If you are roasting a whole turkey for this years Thanksgiving, you definitely need to know how to carve it to get the most out of it. Grab my step by step instructions, with photos, to take you through the process.

A whole mojo roasted turkey on a wooden chopping board.

Thanksgiving will soon be upon us, and that means turkey! Cutting, or carving, the turkey correctly is an important part of the process and it means that you will get the most out of the bird and very little goes to waste.

Learn how to carve a turkey easily and efficiently so your day is stress free!

Whether you are cooking my Roast Turkey With Mojo or a traditional Thanksgiving turkey, these step by step photos will help guide you through the process!

Before Carving

Before you start to carve the turkey, it’s really important to let it rest. I like to let it rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes, but you can leave it for up to 40. Cover it loosely with foil while it is on the kitchen counter.

It’s important to rest the turkey after roasting it so that the juices redistribute. If you don’t let it rest, you can end up with dry chicken breast.

Equipment

To easily carve the turkey, you need a few key pieces of kitchen equipment. These will make the whole process a lot easier!

A sharp, large knife. If you have a carving knife, that’s your best bet, but a sharpened chef’s knife will do the job well too. Make sure the knife is sharp so you cut through the meat smoothly. Don’t use a serrated knife which can tear the meat.
A large cutting board. Use a non-slip board if you can, otherwise you can place a towel underneath it to stop it moving around.
A serving platter. So you can easily transfer the meat to the platter as you carve it.
Paper towel. So that you can clean up any juices and keep your area clean.

How To Cut A Turkey

Before we go into the detailed step by step instructions for how to care a turkey, here’s a quick bullet point list so that you know the main stages of the process.

Let the turkey rest.
Set up your carving station.
Separate the leg and thigh on one side.
Remove the breast and wing.
Repeat the other side.
Slice the breast and thigh.
Serve!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Once rested, set up your carving station and place the whole roasted turkey on a chopping board.

Step 2

Remove the leg and thigh: To remove the thigh, cut through the skin that connects the breast and the drumstick. Pull the leg back so that the joint pops and press down firmly with the knife to cut through the joint.

Carving a Turkey removing legs and breast

Step 3

Remove the breast. Run your knife along the back bone of the turkey and slowly work your knife down through the breast, removing as much meat as possible.

Step 4

Remove the wing by pulling it back, in the same way as the drumstick.

Step 5

Repeat the process on the other side.

Step 6

You can then slice up the breasts and thighs, and your turkey is ready to serve! Make sure to remove the bone from the thigh before slicing.

Carving a turkey slicing the legs and breast

How many people does a turkey serve?

When buying my turkey, I like to plan to serve 1 ½ pounds per person and this will allow me for ample leftovers. If you are cooking for 8 people, go for a 12 pound bird. If you aren’t planning on leftovers, then 1 pound per person will be just fine.

A whole carved roasted turkey on a platter with fresh herbs.

Turkey Leftovers

The carved turkey can be store, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 6 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Leftover turkey can be used in lots of recipes, like chili or use it in place of shredded chicken in tacos and soup. Obviously it’s great in sandwiches with leftover cranberry sauce!

Recipe Notes and Tips

Your turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165F when you take it out of the oven.
Work on one side of the turkey at a time. It’s easier to work around the turkey this way rather than keeping turning the bird.
Serve the carved turkey straight away, or cover it with foil and place in a warm oven for 30 minutes until you are ready.
Let any leftovers cool completely before storing in the fridge or freezing.

A plate of sliced turkey on a Thanksgiving table.

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