Description
Learn how to carve a roasted turkey like a professional with easy step-by-step instructions. This guide helps you remove legs, breasts, wings, and thighs neatly to create a beautiful, photo-worthy Thanksgiving platter.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredient
- 1 roasted turkey (about 14 pounds)
Garnishes
- lemon slices
- cranberries
- fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, or sage)
Instructions
- Remove the legs and thighs: Slice through the skin between the leg and the breast. Pull back on the leg, lay it flat outward, and push up on the joint from underneath until you hear a pop. Cut around the joint with your knife and remove the leg and thigh completely. Repeat on the other side and set aside.
- Remove the breasts: Slice down on either side of the breast bone using long strokes. As your knife reaches the bottom, use your thumb to gently pull the breasts outward, continuing to slice down and out until the breast meat is removed. If needed, slice horizontally at the bottom of the breast from the outside to help remove it. Repeat on the other side and set aside.
- Remove the wings: Pull the wings gently away from the body and slice through the joint to remove each wing. Remove wing tips if desired and set wings aside.
- Separate the drumstick from the thigh: Flip each leg piece skin side down. Slice through the meat and gently pull back on the drumstick to expose the joint, then slice through it to separate the drumstick and thigh.
- Remove the bone from the thigh: Carefully slice around the thigh bone to separate it from the meat while preserving as much meat as possible.
- Carve the final pieces: Slice the meat against the grain to create tender pieces. Aim to keep the skin attached to each piece for better presentation and flavor.
- Arrange and garnish: Place all carved pieces neatly on a platter and decorate with lemon slices, cranberries, and fresh herbs as desired to create a stunning presentation.
Notes
- Practice makes perfect: carving becomes easier with experience.
- Use a sharp carving knife and a stable cutting board for safe, clean cuts.
- Keeping the skin attached to meat adds flavor and visual appeal.
- Remove wing tips as they contain little to no meat.
- Save bones for making flavorful stock or broth.
- Let the turkey rest before carving to keep juices locked in.
- Watch a carving video tutorial to build confidence.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 96 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 168 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
