The Simplest, Easiest Method To Carve a Turkey
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman By MEGHAN SPLAWN
So you’ve roasted a beautiful, golden-brown turkey. Congratulations! Now you need to carve it. It’s not difficult, though: You’ll just need a sharp knife and a steady workstation.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Set up a carving station.
Place the turkey on a large carving board. Make sure you have your serving platter, paper towels, a sharp chef's knife, and tongs ready. Remove the trussing string if needed using the tip of the knife and arrange the turkey so the legs are facing you.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Remove the leg and thigh together.
Slice through the skin that connects the breast and the drumstick until you hit bone. With your hands (and either paper towels or a clean kitchen towel), pull the leg back and down until the joint pops out.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman 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. Place on the serving platter.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Press down firmly on the joint to completely sever it.
Staying on the same side of the turkey,
slice through the skin on the top of the turkey along the breastbone from the neck joint and the wishbone first. Slowly work the knife through the breast meat, along the rib bone, removing as much meat as possible. Place on the platter.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Remove the wing.
Pull the wing back, as you did the legs, and cut at the joint. Place on the platter.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Turn the turkey and repeat steps 2 through 4 on the other side.
Rotate the turkey 180 degrees and then repeat with removing the leg and thigh, breast, and wing on the other side.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Set aside the turkey carcass and wipe down the cutting board.
Remove the turkey carcass from your work area (you can set it back in the roasting pan or set it directly into a pot if you plan on making stock). Wipe down your cutting board if desired.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Separate the thighs from the drumsticks.
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.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Slice the thighs
Cut the thigh meat off the bone and into smaller pieces, if desired. Return to the platter.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Slice the breasts.
Place the breasts skin-side up on the cutting board. Cut crosswise at a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Return to the platter.
All Image Credit: Joe Lingeman Get more turkey-carving detail at thekitchn.com