If you’ve ever made chicken stock or broth, you know the golden liquid often comes with a layer of fat floating on top. Sometimes you want that richness, but at other times, you prefer a cleaner, lighter broth, and you need to know how to skim fat from chicken broth. My go-to method for removing fat is to refrigerate or freeze the broth, allowing the fat to solidify and be easily scooped off.
But what if you need to use your broth immediately? I’ll show you how to skim fat from chicken broth with my quick bread hack comes in: it’s simple, clever, and saves time. I use this hack if I need to use my chicken bone broth immediately after I make it, and I used my skimmed broth to make the ultimate comfort food, chicken peppersoup. Trust me, you’ll want to try it.
Why Use Bread?
- Quick & Easy: No waiting for broth to cool.
- Accessible: Everyone has bread ends lying around.
- Efficient: Bread acts like a sponge, gently pulling fat from the surface.
Quick Hack to Skim Fat from Chicken Stock
Ingredients
Method
- Pour your hot broth into a wide pot or bowl.
- Gently slide a slice of bread flat on the surface of the broth.
- Allow the bread to float and soak up the fat layer for a few seconds.
- Carefully lift and discard the bread slice.
- Repeat with a second slice if needed until most of the fat is removed.
Notes
- Be gentle when placing the bread; you want it to skim the surface, not sink in.
- This method is best for small batches of broth. For larger pots, use the freeze-and-skim method.
