Turkey baster fat separation

6 years ago

I was desperately trying to make the gravy shortly before we ran out of the house to carry the whole Thanksgiving dinner to my son and DILs house. The turkey was already out of the pan and wrapped for transport. So was the rest of the dinner.

I make gravy the same way my mother did. It’s not rocket science: Brown the flour in the roasting pan over low heat while constantly stirring, scraping up tasty bits, then slowly incorporate drippings which had been poured off as soon as the turkey is removed. I know there are a million ways to make gravy but my family is attached to “Grandma’s” gravy (Now I’m the Grandma, LOL, so I guess it’s still Grandma’s gravy). But I usually have a little time to chill the drippings to get the fat off.

Those plastic gravy separator things are too frustrating. Every one I have bought recently has cracked as soon as I poured the pan drippings in. I know they sell glass ones but every one I’ve seen looks so thin, that I’m sure it would not survive even one washing in my house.

I am sure I would not have thought of this had I not been so pressed for time. My drippings were in a pyrex measuring cup. I put the turkey baster in and sucked up the good juices from the bottom. 3 squeezes (or would that be inhalations?) and I had gotten it all. Each baster-full worked into the gravy in progress before going for the next one. Sure, a little fat made it into the nozzle from inserting: but really not that much. Less than would have gone in from a gravy separator. This was so fast and so easy. I’m thoroughly proud of myself. Just wondering why I never thought of it before.

Featured Answer

sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)

6 years ago

We don't have a separator. DH does the same thing with with the baster. We don't mind some fat.

Good luck and happy transporting!

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Comments (7)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
6 years ago
I use my meat injector.

dcarch
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
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I've ONLY used a fresh, nat'l turkey for 25+ years (Huntsinger in So. Calif.) and I get tons of brown bits, so I'm confused how this would happen to you. I'm clarifying to you that my turkey NEVER has been injected with the "8-12%" salt solution, etc. as many are but buyers often neglect to see the fine print. My procedure is to Pam my roasting pan and rack, place the washed and cleaned/trimmed turkey on the rack and THEN proceed to season it all over, including the insides, along with a final sprinkling of paprika for color all over. Some of all of this, of course, falls to the bottom of the roasting pan. I then always cook breast-side down for first 45 min. @ 425 F. and then breast side up for the remaining time at 325F., rubbing it with softened butter just once during cooking. I also tilt the unstuffed bird just prior to removing it from the pan for any add'l drippings that were inside. I have TONS of brown bits in the pan + about 1/2" at least of dk. brown drippings. I then separate this, commence with the gravy makings in the same roasting pan and then add in at the right time the cup or two of turkey broth (+ chp'd giblets and neck bits) I cooked earlier with the giblets, neck, wing tips, onion and water that boiled for 1.5 hrs. The color is DARK brown with NO soy sauce or anything else added (sorry, DCarch). Delish.
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sheilajoyce_gw
6 years ago
I use a glass separator that I have had for decades. It is thin, and it would break if I dropped it, but so far...
bragu_DSM 5
6 years ago
I use SWMBO, she is wonderful at separating me from my fat ... and no, she doesn't use a turkey baster. She uses sharp words.

*grin*
annie1992
6 years ago
Bragu, whatever works. (grin)

I have a fat separator type cup which I've never used, it's like this one:

https://www.oxo.com/good-gravy-fat-separator-4-cup.html

I also have a baster which doesn't work worth a darn since Mother took it apart to "clean it correctly", LOL. So, I dip out enough fat to make my roux, dump the rest of the drippings from the pan into that roux, add enough stock to make it gravy. It works pretty well, but I use pretty much all of that fat, it's definitely NOT healthy...

Annie
Feathers11
6 years ago
For years, I used this one from WS. The construct was delicate, and each time I used it, I thought, "It's just a matter of time..." It did last about 15 years, though--used and carefully washed only by me.

Now I have a very cheap plastic one that I bought in a pinch after the previous one broke. The plastic seems to be fine. I don't mind fat in my gravy, though, so if I didn't have a separator, it wouldn't stop me from making gravy. My grandmother, from whom I learned how to make gravy, never used a separator.
Lars
6 years ago
According to ATK, it's better to use the one that allows the broth to drain from the bottom, as Annie posted. I used to have the WS one, but it was awkward to use, and so I generally chill the mixture of fat and broth in the refrigerator, and the chilled fat is extremely easy to remove at the top. Of course this requires planning at least a day in advance and is not good for at-the-last-minute.

Turkey baster fat separation

sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)

Comments (7)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

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