Kitchen rescueSauces and emulsionsEasy to save

How to fix a greasy or oily sauce

Let the sauce settle for a moment off the heat, then skim the fat off the top with a spoon. If the sauce has split, whisk in a splash of hot water or stock to bring it back together.

How you can tell

  • A layer or droplets of oil float on the surface
  • The sauce feels slick or heavy in the mouth
  • Oil separates out at the edge of the plate

Why it happens

Fat from meat, butter, oil or cream is lighter than water, so if it isn't held in an emulsion it rises and sits on top of a sauce. Fatty cuts of meat and skin can release a lot of fat during long cooking. In sauces that rely on an emulsion, such as pan sauces finished with butter, overheating or boiling hard can make the fat separate out. Adding too much fat for the amount of liquid has the same effect.

How to fix it

Option 1Skim the fat

  1. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes so the fat rises
  2. Tilt the pan slightly so the fat gathers at the side
  3. Spoon it off, or lay kitchen paper on the surface briefly to soak it up

Option 2Chill and lift

  1. If you have time, cool the sauce and chill it
  2. The fat will set into a layer on top
  3. Lift it off and reheat the sauce

Option 3Re-emulsify a split sauce

  1. Whisk in a splash of hot water or stock
  2. Keep whisking off the heat until the sauce looks glossy and even

Next time

  • Trim excess fat from meat before cooking and pour off fat after browning
  • Don't boil sauces that are finished with butter or cream
  • Add fat gradually and stop when the sauce looks glossy rather than oily

Terms on this page

General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.