Thanksgiving tables will be full of sweet potatoes, pies, and casseroles, but the star of the Thanksgiving meal is the turkey. Anyone can tell you they look forward to seeing the beautiful bird, but they are more excited to taste the final results.
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So after you’ve selected the perfect turkey for your Thanksgiving meal and prepared it exactly as you wanted, how do you get your delicious (stuffed / brined / fried) bird onto your guests’ plates? Even the most experienced chef is sometimes flustered when it comes to the final steps of Thanksgiving dinner. Here are a few pointers to guide you through carving your Thanksgiving turkey as neat and orderly as possible.
Preparation:
- Be sure to have a carving board and platter, a carving fork, and a sharp knife.
- Remove the string tying the legs together. Do this carefully to avoid splattering any juices.
- Position the turkey breast side up, legs facing away from you, on the cutting board.
Legs / Drumsticks:
- Pull a leg away from the bird until the ball joint pops out of socket at the hip, separating the leg and thigh from the bird. Use a knife to cut through the joint and pull the leg away from the body of the bird.
- Place the leg on the cutting board, cut between the drumstick bone and the thigh bone, removing the drumsticks.
- Hold a drumstick vertically on the cutting board and cut straight down along the bone, rotating until all the meat is removed.
- Slice this meat at an angle and arrange on the platter.
- Repeat for the other drumstick.
Thighs:
- Lay a thigh skin-side down on your cutting board. From end to end, cut along each side of the bone.
- Cut this meat at an angle and place it on your platter.
- Repeat for the other thigh.
Wings:
- Pull each wing away from the body to see the attachment point.
- Insert the tip of your knife between the wing’s ball joint and socket, then cut through the joint.
- Repeat for the other wing
Breast:
- Make a long, thin cut down the center of the breast on the breastbone. Position your knife on one side of the breastbone and slice downward, staying as close to the bone as possible.
- Use your other hand to pull the breast meat away from the ribcage and cut along the bottom of the breast to completely remove it from the ribcage.
- Slice the breast meat against the grain, keeping the skin attached. Transfer these pieces to your platter.
- Repeat for the other breast.
Here at Buca di Beppo we send you and your family warm wishes for a wonderful day. We are thankful that you allow us to be a part of your lives throughout the year and hope that your Thanksgiving is filled with friends, family, and the most delicious turkey your guests have ever eaten. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
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