ONA Recipe Box -- Orange-Sage Roasted Turkey

Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving from the editors of Cooking Light Magazine!

Serves 16    Back to ONA Recipe Box

Ingredients

1 (15-pound) turkey, thawed
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 1/8 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges), divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1 orange, quartered
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.

Place turkey on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine the sage, rind, and 1 teaspoon salt. Rub sage mixture under loosened skin and inside the body cavity. Combine 1/4 cup juice and 1 tablespoon honey; pour over turkey. Place orange quarters inside body cavity.

Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Cover turkey loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the skin and orange quarters. Remove turkey from pan, reserving pan drippings for sauce. Place turkey on a platter; keep warm.

To make the sauce, pour reserved pan drippings into a zip-top plastic bag. Seal bag; snip off 1 corner of the bag. Drain drippings into a medium saucepan, stopping before the fat layer reaches the opening; discard fat. (You should have about 2/3 cup drippings; add enough water or fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth to make up the difference, if necessary).

Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup juice, and 1 tablespoon honey to drippings in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Combine 1/2 cup juice and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to drippings mixture. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve sauce with turkey.

Nutritional Analysis

Per Serving: Calories 261 Protein 41.7g Fat 7.1g Carbohydrates 5.1g Fiber 0.1g Sodium 264mg Calories from fat 64