So, now that you've roasted your turkey for Thanksgiving, you stare at
it and wonder
"Ok
I know I have to chop the sucker up
but
how?" Well, here's how you do it!
Let it Sit
Once the bird is removed from the oven, it should stand for 20 to 35 minutes,
depending on its size. This gives the juices a chance to soak into the flesh,
allowing for succulent cuts of meat. Before you begin carving, have a warm
serving platter ready and waiting for all the juicy white and dark meat.
Remove the Legs
Arrange the turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board. Steady the turkey
with a carving fork. Using a sharp knife, slice through
the meat between the breast and the leg. Next, using a large knife as an aid,
press the thigh outward to find the hip joint. Slice down through
the joint and remove the leg. Cut between the thigh-bone and drumstick bone
to divide the leg into one thigh piece and one drumstick. To carve the drumstick,
steady it with a carving fork and cut a thick slice of meat from one side, along
the bone. Next, turn the drumstick over so that the cut side faces down. Cut
off another thick slice of meat. Repeat, turning the drumstick onto a flat side
and cutting off meat, carving a total of four thick slices. To slice the thigh,
place it flat side down on a cutting board. Steady the thigh with a carving
fork. With a knife, cut parallel to the bone and slice off the meat. Be
sure to place all the cuts on the warmed serving platter as you work.
Remove the Wings
Before you carve the breast, the wings must be removed. Slice diagonally down
through the edge of the breast toward the wing. Using a knife as an aid,
press the wing out to find the shoulder joint; cut through the joint and remove
the wing. Place the wing on the serving platter as is.
Carve the Breast
To carve the breast meat, hold the back of the carving fork against the breastbone.
Starting parallel to the breastbone, slice diagonally through the meat. Lift
off each slice, holding it between the knife and fork, and place on the warm
serving platter. Continue until you have carved all the meat on one side of
the breast. Repeat, carving the other side of breast.
Feast
And then, after all that work, you can finally sit down and enjoy!
As for where I got this information, there are hundred of sources around the web. Most of them say basically the same thing. There’s only a few ways to say this shit. I got most of my information from allrecipes.com, against popular opinion.