Description
Learn how to carve a roasted turkey like a professional with easy step-by-step instructions to create a stunning holiday platter with tender, perfectly sliced meat and attractive presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 roasted turkey (approximately 14 pounds)
- Garnishes such as lemon slices, cranberries, fresh herbs
Instructions
- Remove the legs and thighs: Slice through the skin between the leg and the breast. Pull the leg outward and push up on the joint underneath until you hear a pop. Cut around the joint to remove the leg and thigh. Repeat on the other side and set aside.
- Remove the breasts: Slice down on either side of the breastbone with long strokes. Use your thumb to gently pull the breast outward while slicing until completely removed. Slice horizontally at the bottom if needed. Repeat on the other side and set aside.
- Remove the wings: Gently pull the wings away from the body and slice through the joint to remove them. Optionally remove the wing tips and set aside.
- Separate drumstick from thigh: Flip the leg piece skin side down. Slice through the meat and pull back on the drumstick to expose the joint, then slice through it to separate into two pieces.
- Remove the thigh bone: Use your knife to carefully slice around and remove the thigh bone while preserving the meat.
- Carve the final pieces: Slice turkey pieces against the grain for tender slices. Try to keep skin attached to each piece for best presentation and flavor.
- Arrange and garnish: Arrange all carved pieces on a platter and decorate with garnishes such as lemon slices, cranberries, and fresh herbs for a visual feast.
Notes
- Practice makes perfect—watch a video tutorial if possible to master carving technique.
- Use a sharp carving knife to make clean, smooth cuts.
- Keep the skin attached to the meat for more flavor and attractive presentation.
- Save the turkey carcass for making homemade stock or broth.
- Let the turkey rest after roasting to retain juices before carving.
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
