DEGREASE

To remove the fat from a stew, stock, or sauce by using either of two methods. Using a large ladle, start in the middle of the pot, floating the ladle on top of the liquid, swirl the mixture outward. Then follow the outside of the pot, gently dipping the ladle into the liquid to remove the collected fat. The other method is to cool the mixture in the refridgerator and skim the resulting hardened top layer of fat.