How to Carve a Turkey Like a Chef

Perhaps you are wondering how to carve a turkey properly so that the meat is nicely sliced. You will be able to carve your turkey with real success when you follow the information regarding turkey carving for beginners that we provide here for your benefit and when you use the high-quality imarku knives that we recommend.

 

Toots that You will Need When Carving A Turkey

 

When you are carving a turkey, you will need some important tools. You will need to have the Chef's Knife 8", the Cimitar Knife 10'' or the Slicing Knife 12'', which you can get at imarku. You will also require a cutting board that will be able to handle the size of your turkey. You can indeed select a great cutting board on the imarku official website as well. You should also have a platter for the meat, some tongs, along with a cloth or some paper towels.

 

Why Should You Let the Turkey Rest Before Carving?

 

One of the first things concerning turkey carving for beginners is that you must let the turkey rest even before you ever start to carve it. Allowing your turkey to rest will ensure that the juice will remain inside the turkey and this will allow the turkey to remain moist. But if you slice the turkey right away, you will lose a lot of the juice of the turkey. Then the turkey can become dry.

 

A Detailed Guide to Help You Carve Your Turkey with Success

 

1 Prepare the items you will need when you carve the turkey.

 

Transfer the turkey to a cutting board that is large enough to accommodate the size of the turkey. Also, you should have access to a sharp knife, some tongs, cloth or paper towels, and a platter to serve your turkey on. Furthermore, cut away the string on the turkey legs if you tied them up before cooking the turkey and make sure that the turkey legs are directed toward you.

 

2 Allow the turkey to rest before commencing the carving.

 

It is necessary to allow the turkey to have some time to rest prior to beginning the process of carving the turkey. This will prevent the turkey from becoming dry, as the juice of the meat will be able to remain in the turkey. As a result, the meat will be nicely tender and moist. When the turkey is a bit cooler, this makes carving the turkey a much easier endeavor. This prevents the slices of turkey from crumbling.

 

3 Detach the thighs and legs.

 

Begin to cut into the area where the leg and breast are connected. Slice into the joint located down the region of the turkey's carcass. Make sure that you align your knife to face the bone during slicing. When the knife comes into contact with the bone, you will pull the leg in a backward motion with your hands so that you can see the joint. Then you will firmly press on it to ensure that it is fully severed. Do this for the other leg and thigh too.

 

4 Detach the turkey breast.

 

Create a deep and long cut against the breast bone's side. Apply the tip of the knife to cut with long strokes as you glide the knife along the curvature of the breast bone. Pull the knife apart from the meat of the breast region in a gentle manner during the process. Do this for the other side of the breast of the turkey as well.

 

5 Detach the wings.

 

Direct the wings in a backward motion. You will insert the knife into the joint and cut away the wings when you can view the joint. Put them on the platter.

 

6 Detach the thighs from the legs.

 

On a cutting board, with the side of the skin facing upward, arrange the legs. Place your knife directly in the middle where the thigh and leg are connected in the joint region. Fully cut the pieces apart. Do this for the other thigh and leg as well. Place the pieces on the platter.

 

7 Create slices of white and dark turkey meat.

 

Finally, it is now the time to create slices of meat from the larger portions of turkey. Slice them nicely and then put them on the platter. For the white breast meat, place the breast with the side of the skin upward. Then you will slice the meat into pieces that are about half an inch in thickness. To achieve this, you should cut with long strokes rather than sawing short strokes. This will allow the slices to be neat. Also, at this time, you can slice the wings into two parts each and put them on the platter as well. For the dark meat, detach the bone from the thigh and cut the meat without the bone into neat slices. Slice up the meat on the legs as well. Put the meat of both thighs and legs onto a platter.

 

8 Eat the meat immediately.

 

During the process of slicing up the turkey meat, the turkey meat can cool down pretty fast. That is why it is wise to serve it immediately so that it can be enjoyed as hot as possible. In such a case that the turkey seems to be too cool, you can improve the temperature of the turkey meat with a large dose of gravy that is hot. Or you can opt to place the turkey in the oven to heat it up for about ten minutes.

 

Explanation of What a Wishbone Is and Where It Is Located

 

The turkey's wishbone is the bone in the chest region of the turkey that has a forked shape. You can find the wishbone in the region between the chest and neck, usually at the bottom of the sternum. You can pull it out with your fingers. You will notice that with this bone out of the way, carving the turkey meat will be much easier to accomplish.

 

Valuable Tips and Tricks for Turkey Carving

 

1 Make sure that your knife is sharp to create nice slices so that you can slice the turkey easily.

 

2 Let the turkey rest for a while before carving it to have moist and juicy meat.

 

3 If the turkey becomes cool after carving it, you can add hot gravy to the meat to help make it warmer.

 

4 To ensure that the turkey meat is cooked in an even manner, cross the legs and tie them in place. Cutaway the string when you take the turkey out of the oven.

 

The Best Knives to Use for Carving Your Turkey

 

Chef's Knife 8"

 

The Chef’s Knife 8” will cut through the meat with ease. This knife is highly sturdy due to being made with steel that contains carbon. This is a classy knife that you will enjoy using due to its superior level of functionality. It will help you successfully cut meat off the bones of the turkey. The handle is made with a gorgeous walnut finish. You will find that this knife is comfortable during usage to allow you to complete the carving of your turkey with success. The knife's blade does not tarnish and has a pleasant finish that is glossy. You can rest assured that this knife will not rust.

 

Con: Sometimes some people desire the blade of the knife to be longer if they are carving an extremely large turkey.

 

Cimitar Knife 10''

 

The Cimitar Knife 10” allows you to slice meat with precision. You can easily handle large cuts of meat with this amazing Japanese-style knife that the professionals use. You will find that it glides effortlessly while you carve your turkey. This is the ideal tool to cut away cartilage and fat. Due to the blade being curved, this prevents the need for sawing motions during the slicing process. Thus, the meat will be smooth instead of jagged when you slice it. The knife offers real comfort for your hand for a long period of use. The knife is made with ultra quality to last for many years.

 

Con: It can take some time to get used to using this knife due to the curve of the blade.

 

Slicing Knife 12''

 

The Slicing Knife 12” is a truly reliable knife that will perform well when carving your turkey. The blade allows for a high level of precision. This is the ideal knife to use when you want the meat sliced thinly like a pro. This knife is sturdy and allows you to control it masterfully. The knife is made of high-quality stainless steel with carbon for real durability. You will be pleased that the knife's blade does not bend when you cut through thick portions of meat.

 

Con: Some people feel intimidated by this knife due to the long blade, which means that they prefer to use a knife with a shorter blade.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. Should I tie the turkey legs when I cook the turkey?

Yes, you should tie the turkey legs in a crossword fashion. This helps to ensure that the turkey will be fully cooked.

 

2.Is there only one knife blade length that is right for carving a turkey?

You can use a variety of lengths of knife blades when you carve a turkey. Indeed, it is appropriate to use a knife with a blade of eight inches, ten inches, or even twelve inches according to your preference.

 

3. Why should I let the turkey rest for a while before carving it?

You should permit the turkey to have some time to rest before carving it, as this prevents the loss of juice from the meat. The meat can retain the juice to make it moist and more enjoyable when you eat it. You can then have the peace of mind that you will not have dry turkey.