Degreasing is a technique used to remove fat from the surface of a liquid, such as soup or stock. It can be accomplished in several ways. First remove the soup or stock from the heat and allow it to stand briefly until the fat rises. The quickest degreasing method is to skim off the fat using a large spoon. If the fat to be removed is animal fat, the liquid may be chilled; the animal fat will harden, making it easy to lift off. To remove fat from stock or broth, quickly pull a paper towel across the surface, allowing the towel to absorb the fat.

A utensil called a fat separator is a good choice for small amounts of stock or broth. It has a spout at the bottom of the container that allows the broth to be poured out without disturbing the fat at the surface. It is available at cookware shops.