Follow this simple, methodical tutorial for How to Carve a Turkey. Using a sharp carving knife, carve one side completely before moving on to the second side. Anyone can do it!.
It’s time to carve your ideal Thanksgiving bird after it’s rested and taken out of the oven. Presenting a flawlessly carved turkey on a serving plate to your guests at the dinner table is both aesthetically pleasing and practical.
It’s easy to do, too. Although carving a turkey may seem daunting, you can approach the bird methodically once you grasp the technique. Work on one side at a time and you’ll be done in no time.
Carving a turkey breast can seem daunting, but with the right technique and a few simple steps, you can easily master this culinary art Whether you’re prepping for a Thanksgiving feast or simply enjoying a delicious weeknight dinner, this guide will help you achieve perfect, juicy slices every time
Before You Start:
- Gather your tools: You’ll need a cutting board, a chef’s knife or slicing knife, and a carving fork.
- Cook the turkey breast: Follow your favorite recipe, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let the cooked turkey breast rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Carving a Bone-In Turkey Breast:
- Remove the breastbone: Place the turkey breast bone-side up on the cutting board. Locate the breastbone and run your knife along both sides, tracing as closely as possible. This will yield two boneless turkey breasts.
- Carve the boneless breasts: Place each boneless breast skin-side up on the cutting board. Using a knife, slice across the grain into slices of your desired thickness.
Carving a Boneless Turkey Breast:
- Place the boneless breast skin-side up on the cutting board.
- Using a knife, slice across the grain into slices of your desired thickness.
Tips for Perfect Slices:
- Use a sharp knife: A dull knife will tear the meat, resulting in uneven and ragged slices.
- Slice against the grain: This ensures the meat is tender and easy to chew.
- Don’t saw back and forth: Use long, clean strokes to slice through the meat.
- Let the turkey rest: This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more flavorful slices.
Bonus Tip: Save the turkey carcass and bones to make a delicious turkey stock for soups, stews, or gravy.
Additional Resources:
- How to Carve a Turkey Breast (Video): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=knTfERxTXkM
- How to Carve a Turkey Breast (Step-by-Step Guide): https://www.bhg.com/how-to-carve-a-turkey-breast-7852454
Enjoy your perfectly carved turkey breast!
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: Aim for 1.5 pounds of turkey per person, with some weight coming from the bones. A 15-pound turkey, according to the recipe, should serve about 12 people, or 1 ½ cups of turkey per person, for a total of 18 cups. The math is 12 people x 1. 25 pounds per person = 15-pound turkey.
- Storage: Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Get your Thanksgiving preparations started early by using my easy Make Ahead Turkey recipe. First, roast, carve, and freeze the turkey in its juices. Then thaw, reheat, and make the gravy.
- Table-side carving: This method works well if you would prefer to take care of things backstage and carve the turkey at the table. Immediately above the thigh and shoulder joints, make a deep, horizontal incision through the breast toward the bone to create the base cut. Make thin vertical slices starting near the breastbone, finishing with a base cut for every slice.
- The Ultimate Turkey Guide: Discover the fundamentals of buying, defrosting, brining, and cooking turkeys and cook the tastiest Thanksgiving or Sunday supper ever You’ll also learn how easy it is to make broth and gravy out of pan drippings for turkey.
- Roasting times can vary because you may be cooking a slightly larger or smaller turkey. An unstuffed turkey requires roughly fifteen minutes to roast at 325 degrees. However, the best instrument for judging if a turkey has been roasted to perfection is an excellent meat thermometer, set to register 165 degrees at the thickest part of the thigh.
- Roasted Turkey Breast: For a simple Thanksgiving menu or Sunday supper, try my best roast turkey breast recipe. The meat is juicy and flavorful, and the skin is exceptionally crisp from a dry brine and basting.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast: This recipe yields a succulent, flavorful bird without requiring any oven space.
- Make soup or turkey broth: Utilize your leftover turkey carcass to prepare a delicious pot of homemade turkey broth or the best leftover turkey noodle soup you’ve ever tasted.
Stuffing a turkey reduces food safety and results in a more evenly cooked bird, so most modern recipes discourage it. If you decide to stuff your turkey, combine the dry and wet ingredients immediately before the bird’s cavity is filled. Make sure that any raw poultry, meat, or seafood you use for the stuffing has been cooked all the way through in advance. Do not stuff a bird with cooked stuffing. Using a large spoon or your hands, loosely pack the body and neck cavities (do not pack it tightly because the stuffing expands while it cooks). Truss the main cavity with trussing pins to keep the stuffing inside. The stuffing must register 165 degrees on an internal thermometer to be safe to eat. For more information, see the USDA website. Stuffing chicken and Cornish hens is also discouraged.
Working with Meat and Fish
Working with Meat and Fish
Working with Meat and Fish
Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes
How to Carve a Turkey Breast
How do you cut a boneless turkey breast?
Locate the breastbone, then place the blade of your knife just to the outside of the bone. Using your knife, run the blade from one edge of the turkey breast to the other, tracing as closely along the breast bone as possible. Repeat again on the other side to yield two boneless turkey breasts.
How do you cook a boneless turkey breast?
Using your knife, run the blade from one edge of the turkey breast to the other, tracing as closely along the breast bone as possible. Repeat again on the other side to yield two boneless turkey breasts. Save the breastbone and any bits of meat still on the bone to make turkey stock for soup, stews, or turkey gravy.
How do you carve a turkey breast?
After your turkey breast has been cooked and had time to rest, it’s ready to carve! You can begin by placing your turkey breast on a large cutting board that won’t slide around as you work. Now hold the turkey breast upright so that breasts and breastbone are on top.
What knife do you use to cut a turkey breast?
Select a sharp chef’s knife or serrated knife. Both a chef’s knife and serrated knife are viable options for carving a turkey breast. The only difference is the way that you cut with them. Choose a serrated knife if you prefer to saw the meat, and choose a chef’s knife if you want to slice it.