Kitchen Basics: How to Carve a Turkey

By Julie Miltenberger
Learn to carve your turkey like a pro! Our food editors show you how to slice a bird to perfection step by step.
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Step 1

Insert knife between center breastbone and one half of breast meat. Cut down, gently pulling meat away from bone.

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Step 2

Slice across bottom of breast half, separating breast meat from thigh meat. Cut down top of breast half along wishbone.

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Step 3

Remove breast half and transfer to a cutting board. Repeat with other side. Slice breast meat against the grain (crosswise) and fan onto a platter.

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Step 4

Fold drumstick forward; cut through joint where bones separate. Repeat with other side. Cut thigh meat away from body, bend joint as you did drumstick and separate. Slice meat off drumstick, remove bone from thigh and slice dark meat crosswise into pieces.

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Basics: How to Carve a Turkey

It's easy to carve a turkey perfectly, every time. Watch this step-by-step how-to video from our Kitchen Basics series.

Originally published in the November 2012 issue of Family Circle magazine.

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