In many households, the Thanksgiving meal is centered around the glorious turkey. Basted and roasted to a deep golden brown, moist and flavorful, and really, just delicious. Nothing beats this traditional favorite. Here are some helpful hints on how to carve your bird for the best presentation and the best flavor, allowing it to be the showcase of your dinner.
Suggested Carving Tools: Challenger Cook’s Knife 8”, Challenger Slicer Knife 12”
First, and most important, let the turkey rest when you bring it out of the oven. On average, 30-45 minutes should do, depending on the size of the bird. Remember, too, that the temperature of the turkey will continue to rise once removed from the oven, so plan accordingly—take the bird out when a thermometer reads approximately 165°. Cover loosely with foil and allow to sit. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a moist, easy-to-carve turkey.
After the bird has rested, place it on a large cutting board. Remove the legs and thighs by pulling them away from the breast, making small, rapid cuts into the skin with your cook’s knife to expose the joint. This will enable you to pull the entire leg/thigh portion away from the bird (although you will have to use some force in order to break the joint).
Separate the drumsticks from the thighs. You can slice the meat from the drumstick, but I like to leave them whole—they are a great visual showcase for your dinner! Use the cook’s knife to slice the thigh meat.
Again using your cook’s knife, make one long lateral cut along the breast of the bird until you reach the rib cage. Then cut down along the rib cage until you reach the area you first cut. Now you should be able to remove the entire breast—place this piece on the cutting board. Then, switching to your slicer, slice the breast as thin as you prefer, leaving the skin attached.
Did you know?
Our Challenger Cutlery line has knives to fit all your Thanksgiving cooking and food preparation needs. Use the 3 ¼” paring knife to peel potatoes and yams, or the 6” utility knife for slicing, dicing, and chopping. If you enjoy food as decoration, use the peeling knife to whittle rosettes from your carrots or tomatoes. After carving up your turkey finish off your meal by slicing fresh pieces of bread with the 9” or 10” bread knife. And don’t forget dessert—you can use the slicer or even the Santoku for cutting through the delicate deliciousness of pumpkin pie! No job is too big or too small for Challenger!
