Are you shopping for your Thanksgiving turkey this weekend? These tips will help you choose and cook a healthy turkey with less salt, lower fat and reduced cholesterol.
Preparation
- Select a fresh turkey that hasn’t been soaked in or injected with a brine solution. Choose the right size turkey: One pound of turkey will feed at least two people. (Don’t forget to add a little extra for those all-important leftovers).
- Add a half-inch of water or reduced-sodium chicken broth to the bottom of your roasting pan to keep the turkey moist.
- Rub the turkey with olive oil or canola oil to get a crisp, browned skin.
- Generously sprinkle the turkey with chopped fresh garlic and fresh herbs of your choice—parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, etc. They add great flavor without salt.
- Roast at 325° for approximately 20 minutes per pound. To prevent food-borne illness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 165° before you pull the bird out of the oven.
- Baste regularly while roasting. If the turkey gets too brown, cover it with a foil tent. Add more water or broth to pan as necessary during cooking process.
- If you’re using the drippings from the pan to make gravy, let the fat settle first and skim it off.
- Carve and enjoy!
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