How To Carve a Thanksgiving Turkey in 7 Easy Steps
Celebrity chef Wylie Dufresne shows you how to handle the bird the right way.
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I've been the designated turkey carver in my family for years. Somehow, I've managed to get away with doing very little cooking during the holidays, but everyone assumes I'm going to take care of two important tasks: pulling corks out of wine bottles and carving.
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While the whole family is busy gathering around the table—figuring out where to sit and whose wineglass is whose—I get to escape to the kitchen and spend a few quiet moments with the bird. I can't overstate the importance of careful carving: someone (ideally not you) has spent days planning and preparing the meal, and hours watching over the meat in the oven. The last thing you want to do is mess it up at the end.
You owe it to everyone to understand the anatomy of the animal and remove the meat in the proper way. Start by letting the meat rest for up to 45 minutes, then do this:
Use These Tools
All you really need for this task is a knife and a fork. I've used all types, depending on what I'm able to find in other people's drawers, but these are best:
The curve of a traditional fork can get in the way. The Wusthof meat fork (A) is flat, which means that when slicing you can run your knife straight down the back of the fork and into the meat.
The Honesuki-style boning knife (B), usually 5.75 inches long, is designed for butchering poultry. A suitable (and easier to find) alternative: the Wüsthof Classic 6-inch boning knife (C).
Make the First Cut
With the bird on a cutting board inside a sheet pan, make an incision between the body and the drumstick.
Crack the Thigh
Once you've cut through skin and meat, use a hand and your knife to crack the thigh joint.
Remove the Leg
Separate drumstick and thigh by working your knife into the apex of the V formed by the leg and pulling.
Remove the Thigh
To remove the thigh bone, slice along it until you can see the end, then pull up on the end while scraping the bone with the knife. Slice the meat.
Remove the Wing
Remove the wing the same way you separated the drumstick and thigh. Pull the wing out until you see the joint and run your knife through.
Cut the Turkey Breast
To remove each breast, slice along the rib cage, then downward, pulling the entire breast off as you slice.
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