Step 1
Rest meat 20-30 minutes before carving. Use kitchen scissors to remove the trussing string. Be sure to use a sharp carving knife, not a knife with a serrated blade which will tear the meat. When carving, use your hand, rather than a fork, to hold the turkey steady (you may need to use a double layer of paper towel to protect it from the heat). A fork will rip the skin which you have browned so nicely.
Step 2
Remove the drumsticks. Use your knife to cut through the skin that connects the drumstick to the body. Slice until you reach the joint. Hold the drumstick, push down and use your knife to cut through the joint, releasing the leg and thigh. Repeat on the other side.
Step 3
Separate the leg from the thigh. Lay the leg on the board, with the knee facing you, and feel for the joint connecting the drumstick bone and the thigh bone. Slice between that joint. Use the tip of your knife to remove the meat from the bone. Put on a platter to serve. Keep the drumsticks whole or carve into slices.
Step 4
If the turkey is stuffed, carefully cut around the neck cavity to remove the stuffing. Remove it from the body cavity too, with a spoon. Set aside in a serving dish to keep warm.
Step 5
Remove the wishbone with your fingers from the front end of the breast. Doing this makes carving the breast meat easier.
Step 6
To carve the breast meat, make a long cut on one side of the breastbone and slice down, as close to the breastbone as possible. As you do this, use your other hand to pull the meat away from the breastbone so you have cut the breast off the carcass in one piece.
Let the knife blade follow the rib cage straight down to the socket where the wing is attached. Cut along the bottom of the breast to remove that half completely. Repeat on the other side. Transfer meat to a cutting board.
Step 7
Remove the wings. Slice through the joint and twist it to remove a wing. Transfer it to serving platter. Repeat on the other side.
Step 8
Slice the breast meat. Skin side up, bias cut vertically (against the grain) through the breast meat to create medallion slices, taking care to keep the skin attached with each slice. Transfer to platter.
Step 9
Save the carcass to make stock.
