I am in full Christmas dinner prep mode – as you need to be when you’re cooking for the whole family – and on my rounds I’ve spotted a roast dinner essential that has stopped me in my tracks: this OXO Gravy Separator Jug (now £18.99 at Amazon).
Making the most of a whole chicken by using it for gravy is a must, and I also love using leftover stock for other meals like ramen, but the process of separating fat from meat juices is never pleasant. That’s why I’m putting this jug straight on my ‘must-buy’ list, with a valve and external drain to keep the two separate so that you’re on your way to delicious and healthier gravy. Here’s how it works.
There’s quite a lot going on with this jug, all told. The process begins at the very top with a built-in sieve to catch all of the bits from your roasting tin that you won’t want in your gravy mix.
The liquid, along with the fat at the top, will then formulate in the jug – you’ll need to wait for it all to settle. The next step is to squeeze the handle of the jug to leave the fat behind. Your liquid will dispense from the bottom, ready to go straight into a waiting pan to be mixed into a gravy using gravy powder or browning (whichever you prefer!).
Clearly I’m late to the party on this one as this jug already has thousands of reviews on Amazon. With a 4.5 star rating on average, it’s clearly been a hit with shoppers already, one of whom commented that it’s a ‘convenient and reliable tool to have in your kitchen’.
Another was straight to the point, saying ‘Does exactly what it’s supposed to do and it’s easy to clean’.
There’s no point in a roast dinner without the gravy, so I’m hopeful that this clever purchase is about to change my future ones for good. Here are the other roast dinner essentials I’m leaning on this festive season.
M&S x Tom Kerridge
2 in 1 Wooden Butcher’s Block
This genius multi-functional chopping board has juice zones for meat carving and built-in pinch pots for food prep. It’s become one of my kitchen essentials so quickly and it’s big enough for a turkey.
Le Creuset
26cm Shallow Cast Iron Casserole & 25cm Rectangular Stoneware Dish
I’ve tried so many Le Crueset picks over the years and this casserole shape is easily my favourite. This deal at QVC is such a steal I can barely believe it. I’ve got my eye on the Shell Pink colour FYI.
ProCook
Rochelle Cocktail Glasses
For when the cooking is finally done, unwind for cocktail hour with one of these gorgeous glasses from ProCook. They’re super delicate and lovely.
With this jug in tow, that’s one more thing ticked off my pre-Christmas to-do list.
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