Bag, Fridge or Ladle? The Best Fat Separator Alternative

A fat separator lets the grease in pan drippings or stock float to the top, then pours the good juices out from underneath. It is handy at Thanksgiving and when you make stock, but plenty of kitchens get by without one. The same job can be done with a glass measuring cup and the fridge, a plastic bag, a ladle, a skimming scoop or a baster.

This guide covers the fat separator alternatives that genuinely work, how well each one does the job, and what each one can’t do. If you would rather buy the gadget itself, our best fat separator guide reviews eight of them.

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Why cooks skip the fat separator

• The gravy is due now. The turkey is resting, the drippings are in the pan, and there is no separator in the cupboard.
• It’s a twice-a-year tool. Many cooks would rather use a measuring cup and a ladle they reach for every week.
• Stock day. A big pot of stock, pozole or birria broth is far more than a 4-cup separator holds, so skimming the pot or chilling it is the practical route.
• Small amounts. The juices from one chicken or a skillet of browned meat barely reach a separator’s spout.

Quick verdict: the best fat separator alternative

Five ways to skim fat, side by side

Our five picks, each for a different way of getting fat off drippings or stock without a separator, with what each maker or listing states.

Skimming fat without a separator: the methods that work

Every method relies on the same fact a separator does: fat is lighter than the juices, so it rises and sits on top. Tasting Table’s Catherine Nyorani puts it simply: the fat, being lighter, will naturally rise to the top. The methods differ in how you get the two apart and how long you wait.

Chill it and lift it off

Pour the drippings or stock into a container, refrigerate it, and the fat firms into a layer you can lift off with a spoon. It is the most thorough method and costs nothing, but it takes time and fridge space, as Tasting Table notes. It suits stock, soups and braises you make a day ahead. A narrow, tall container gives a thicker fat cap that is easier to lift than a thin film across a wide pan; that is general kitchen sense.

The bag method

This is the fastest way to make gravy without a separator. Tasting Table describes it step by step: let the drippings cool, line a glass measuring cup with a clean plastic bag, pour the drippings in through a strainer, and wait a few minutes for the fat to rise. Then snip a tiny hole in a bottom corner and let the juices run into the cup. Pinch the bag shut just before the fat reaches the hole. The article warns not to cut too much off, or everything pours out too fast.

Skim from the top

A ladle or a skimming scoop takes the fat off the surface of a pot while it is still hot. Tasting Table calls spoon skimming tedious and imprecise, since you either leave some fat or lose some flavorful juice, and that matches most cooks’ experience. A tool with a wide, shallow bowl works better than a deep soup ladle. Tilting the pot slightly so the fat pools on one side helps; that is general kitchen sense.

Draw the juices from below

A baster turns the job upside down. Tilt the roasting pan so the drippings pool in a corner, push the tip of the baster through the fat to the bottom, and draw up the juices underneath. It works for small amounts and leaves the fat behind in the pan. It is slow for a large batch, since a baster holds only an ounce or two at a time. This is general kitchen sense.

Cooling stock and soup safely, from Nebraska Extension

The chilling method means cooling a large amount of hot liquid, so the advice from Nebraska Extension’s guide to serving soup safely, which cites USDA, matters here. It says not to put a large pot of hot soup straight into the refrigerator, and to speed cooling by moving soup into shallow containers no more than two inches deep, or chilling it in an ice or cold water bath first. It says to refrigerate promptly and not to let soup sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Loosely covered food can go into the fridge while still warm, and should be covered once cool. It advises eating refrigerated soup within 3 to 4 days or freezing it, and reheating until steaming hot throughout, at least 165°F.

That pulls against the tall-container tip above. For a big pot of stock, split it into several smaller containers so each one cools quickly, then lift the fat from each. For a cup or two of drippings, a measuring cup in the fridge cools fast enough.

Our picks for the best fat separator alternative

Every pick was in stock with a new lead offer when we checked, and none appears as the same listing on our other pages. Two share a model with picks on other pages, through different listings; we say why under each one. None of them is a fat separator.

Which method fits which job

What we left out

We left out fat separators of every kind, including gravy pitchers with low spouts and bottom-release cups, since our best fat separator guide covers them. We left out fine-mesh skimmers: they catch foam and solid bits well, but liquid fat runs straight through the mesh, so they don’t do this job on hot liquid (general kitchen sense). Our best fine mesh strainer guide covers straining, which is still worth doing before the bag method. We also left out the paper towel and lettuce-leaf tricks; America’s Test Kitchen calls them messy, since they need fresh replacements every few strokes.

Fat separator alternative questions, answered

What can I use instead of a fat separator?

A plastic bag in a measuring cup, the fridge, a ladle or skimming scoop, or a baster. For gravy on the day, the bag method Tasting Table describes is the fastest. For stock made ahead, chilling and lifting off the fat is the most thorough.

How do I get fat off gravy without a separator?

Cool the drippings, strain them into a clean bag set in a glass measuring cup, wait a few minutes for the fat to rise, then snip a small hole in a bottom corner and drain the juices. Pinch the bag shut before the fat reaches the hole.

How long does it take for fat to rise to the top?

For pan drippings, a few minutes of standing, per Tasting Table. For a firm layer you can lift off, chill the liquid; how long depends on the amount and the container. Follow Nebraska Extension’s advice to cool it in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly.

Can I put hot stock straight into the fridge?

Not a large pot of it. Nebraska Extension says not to put a large pot of hot soup directly into the refrigerator, but to divide it into shallow containers no more than two inches deep, or chill it in an ice or cold water bath first. Loosely covered food can go in while still warm.

What do I do with the fat I skim off?

Let it cool and solidify, then throw it away in the trash, or keep it covered in the fridge for cooking. Don’t pour it down the sink. This is general kitchen sense.

Our last word on skimming fat

You don’t need a fat separator to get clean gravy or clear stock. A glass measuring cup and a bag handle gravy on the day; the fridge handles anything you make ahead; and a skimming scoop, a ladle or a baster cover the pot or the pan in between. If you make gravy every weekend and want the proper tool, start with our best fat separator guide, and to serve the result, our best gravy boat guide. For a broth where skimming matters, see pozole vs menudo.

And when you would rather someone else made the stock, see the menu or call to order.