Carve a Turkey With These 7 Easy Steps
Somewhere between the in-laws, extended family and all of the cooking…. there is the TURKEY. It seems so simple to carve a turkey. It’s not like you need to chase it around the farm, cut its head off, de-feather it and get it all cleaned up. You simply buy one that is ready to be seasoned and cook it in the oven (or let our personal chef services take care of it for you). What could possibly go wrong?
If only making a turkey for Thanksgiving was that simple. If you don’t know what you’re doing, the turkey can end up looking like a dog ravaged the main dish. Carving a turkey is not an easy task especially if you’ve never done it before, so we wanted to offer you some tips on how to properly carve a turkey like a professional chef would but in 7 easy steps! (your guests will be really impressed)
The first thing to note is that you shouldn’t feel required to carve a turkey on the table with all of your guests around. Though a common tradition in many families, it’s perfectly fine to carve the turkey in the kitchen and bring the arranged platter to the table (and it much less intimidating too without everyone watching). This especially holds true if you’re a novice at carving.
Pro- Tip: Be sure to let the turkey rest for at least 25 minutes before slicing: this helps the juices redistribute through the meat, making for a better-tasting turkey. (It also makes it easier to carve)
Step 1
Remove the drumsticks and thighs. Start by pulling a drumstick away from the bird and using the knife to disconnect the thigh bone from the body. Set it aside to carve later and remove the second drumstick.
Step 2
Remove the wings in the same fashion to fully expose the breast for carving. The wings on modern, commercial birds contain very little meat, so they’re often used mainly for presentation on the platter.
Step 3
To carve the bird, make sure it’s lying on its back, breast-side up. Begin with a long horizontal cut at the base of the breast. You might be able to feel where the breast meat ends and the bone begins – cut as close to that area as you can.
Step 4
Begin slicing the breast from the top down, working at a slight angle to cut away from the carcass. The horizontal cut at the bottom provides a convenient stopping point, making it easy to finish each cut. Transfer slices to a warmed serving platter.
Step 5
To carve a drumstick, hold one end and slice off one side. Lay it flat on the cutting board and continue carving. Slice each side, turning the drumstick a quarter turn until you’ve removed all the meat.
Step 6
Place the thigh on the cutting board and begin slicing parallel to the thigh bone. Cut it into even strips.
Step 7
Arrange the rest of the meat onto the warmed platter and serve.
If you’d rather not tackle the turkey this year, we’d love to help simplify your holidays and make your Thanksgiving feast customized to you and your guests! This is a great option if you have special dietary needs and you aren’t sure how to navigate it during the holidays.