A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes transferring a mixture through a conduit, wherein the mixture comprises lean particles with frozen water, fat particles, and a fluid, allowing the frozen water in the lean particles to thaw as the mixture travels through the conduit, and increases a density of the lean particles, accumulating the lean particles with non-frozen water at a first elevation in the conduit, and accumulating fat particles at a second elevation in the conduit, wherein the first elevation is lower than the second elevation.
