How to carve a turkey

Just in time for the festive celebrations, learn how to carve a roast turkey for presentation on your dining table. Below we offer a step-by-step on carving a turkey, as well as a video that demonstrates two ways, one technique for the kitchen and one technique to use at the table.

 

Tips on carving a turkey

There's no rule that says carving a turkey should be done by the 'man of the house', and in many homes these days it falls onto the shoulders of the head of the house. A whole roasted turkey is an impressive site when placed on the festive dining table, but it then comes down to carving a well-arranged platter of sliced meat for serving.

YOU WILL NEED:

Baking tray large enough to accommodate a cutting board
2 cutting boards
Kitchen scissors
Carving knife and fork
Serving platter

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

 Let the turkey stand for about 30 minutes before carving. This allows any juices in the roasting dish to be absorbed into the meat. Use sharp scissors to remove the string. If stuffed, you can also remove the stuffing and put aside.

For carving, place a cutting board inside the baking tray. This will catch any juices that result from cutting.

Cut the skin holding drumstick. Grasp the end of the drumstick. Then place a knife between the drumstick/thigh and body of the turkey, and cut through skin to joint. Remove entire leg by pulling out and back, using the point of the knife to disjoin it. Separate the thigh and drumstick at the joint.

Place these pieces on the second cutting board. Open up the joint to reveal the leg joint and cut apart before placing onto the serving dish.

Make a long horizontal cut above wing joint all the way through to the body frame. If you desire, the wing may be disjointed from the body at this point.

Slice straight down with an even stroke, at the top of the breast bone all the way through to the horizontal cut you made in the step prior. These sections can now be transferred and arranged on the serving platter.

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