How to Cook with Less Fat by Changing Your Cooking Techniques


One way to cook with less fat is to change your cooking technique. Here are some cooking techniques to lower fat.

  • Select nonstick cookware. With nonstick cook ware, you won’t need to use as much fat. Often, you won’t need to use any fat, especially if you start cooking at a low tem­perature.
  • Saute or stir-fry with a tablespoon or less of an unsatu­rated oil.
  • Saute or stir-fry with nonstick vegetable oil spray, wine, or nonfat or low-fat broth instead of oil.
  • Top baked potatoes, air-popped popcorn, or roast turkey or chicken with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray instead of butter or margarine.

  • Microwave onions, garlic, peppers, and other vegetables in a bit of water instead of sauteing them in oil.
  • Trim fat from meat either before or after cooking.
  • Take skin off poultry after cooking.
  • Brown meat in a nonstick pan with little or no oil.
  • Avoid deep-frying, pan-frying, or sauteing in lots of oil or other fats.
  • Roast, grill, or broil on a rack so the fat drains off and away from the food.
  • Drain the fat as it cooks out when pan-frying
  • Baste with broth, vegetable or fruit juice, or wine rather than with pan drippings.
  • Marinate meats and vegetables in lemon juice, lime juice, sherry, wine, vinegar, low-fat or nonfat broth, or vegetable juice instead of oil. Marinate in herbs and spices, which add flavor with little or no fat or calories.
  • Skim the fat from soups, stews, broths, gravies, and sauces. Chilling the food in the refrigerator until the fat floats on top and hardens makes the fat easier to remove.
  • Another way to cook with less fat is to substitute a lower-fat ingredient for a higher-fat one in a recipe. Here are some sample ingredients and healthier substitutes for cooking and baking.
  • Butter – Butter and applesauce or other mashed fruit.
  • Cheese – Low-fat or nonfat cheese, or use less of a sharper regular cheese
  • Chocolate – Cocoa and vegetable oil or cocoa and strained prunes
  • Cream, heavy – Evaporated skim milk or skim milk and vegetable oil
  • Sour cream – Plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt, pureed low-fat cottage cheese with a little lemon juice, light or nonfat sour cream, or yogurt cheese

Filed Under: Food & Cooking

Tags:

About the Author: Leona Kesler is a head-chef at a very popular food restaurant in New York. Also she is a blogger who shares her experiences, tips, and other informative details about food and cooking. Her recipes are featured on many magazines.

RSSComments (0)

Trackback URL

Comments are closed.