Turkey Carving Tips

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Now .... Carving that bird

After removing the turkey from the oven, let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives the juices in the meat time to settle back into the bird, keeping the meat moist. (The more juices you lose, the drier your turkey will be.) Also, resting allows time for the bird to cool, so it's easier for you to work with. 

Wash up and put on an apron before beginning to carve.

Position the turkey on a cutting board, ideally one with a moat around the edges to catch any juices. Make sure that the cutting board is not going to slide around. If necessary, place a towel or a mat underneath to keep it steady.

Position the serving platter next to the cutting board.

Always use a sharp knife when carving a turkey. A dull knife will make it difficult to cut and it may slip.

Use a carving or serving fork to hold the turkey in place. Position the fork on the side opposite the one being carved. Poke the bird with the fork, or just rest the fork on the bird, depending on what feels most comfortable. Slice down the crevice where one of the legs meets the body and stop once you hit the bone.

Gently pull the leg away from the body of the turkey with one hand. With the other hand, put the edge of the knife into the joint connecting the leg to the body. If pressing firmly, sometimes the joint will separate easily. If it does not, cut through the joint.

Place the leg on the platter or, if you prefer, cut the meat off the leg. Rest the large end of the leg on the cutting board and hold the leg on the opposite end. Carve slices of turkey off of the thigh and then the drumstick. For best results, cut medium-thin slices using a downward motion. Work around the leg of the turkey.

Separate the wing from the body, much the same way as with the leg. Using the fork, pull the wing away from the body. Place the knife on the joint and separate, cutting through the joint if necessary. Place the wing out of the way.

It is now time to carve the breast and you have two choices. I prefer the latter, but you carve to achieve which kind of slices you want to serve your guests. 

For larger, thinner slices of breast meat: using the fork for balance, begin by cutting a small slice from the most rounded area on the breast of the turkey. This is a spot about halfway down the breast. Continue slicing increasingly larger pieces of the breast meat. Visualize the rib cage, angling each slice to be parallel to the rib cage.

Continue slicing closer to the breastbone, and try to maintain equal thickness for all of the slices. Layer the pieces on the serving platter as they are sliced, arranging them in an attractive way.

For shorter, thinker slices of breast meat: Locate the breastbone running down the middle of the carcass. Slice through the skin just to the side of the breastbone and continue slicing downward, keeping close to the bone while pulling the entire breast away with your other hand. (The breast is a large piece of meat, and it extends all the way down to the wing joint.) Keep cutting and pulling away until you've removed the whole breast, with the skin still intact, in one piece. 

Now turn the breast skin-side up on your cutting board and slice it against the grain about half an inch thick. Layer the pieces on the serving platter as they are sliced, arranging them in an attractive way. 

When finished carving one side of the turkey, begin working on the other side in the same manner as you carved the first. This side will no longer be balanced, so compensate with the fork.

After removing the meat, the turkey frame can be used for stock or soup.