How to Carve Your Thanksgiving Turkey: A Quick Step-By-Step Guide
This Thanksgiving, Americans will cook over 46 million turkeys, but only a very few of them will be carved in a professional, fuss-free manner.
For most individuals, carving a turkey is that dreaded part of Thanksgiving meal preparation that gives them the most anxiety. However, with little preparation and using the step-by-step procedure that we have explained below, you can easily carve the bird that you have carefully prepared and leave nothing but a pile of bones behind.
Step 1: Do the Preparation
Once you have cooked the bird, allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, you can gather your tools. Get a large cutting board, a damp kitchen towel to be placed under the board, a straight-edge knife, and a carving fork.
Step 2: Separate the Legs
Begin with removing the legs. Cut each leg through the joint when it attached to the body. This should be a fairly quick process and will get you the drumstick and thigh as a single piece.
Step 3: Remove the Breasts
Begin with loosening and removing the wishbone. Once you have done that, remove the wings by cutting through the joint where they attach to the body. Now you’re ready to cut the breast. Just make sure you cut as close to the rib cage as possible.
Step 4: Slicing the Meat
Now that you have separated all the parts, you are ready to slice the meat. Begin with removing bones from the legs using your hand and cut it into medium to thick slices. Don’t slice the breasts beforehand as the meat may lose moisture. Cut just before serving the meal.
Step 5: Prepare a Platter
Place the sliced meat along with wings and drumsticks on a platter. While greens, such as kale or arugula are a classic garnish, you may consider giving your own unique creative touch to the meal by using cranberries or kumquats
While this step-by-step procedure should make the process of carving a turkey a breeze for you, it is important to know that only a well-roasted turkey cooked to perfection can be easily carved and cut into thin slices of meat. Therefore, make sure that you get your stove repaired before the Thanksgiving Day so that you can have an enjoyable and mess-free experience of preparing meal for your loved ones this November.