Removing Fat from Soups and Stews

Yep, Cav would have known all about it. And woulda thrown in something to make us laugh.

Just a guess, but I would think it would depend on the type of meat being used. Chicken fat isn't as "heavy" or solid as beef. Just thinking back, seems like it's always the beef that hardens on top.

Hmmm, I never gave it much thought, but you're right, it's so easy to get the fat of a chilled beef stew, but what a pain with turkey or chicken stock!

If I broil steaks, it's easy to cut or even remove the fat before hand. But it's so hard to cut fat off a raw chicken (and gross)

Maybe it has something to do with the saturated fat content?

BTW - I learned a really good technique for cooking steaks of that Food Network show "Good Eats" It was the best steak I ever made, 4 of us ate it and there was involuntary rolling up of eyes at the first bite.
Anyone interested?

Chai tea- Why are you teasing us? Let us in on the info!

Well, I've been accused of my posts being too long.....
my reaction - well, guess what talking to me must be like

Actually I hesitated because it might be a method that everyone knows about already, but red meat has never been my specialty.

This is for making steaks in your kitchen, not an outdoor grill - that for the men's

The receipe called for a porterhouse steak, but that looked fatty to me, and the price!

The sirloin was leaner, and on sale.

It seemed what I didn't know about was the high, high heat needed to properly sear and lock in juices and flavors.

OK -

preheat your oven as high as it'll go, 500.

Get a cast iron skillet, REAL cast iron. For those who don't know, cast iron must be "seasoned" before you can you them. Good news though, they sell them preseasoned right now - at Target.

Let that cast iron heat on a high flame on the stove for at least 5 minutes.
While waiting for the kitchen to feel like hell, season your steaks, both sides, with kosher salt.
Important - it must be kosher salt, it makes all the difference. Regualr salt just kind of melts. KS helps make the crust on the steak.

Toss those cut up sirloins in the cast iron and fry 4-5 minutes per side - resist the urge to mess around with them, checking, pre-flipping, etc.
When you done each side, they should look great on the outside.
NOW - take the cast iron skillet and place directly in that 500 degree oven, again, no longer than 4-5 minutes PER SIDE, flipping halfway through.
Finally - you must rest the meat for a few minutes. Take a large dinner plate and put an upside down saucer or bowl in the middle of the plate.
Lean the pieces of steak against the saucer/bowl for a few minutes.

The steak will be well grilled on the outside - beautifully rare in the middle, juicy and tender.

You can clean out the skillet with a handful of kosher salt and a scrubby.
Again, for those who don't know - NEVER wash cast iron in the dishwasher.
If you use water (I do, just a little to make a paste out of the salt, and to rinse) you need to dry the pan thouroughly on an open flame and when it cools down a little, you wipe the insides and ousides with some oil.

Fine - don't do that - you'll be sorry
I don't use mine that much, but I still always just leave it on the stove because it's so heavy

Do not try this if you've been drinking - a 500 degree heavy piece of iron will feel really awful if you drop it on your foot. And don't forget the oven mitts. (if you do, you won't EVER forget again)

OK, if you knew this already - sorry
If you didn't, take it from someone who more used to roasting tomatos and tofu - it turned out better than I thought I could ever do.

All this talk about food has made me decide to run to the market, pick up a roast and pop it in the crock pot for dinner tonight. Mmm.....

Chai tea: I read your instructions and thought that sounds like an Alton Brown method -- and sounds great -- then I scrolled up and see it was indeed taken from Good Eats. I know he likes to use kosher salt. :wink:


My mother has a special kind of, well, brush I guess you would call it, that wicks fat up and out of the soup.

Actually, this is the same method used on the BBQ (except for the skillet, of course)

The saturated fat left in the soup can be removed with quickly dipping ice cubes in the top of the pot. The fat will come out on the ice cube. You can also use a metal spoon to scoop it out and lettuce leaves will soak up the fat. This is, of course saturated fat so you want to get out as much as possible. The degree to which it solidifies will also be dependent on the refrigerator temperature and the length of time left. You could also put in the freezer for a shorter period. Beef, port and chicken fat is all a bit different.

I'm getting hungry

I would also add the journey to a good tasting roast beaf is to season and sear prior to putting it in the oven.
Season with salt, pepper, paprica and garlic powder.

Phoenix, Did you use any oil to brown the meat? If you did, that's probably what you see. Vegetable oil is not going to congeal.

I just got back from lunch and during lunch, I tossed me a post roast into the crock pot...with garlic and carrots and potatoes...mmmmmm......can't WAIT til dinner!

Yup- That must have been it!