This post may contain references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Oh Sweet Basil may receive compensation when you click on links to such products.
How to Carve a Turkey — let’s get down to the nitty gritty and walk through every step of carving your beautiful bird the right way! You’ve roasted the perfect turkey, it’s golden and gorgeous, and now it’s time for the part that makes even seasoned cooks a little nervous: carving.
Don’t worry — I’m here to show you the best way to carve a turkey so you get clean, juicy slices and a stunning platter every time.
There’s nothing that makes me more itchy than watching someone saw away at a turkey like it’s a stubborn log. You guys, it should be family that bugs me — but nope, it’s carving the Thanksgiving turkey. 😅 The good news? Carving a turkey doesn’t have to be stressful or messy. The secret is starting with a bird that’s had time to rest — about 30 minutes — so all those flavorful juices stay locked inside where they belong.
Before you grab your knife, remove any kitchen twine or stuffing (p.s. please just make our No Fuss Make-Ahead Stuffing or Sausage Stuffing instead — they’re way better!). Then, let’s dive in and I’ll show you how to carve a turkey step-by-step like a pro — wings, legs, breast meat and all!
What You’ll Need to Carve a Turkey
- A sharp carving knife or chef’s knife
- A carving fork or tongs
- A sturdy cutting board with a groove for juices
- Paper towels for grip and cleanup
Pro Tip: Make sure your knife is really sharp — it’s safer and gives you cleaner cuts.
How to Carve a Turkey (Thanksgiving Turkey Carving Guide)
After the turkey is done roasting, pull it from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Resting the meat allows all the juices to redistribute through the whole bird. This is critical for juicy slices! Then you can start carving…
Legs and Thighs
Gently press a leg away from the body and start sliding your knife down through the skin and meat until you meet the joint. It’s easiest to cut straight down through the meat and then pop the joint clean apart and remove the leg and thigh, using your chef’s knife to slice through the joint if needed.
Once you have the thigh and left removed, you can leave the two together or separate the leg and thigh. Totally up to you!
If you want them separate, slice the drumstick and the thigh apart by cutting through the joint that connects them together. Transfer the drumstick to a platter for the feisty drumstick lover to enjoy. Set aside the thigh meat on a cutting board to slice later. Repeat on the other leg.
Working on the cutting board, hold the thigh bone with tongs or a paper towel. Remove the meat from the bone with the edge of the chef’s knife. Then slice through the meat, against the grain. The thighs and legs are done!
Breasts
It seems like people always want to dig right into the turkey breasts first thing, but it’s better if the legs and thighs have been removed first. Then you can move to removing the breasts.
Find the breastbone on top of the bird. Position a long, flexible knife on one side of the bone, as close as you can possibly get, and slice downward.
At this point, I like to leave the breast meat and come at it from the bottom of the breast making a slice and then return to the top and finish slicing off the breast.
Repeat with the other breast, and transfer them both to the cutting board.
Using your hands or tongs, position the meat so you’ll cut it at its shorter length. Slice against the grain, taking care to keep the skin attached. Transfer pieces neatly to a platter.
Turkey Carving Tip
In the movies you always see the bird on a platter and the adult slicing that first, fully covered in skin outside layer of the turkey breast. This is incorrect. You’ll notice we lay the whole breast down and cut diagonally across the breast which makes for tender, even slices instead of dried out shreds.
Wings
Using the chef’s knife, slice through the joint to remove a wing, and transfer to the platter. Repeat on the other side.
Arrange on a platter.
We love to add a few of the roasted lemon halves from the turkey as well as some fresh herbs and greens to the spread to make it pretty!
Ready to Eat Turkey
It’s really so simple! Do you think you can handle it? Hopefully the descriptions and pictures here have helped make the carving process less intimidating.
All your white meat and dark meat lovers are going to be satisfied with your spread. The meat is also going to be the most flavorful and moist meat you’ve ever had!
Serve your perfectly carved turkey with mashed potatoes with gravy, rolls, roasted carrots, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and of course, all the the pies!
And there you have it — how to carve a turkey like a total pro! Once you’ve done it step-by-step, you’ll realize how easy (and oddly satisfying) it really is. Carving your Thanksgiving turkey the right way makes all the difference — you get juicy slices, a gorgeous platter, and plenty of compliments from your hungry crowd.
Don’t forget to save those turkey bones for homemade stock or soup later — that flavor gold shouldn’t go to waste!
Happy carving — and even happier eating!
More Turkey Recipes You’ll Love:
- Oven Roasted Turkey
- Deep Fried Turkey
- Turkey in a Bowl
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
- Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast
