Instructions
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Slice off the legs and thighs. Slice through the skin that connects the breast and the drumstick until you hit bone. With your hands, pull the leg back and down until you feel the joint pop out. Press down firmly on the joint to completely sever it. Run the knife between the thigh and the backbone to cleanly remove the leg piece. Repeat this process on the other side and set these pieces on the serving tray.
- Remove the Breast. Slice down on either side of the breast bone, using long strokes. as your knife hits the bottom, use your thumb to gently pull the breasts outward, continuing to slide down and out until the breast meat is removed. Place the breast on the platter.
- Remove the Wings. Pull the wing-back, as you did the legs and cut at the joint. You can remove the wing tips (there’s really no meat there), and they’re great for stocks. Places wings on the platter.
- Seperate the drumstick from the thigh. Place the leg pieces skin-side up on the cutting board. Cut right between the drumstick and thigh at the joint. Repeat with the other leg. Return the drumsticks to the platter.
- Slice the thighs. cut the thigh meat off the bone and into smaller pieces.
- Slice the breast. Place the breast skin-side up on the cutting board and cut crosswise at a slight angle into 1/4 inch thick slides. Return to the plate.
- Once all your meat is sliced up, you can arrange it on a platter. There’s really no right way to do this. It depends on the size of your platter and any extra garnishes, like herbs, lemons, cranberries, apples, etc. you may have. So feel free to play around with the arrangement.
Carving Tips
- Start before Turkey goes in the oven by removing the wishbone.
- Allow the turkey to rest – let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes – 40 minutes for larger birds. Tent it within foil so that it’s warm by the time it hits the plate.
- Have the right tools – In order to slice through joints with ease, you’ll want to use a blade that is super sharp.
- A carving fork is a useful tool for handling sliced turkey, but it shouldn’t be used to steady the bird while you carve it. To properly grip the turkey that’s fresh out of the oven, protect your bare hands with several paper towels, or two dry kitchen towels if you have some to spare.