If you need an easy way to carve up some juicy turkey, we’ve got you. This How to Carve a Turkey tutorial will walk you through carving a turkey step-by-step so you can enjoy your favorite turkey recipes with nothing but juicy, tender bites.
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Table of Contents
- Save This Guide ✉️
- Tools for Carving a Turkey
- How Long to Rest the Turkey Before Carving
- How to Carve a Turkey (Step-By-Step Instructions)
- Our Favorite Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- Storage and Leftovers
- More helpful Turkey How-to Guides
- How to Carve a Turkey Recipe
- 🦃🔪 Watch: How to Carve a turkey like a pro
- FAQs
The time has come. You’ve thawed your turkey, then you brined it, cooked it perfectly in the oven (or on the smoker), and now it’s time to carve your extravagant masterpiece! A perfectly carved turkey not only looks beautiful on your Thanksgiving table, but it helps keep every bite as moist and tender as possible.
Carving a turkey is like an art form, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! With a few easy steps, you can learn how to carve up a whole turkey, whether you’re enjoying a Thanksgiving bird or slicing up some turkey breast for a meal. This carving method works for all kinds of turkey recipes like our Spatchcock Turkey, Traeger Smoked Turkey with Stuffing, Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey, and Oven Roasted Turkey! You can even use this method even if you’re just carving up a Smoked Turkey Breast!
Tools for Carving a Turkey
The right tools can make all the difference when carving a turkey. Typically, you need a carving knife, a carving fork, and some type of cutting board to cut up the turkey. The fork holds the turkey meat in place as you slice with the knife, and the cutting board helps stabilize everything. You can use a regular cutting board or a large carving board if you’re feeling fancy!
We love a classic sharp chef’s knife when carving a roast turkey. A long electric knife is a great tool for carving a turkey as well, if you have one. If using an eclectic knife, we recommend only using it when you get to slicing the breasts of the side of the breast bone. Check out our favorite knives and tools on our shop page.
How Long to Rest the Turkey Before Carving
Let your turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Letting the turkey rest allows those juices to settle and redistribute so they don’t leak out when slicing up the turkey. It also makes handling the cooked turkey easier.
How to Carve a Turkey (Step-By-Step Instructions)
We follow the same order, whether carving a traditional Thanksgiving turkey or a Spatchcock turkey.
Set up a carving station with a large cutting board and a sharp carving knife and fork. If your knife isn’t sharp, make sure to sharpen the blade of the knife before continuing. This helps with smooth cuts that don’t saw the meat, pulling and breaking it apart.
If you trussed your turkey before cooking it, you’ll need to remove the string as well by cutting them with scissors or a knife.
Remove the Turkey Legs and Thighs
- Carving your turkey starts with carefully cutting through the leg joint and thigh meat to detach both. Use a sharp knife, apply firm pressure, then gently pull them away from the body with the leg.
- The entire leg and thigh will come off easily, with a few shallow cuts with the tip of your knife to separate. Repeat this on the other leg and thigh.
- Use a little pressure on the joint to detach the leg piece from the thigh. Set aside the dark meat.
Detaching Wings
- Before you start carving the turkey breasts, remove the wings from its body.
- Gently tug the turkey wings away and use a sharp knife to cut carefully around where they meet with both skin and meat so that they can be effectively detached at their joint.
- Once done, lay these aside on your serving platter – doing this is not only for convenience but also enhances how it looks once arranged neatly. With those legs, thighs, and wings removed entirely or partially as needed, all that’s left to carve is the breast meat!
Slicing Turkey Breasts
- Now, it’s time to charge the breast from the rib cage. Start by making horizontal incisions from the bottom of the breast towards the breastbone.
- Then, carve down along the side of the breastbone, starting from its peak and slicing downward. Then, utilize your knife while gently pulling with your hand to smoothly detach the entire breast.
- Then, repeat on the second side. Be careful not to break the wishbone so you can save it for later.
- Then, slice each breast for the dinner table by laying them flat on the cutting board and slicing them into thin ¼” strips against the grain.
Finally, divide the carved turkey into light meat and dark meat and serve with a side of simply turkey gravy or giblet gravy and all of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.
After the meal, take the time to pick as much meat from the turkey carcass as possible and store it for leftover turkey recipes. Use the bones to make homemade turkey stock or leftover turkey soup.
Our Favorite Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Poultry Recipes
How to Cook a Turkey in the Oven
Poultry Recipes
Traeger Smoked Turkey with Stuffing
Poultry Recipes
Spatchcock Turkey
Poultry Recipes
Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover turkey meat in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 4 months.
To reheat, use a microwave or oven.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Gently simmer some chicken broth.
- Place turkey slices in a baking dish.
- Place a kitchen towel over the baking dish.
- Pour the chicken broth over the towel until slightly damp.
- Wrap the entire thing in aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until reheated.
Microwave Method
- Lay turkey slices in a small baking dish or microwave-safe dish.
- Dampen a paper towel with water or chicken broth.
- Lay the paper towel over the dish.
- Heat in 30-second increments until heated.
Take your leftovers and make a delicious hot brown sandwich or Leftover Turkey Sandwich!
More helpful Turkey How-to Guides
With a few simple steps, you can carve your cooked turkey with ease! Whether you’re carving up a whole Thanksgiving turkey or just cutting a few thin slices of turkey breast, this tutorial is the best way to do it!
Save this guide for later by clicking the ❤️ button on the recipe card. Did you know you can save all of your favorite recipes right to your own recipe index on GirlCarnivore to find them easier later on?
Have you spatchcocked a turkey? Do us a favor and rate the guide with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
How to Carve a Turkey
Recommended Equipment
- 1 sharp knife traditional chef's knife or carving knife or electric knife
- 1 carving fork
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Turkey smoked, grilled or roasted
Instructions
REMOVE THE TURKEY LEGS AND THIGHS
- Carving your turkey starts with carefully cutting through the leg joint and thigh meat to detach both. Use a sharp knife, apply firm pressure, then gently pull them away from the body with the leg.
- The entire leg and thigh will come off easily, with a few shallow cuts with the tip of your knife to separate. Repeat this on the other leg and thigh.
- Use a little pressure on the joint to detach the leg piece from the thigh. Set aside the dark meat.
DETACH WINGS
- Before you start carving the turkey breasts, remove the wings from its body.
- Gently tug the turkey wings away and use a sharp knife to cut carefully around where they meet with both skin and meat so that they can be effectively detached at their joint.
- Once done, lay these aside on your serving platter – doing this is not only for convenience but also enhances how it looks once arranged neatly. With those legs, thighs, and wings removed entirely or partially as needed, all that’s left to carve is the breast meat!
SLICE THE TURKEY BREASTS
- Now, it’s time to charge the breast from the rib cage. Start by making horizontal incisions from the bottom of the breast towards the breastbone.
- Then, carve down along the side of the breastbone, starting from its peak and slicing downward. Then, utilize your knife while gently pulling with your hand to smoothly detach the entire breast.
- Then, repeat on the second side. Be careful not to break the wishbone so you can save it for later.
- Then, slice each breast for the dinner table by laying them flat on the cutting board and slicing them into thin ¼” strips against the grain.
- Finally, divide the carved turkey into light meat and dark meat and serve with a side of simply turkey gravy or giblet gravy and all of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.
Video
Notes
- How to Dry Brine a Turkey
- How to Spatchcock a Turkey
- How to Truss a Turkey
- How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound
- The Best Wood for Smoking Turkey
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FAQs
Rest your perfectly cooked turkey for at least 30 minutes before carving it.
Make some delicious Leftover Turkey Soup or Instant Pot Turkey Stock!
Once removed from the oven, the turkey will remain warm for about an hour. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Once carved, cover with aluminum foil to keep the turkey meat warm.
Absolutely! Just remove the stuffing and place it in a dish before carving your turkey.
Nope! You can use a large knife and a regular fork to carve your turkey!
