Trudeau 0991105 Gravy/Fat Separator
by Trudeau
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List Price: Our Price: $7.95 You Save: $6.04 (43%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Trudeau 0991105 Gravy/Fat Separator
Customer Review: great product, speedy service
Summary: 5 Stars
I am really excited about my new tool. It works great, seems sturdy, and I am really glad I didn't get a smaller one.Customer Review: Wonderful Gadget
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered it because it was highly rated in Cooks' Illustrated. It works just as advertized and the price was right.Customer Review: Works great!
Summary: 5 Stars
Large enough for sifting juices after cooking a large pot roast. Easy to clean; dishwasher safe.Customer Review: Got Gravy? This will get you there.
Summary: 4 Stars
There is a point of culinary bliss when you can combine the drippings of a roast, whether chicken or beef, and that most blessed of vegetables, the spud. I'm talking of course, about gravy -- a simple concotion of pan drippings, a roux and maybe a bit of butter along with a dash of seasonings.
But all too often, what's left is a greasy, lumpy mess that doesn't taste right, and leaves you wishing that your mum was there to wave her hands over the pot and create magic. I kept trying and trying, and finally gave up to the inevitable -- the mysteries of gravy were going to remain beyond my reach.
Then I found out about this nifty little product after some intense research and a grim determination that I was going to learn how to make gravy, come hell or high water. And I wasn't going to settle for the bottled or canned messes available at the megamarts, oh no. I endured looks of angst from my SO, and could clearly hear his thoughts of oh no, not again! Much to my amazement, this product actually worked, relying on some very simple ideas.
The Fat Separator comes in two parts: the bottom portion is a large, rather teardrop shaped pitcher, with an oddly shaped lip to the upper portion and the spout coming up the side and starting from the very bottom of the pitcher. The pitcher can hold up to four cups or 1000 ml of liquid, and is calibrated as well. The lid portion fits tightly to the pitcher, and is perforated with small holes -- enough to let herbs, but not larger, portions through.
How to use this product: It's pretty easy, remove your roast from the pan, and pour the contents into the pitcher, using the lid to capture any large bits and pieces without them falling into the pitcher portion. Do not fill it too full -- you'll find that it won't really work once it gets over three cups. Wait a few minutes for the liquids to separate and you'll see the fat rise to the surface. Have a saucepan ready, and pour the de-fatted liquids into it. Repeat as necessary with the remaining drippings from the pan, set on a ready burner on the stove, and bring it to a boil.
Making the gravy: In the time that the separator was doing its thing, I'm assuming that you've been busy making a slurry for your gravy. What is a slurry, you ask -- it's one part flour or cornstarch to three or two parts COLD water, and whisked till very smooth. The reasoning for the cold water will become obvious once you pour it into the now-boiling liquids on the stove. This is where the magic happens, and your gravy will start to thicken up, and be sure to whisk madly as you pour in the slurry. This is what keeps the lumps from appearing, and the minimal amount of fat in the leftover drippings gets together with the flour or cornstarch and gets busy. Keep boiling for a few minutes, and then remove from the heat and give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to taste. Voila! You now have gravy, much to the joy of those eating your meal.
Why this product works: It's the lid, which keeps the fat portion from spilling over into the waiting saucepan, and the fact that the spout gets the liquid out of the bottom of the pitcher. The lid will also keep any small vegetables from getting into the pitcher and clogging up that spout. The oddly shaped top also helps to keep the various bits from spilling over as well, and helps to create a barrier to keep the fat from getting too quickly into the pitcher portion.
Cleaning it up: Here's where things fall down a bit. If you have a dishwasher, the manufacturor claims that it is safe. I don't know, I don't have one, so I had to wash by hand. Fortunately, the lid and pitcher separate easily. The lid cleaned up quickly, but it was the spout portion that gave the most trouble. Grease, unfortunately, tends to collect at the bottom, and I had to resort to using a very soapy, wet paper towel, and the handle end of a thin spoon to clean the wretched little nooks and crannys. I was also very careful to rinse this very carefully. And this was the only problem with this product.
It's not cheap either. I ordered mine through Amazon.com with a special deal with my roasting pan and rack. But the list price is just about 10$US, which is quite reasonable.
Summing up, this is an excellent product, and while it has a bit of a problem with cleaning issues, it's far far better than similar products that lack a lid. It's also large enough to handle most cooking, and I am quite happy with this. It solves a vexing problem that I've had with cooking, and it has more than met my expectations.
Happily recommended, with four stars.
Customer Review: Close to Perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
The Trudeau gravy separator is one of the best ever made. It is large enough (4 cups) to handle the fat from any roast, and is comfortable in your hand, which is key when you're making gravy. Since it's both wide and long, the Trudeau is easy to both pour drippings into and out of. This fat separator has a strainer at the tope and is relatively inexpensive.
My only complaints are that the strainer at the top should have smaller holes to catch more debris. The separator s/b made out of glass rather than plastic so it doesn't stain and is easier to clean. And it s/b made in the Americas or Europe, rather than China where people are exploited and denied human rights.