What is the purpose of degreasing in cooking?

Degreasing serves a crucial role in enhancing the quality and healthiness of dishes, particularly stocks, sauces, or soups. The process involves removing excess fat, which can lead to a greasy or overly rich final product. By straining or skimming off this fat, the resulting dish not only becomes healthier by reducing the overall fat content, but it also allows the flavors of the other ingredients to shine through more clearly. This practice is important for achieving a balanced dish, ensuring that flavors are not masked by unnecessary richness. Moreover, this technique contributes to a more appealing texture and presentation, as well as making the dish lighter, which can be particularly desirable in many culinary applications.