How to carve a turkey
For cooks, the pressure of Thanksgiving isn’t only about preparing the big bird; it’s also about turning the unwieldy chunk of meat into portions your guests can fit on a fork — or, in the case of the drumsticks, perhaps in their fists. Here are steps that will walk you through the process, one slice at a time.
First . . . wait!
Place your cooked turkey on a cutting board (a damp kitchen towel under the board will keep it from slipping); let the turkey rest for 15 to 30 minutes before you carve it; you might want to roll up your sleeves at this point.
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Gently pull the leg away from the body until it pops out of the socket; cut through the socket area with a knife or break it off by hand; repeat with second leg.
The legs
Separate the thigh from the drumstick by cutting through the joint that connects the two; wiggle it to find the joint; slice the thigh meat parallel to the bone; either cut the meat off the drumstick or serve it whole.
Thighs and drumsticks
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Cut off the breast meat in two big chunks, one on each side, by slicing close to the breastbone as close as you can.
The breast
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Slice the meat against the grain and try to keep a nice piece of crispy skin for each portion; fan it out on the serving dish.
Portion the breast
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Cut off the wings and serve intact, or save for soup; cut out and save the wishbone; you never know when you might need it.
The wings
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Wishbone
SOURCE: Tribune News Service