Preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that's lower in fat and calories but still thrills the crowd isn't hard. All it takes is a few ingredient substitutions and some clever fat-busting techniques.
The Big Turkey
If you're hosting a small gathering, buy a turkey breast rather than the whole bird, as breast meat is lower in calories than dark meat. If you do buy a whole turkey, avoid "self-basting" turkeys, as they often contain added fat. And--it goes without saying--stay away from the deep fryer this year, and roast or smoke the turkey.
Stuff the turkey cavity with whole or halved onions, halved lemons or apples, and sprigs of fresh herbs such as sage, marjoram, thyme, and/or rosemary.
Rather than rubbing the skin with butter or oil, spray it with an oil spray and season it with salt and pepper.
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Good Gravy
Gravy is one of the biggest calorie culprits on the table. Use vegetable oil rather than turkey drippings when making the gravy--it's still fat, but oil is lower in saturated fat and is cholesterol-free.
If you use turkey drippings to add flavor, use a gravy separator. Pour the gravy into a separator and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Some of the fat in the gravy will rise to the top of the glass where you can skim it off easily.
Better yet, make a low-fat broth-based gravy or a vegetarian gravy instead.
Cooking a turkey is actually surprisingly easy. To prepare the turkey for roasting in the oven, first remove the giblets (and save for gravy or stuffing). Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
- If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
- Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tie drumsticks together with string (for stuffed birds only).
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.
- Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. To determine how long to cook a turkey, use this chart to estimate the time required for baking.
- Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.
- The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) at the thigh.
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