How to Cook a Low Sodium Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving

The turkey breast you bring home can easily have more sodium than anything you add to it. Many turkeys and turkey breasts are injected with a solution to keep the meat moist, and that solution often contains salt. Before you buy, check the package for these terms:

• "Basted" or "self-basted." The USDA requires this label on bone-in poultry that's been injected or marinated with a solution of fat, broth, stock, or water plus spices and flavorings. Every ingredient in the solution has to be listed on the package, so look for salt or other sodium ingredients, such as sodium phosphate.
• Bone-in vs. boneless. The USDA allows boneless basted poultry to hold more added solution (up to 8% of its weight) than bone-in poultry (about 3%). On boneless breasts, look for wording like "contains up to 8% of a solution." If you're comparing a bone-in and a boneless breast that both have added solution, the bone-in one will usually have less.
• "Brined" or "enhanced." A pre-brined breast has already been soaked in salt water, so skip it if you're watching sodium.
• "Kosher." Kosher turkeys are salted during the koshering process, which makes them higher in sodium than a plain turkey.

When you're not sure which turkey is lowest in sodium, look at the nutrition facts panel and compare the sodium per serving on a few brands. A turkey breast with nothing added will have the least amount of sodium.

This method comes from our Test Kitchen's roasted turkey breast recipes, with one change to keep the sodium down.

1. Thaw it in the refrigerator. A frozen turkey breast needs about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 6-pound breast should go in the fridge a day and a half before you plan to cook it.
2. Pat it dry. Don't rinse it. The USDA recommends against washing raw poultry because the water can spread bacteria around your sink and counters. Just remove the skin and pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
3. Make a salt-free herb butter. Mix 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter with minced garlic, chopped fresh sage and thyme, and black pepper. Our recipes call for 1 teaspoon of salt, but leaving it out cuts about 290 milligrams of sodium per serving. If you want even more flavor, add a little lemon zest or a pinch of smoked paprika.
4. Roast it at 400°F. Rub the herb butter all over the turkey and set it on a rack in a roasting pan or on a bed of root vegetables. Roast until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone) reads 165°F, about 1 3/4 to 2 hours for a 6-pound breast. If the top browns before the center is done, lay a loose sheet of foil over it.
5. Let it rest before carving. Give the turkey about 15 minutes on a cutting board so the juices settle into the meat, then slice it against the grain.

Gravy is where a lot of sodium ends up on a Thanksgiving plate, especially if it comes from a jar or packet. Making it from scratch is easy, and our Roasted Turkey Breast recipe keeps it simple with the pan drippings, a little flour, 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 cup of apple cider.

Since broth makes up most of that gravy, it's the ingredient to pay the closest attention to. Use an unsalted or low sodium broth, and read the label, because the sodium in chicken broth varies a lot from brand to brand. Skim the fat from the drippings before you start and taste the finished gravy before adding any salt. Between the drippings, the cider, and a few grinds of black pepper, you may find it doesn't need any.

Once the turkey is planned, these collections can help you plan your menu, fill in the rest of the table, and even get creative with leftovers:

• A Heart Healthy Thanksgiving Menu
• 12 Heart Healthy Thanksgiving Soup Recipes
• 12 Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
• Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts
• Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

You’ll also find tips on preparing the turkey and how to cook a frozen turkey on our site.