By: nanette

Turkey carving will remain firmly the divine province of man. However, since you don’t get too many practice birds, here are some simple instructions to do it right the first time and every time.

Until you’re completely comfortable with carving, you should always do the deed in the privacy of the kitchen (preferably one with a door that locks). Keep in mind that your guests will still be able to hear your foul, frustrated ranting, and also that the dull, greasy thud of a perfectly roasted turkey hitting the kitchen floor is clearly discernible from the dining room.

1. When the turkey comes out of the oven, let it rest for at least fifteen minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the bird, keeping the meat moist and making carving easier. Take this time to sharpen a large carving knife. You want a very sharp knife to make clean cuts through the meat, which will help keep it juicy.

2. Transfer the turkey from the roasting pan to a large cutting board. If you’re right-handed, have the legs to the right (reverse if you’re left-handed). We’ll work on one side of the bird at a time. At all times you can hold the bird steady with a large fork or just use your hand. Pull the leg and thigh away from the body, and cut through the skin down to the bone. Press the leg and thigh down onto the board and gently pull back. If that doesn’t separate the thigh joint, just probe with the point of your knife until you find the joint and cut through it.

3. Use the same technique to separate the leg from the thigh. You can either serve these parts whole or carve them up. To carve the leg: Hold it upside-down by the bone, with the meaty part on the cutting board. Cut parallel to the bone to remove slices of meat. To carve the thigh: Place it skin-side down. Cut along both sides of the bone, and then cut underneath the ends to release the bone. Then cut the thigh into slices.

4. Leaving the wings on the body for stability, cut horizontally just above the wing, along the bottom edge of the breast. Then cut vertical slices off the breast down to this point. You could also use the French technique of cutting off the entire breast, slicing it, and presenting the whole thing together.

5. Finally, remove the wing, using the same joint method as with the thigh.

6. Assemble all the meat on a large serving platter, and serve.