more wasteful way, for a small amount of fat on the surface is to drop a paper towel flat on the surface just long enough for it to get wet, then pick it up from the center and discard.

Akira K. Refrain from stirring for a while so that the grease rises to the top, then skim it off with a wide metal spoon. Drag a paper towel across the top to absorb grease (you'll probably have to use several paper towels). If there's time, refrigerate the meal overnight, then remove the solidified fat in the morning.

All you need is a stainless steel ladle filled with a few ice cubes! Hold the ice-filled ladle gently over the surface of the soup or stew wherever you see extra grease. The ladle works like a magnet, attracting the oil rising to top of the soup.

Afterwards you are left with just the delicious fat that you can use for frying, stir-frying, and baking. One of the added benefits of animal fats is that they are highly saturated so they can be used safely in high heat cooking. Pour into a glass jar, and once it cools, screw on the lid and store in the fridge.

While the scum can cloud a broth and generally look unappetizing, food scientist Brian Chau of Chau Time assured us that these fats and proteins won't pose any threat to health. “Skimming the scum is not a food safety issue. If there is some scum left over, the soup is still consumable,” Chau said.

Cut a large piece of cheesecloth and fill it with ice cubes. The amount of ice will depend on the amount of stock or gravy you are working with. Then tie the cheesecloth with a piece of string to secure the cubes. Dunk the cheesecloth into your stock or gravy.

Why do you need to skim broth? ›

If you leave the scum, it will break up into microscopic particles and disperse in your stock, making it cloudy. Straining later, even through layers of cheesecloth, won't remove it. Once it boils, the scum is there to stay. Cloudy broth is the worst case scenario, and, in my opinion, it really isn't that bad.

Some people say you must skim the fat off your broth to ensure a proper seal, however, I have successfully canned broth with the fat many times. The choice is up to you! This is why we ALWAYS wipe the rim of the jar with vinegar which de-greases the rim of the lid so that the jar can seal completely.

Myth 6: You have to skim the fat from your bone broth.

They are very healthy. Bone marrow is approximately 80% fat in a healthy animal. If you want the bone marrow nutrients, you need the fat. Industrial processes far more sophisticated than the home cook has access to could separate the fat from the nutrients.

Even though the bone broth is still nutritious, you know you want that collagen too amiright? Over-boiling is the sure way to kill off the gelatin, so take care not to.

Your bone broth taste bitter because you're using bones from an old animal or one that is sedentary and not healthy. If you use fresh ones, it won't taste bitter at all. If it tastes bitter or smells bad, don't worry about it, this has no effect on the nutrition quality of your bone broth.

While the scum can cloud a broth and generally look unappetizing, food scientist Brian Chau of Chau Time assured us that these fats and proteins won't pose any threat to health. “Skimming the scum is not a food safety issue. If there is some scum left over, the soup is still consumable,” Chau said.

Once stock is clarified and degreased, it is a fat-free food. If no salt is added, it is fairly low in sodium, but very flavorful.