Cooking dinner - HELP!!!!

[greenstate]

I am cooking braised short ribs for the first time. They have been in the oven for 3 hours and I now have them resting, uncovered and the fat is forming a thick layer on the surface. How do I de-fat them in the next two hours? I usually take the fat off when something cools but I don't have time now. What can I do?

[aussiewonder]

When making gravy I pour all the liquids (cooled) into a zip lock bag and let the liquid settle. Then tip the bag so all the juice runs into one corner - you can probably see the layer of fat on top. Make a small cut and drain the juice into a small bowl and stop when the level of fat gets to the corner. This isn't a completely 'fat proof' method but works pretty well for me.

[greenstate]

Thank you for the tips. I will let you know.

[greenstate]

I tried the Ziplock back method suggested by aussiewonder and it worked great. Thank you so much.

[aussiewonder]

No worries! Glad i could be of assistance. And thank you for a tasty salmon dinner :)

[MMRuth]

I would remove the layer of fat, though the recipe I use calls for straining the sauce into a pan, and then reducing it. You can use a skimmer, or paper towels, depending on how thick the layer of fat is.

[greenstate]

What is a skimmer?

[MMRuth]

I use a slotted spoon or a fine strainer to do this. If the fat is congealing at the top, it should be relatively simple to remove it. You could also put the pot in the fridge for an hour or so, which might make the job easier.

[chileheadmike]

You could strain it over ice.