The turkey is the centerpiece of almost all Thanksgiving meals.
But carving up the bird can turn into a disaster without some basic tips. Stacey Faith, a food and nutrition educator for Purdue Extension Johnson County, shared this guide put together by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
How to carve the turkey:
A roasted turkey should never be carved immediately after removing it from the oven. Allow the turkey to rest for about 20 minutes to let the juices settle and redistribute throughout the meat.
Always use a sharp knife when carving.
Carving the dark meat:
Remove the drumstick and thigh by pulling them away from the body and cutting loose the joint that holds thigh to body.
Place the drumstick and thigh on cutting surface and cut through the connecting joint to separate drumstick and thigh.
To slice the thigh meat, hold the thigh firmly with a fork and then cut slices evenly and parallel to the bone.
Tilt drumstick to convenient angle and slice down toward the cutting surface. Be sure to carefully remove the hard tendons.
Carving the white meat:
Hold turkey breast firmly with fork. Place knife parallel and as close to wing as possible. Make a deep, base cut toward ribs.
Slice the breast by carving downward, ending at base cut. Keep the slices thin and even.
