How to Cook the Thanksgiving Turkey: To Fry or Not to Fry

As you probably know by now, deep-frying has become a popular method for cooking a whole turkey – especially in the south. When done properly, deep-fried turkey can be a tasty treat. But it is important to keep in mind that deep-frying your turkey will add fat and calories. Also, deep-fried turkeys are often injected with a marinade, which can be high in sodium.

However, the difference in calories and fat isn't as big as you would think. Though the nutritional content varies by cooking style, here are some approximations: 3.5 ounces of deep fried turkey has approximately 190 calories and 11 grams of fat, while the same size portion of regular roasted turkey breast typically contains about 165 calories and 7 grams of fat. Remove the skin off your serving of roasted turkey breast and you are at around 140 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. However, removing the skin off the deep fried turkey won’t make it equivalent to a serving of roasted turkey breast without skin. Turkey skin melts a bit into the meat below it during cooking, and this makes the meat fattier and with more calories than its roasted counterpart.

With this in mind, your best bet is to stick with a skinless serving of an oven roasted turkey breast. But if the fried turkey is calling your name, feel free to indulge as long as you make up for it when it comes down to the fatty side dishes and calorie-laden desserts. Also, when frying the turkey, be sure to keep the oil above 340 degrees – the high temperature will keep the turkey from absorbing much oil.

Next story

Last Modified: November 16, 2006