How To Carve a Turkey

Place the turkey on a cutting board breast-side up. As you pull one leg away from the bird, slice through the skin and the joint connecting it to the body. Repeat with the other leg.

Cut through the leg joint to separate the thigh from the drumstick, and set the drumstick aside. Cut as much meat as you can off the thighbone, trying to keep it in one large piece. Cut against the grain to create slices about a quarter of an inch thick.

Pull one wing away from the body of the bird, and cut through the skin and the joint. Repeat with the other wing, and set the wings aside.

Remove the breast in halves. Use the breastbone as your guide, and cut down one side of it — as close to the bone as you can — so that the meat comes off in one piece. Repeat with the other half of the breast.

Place both halves of the turkey breast skin-side up on your cutting board. Slice them against the grain at a slight angle into pieces about a quarter of an inch thick.

On a serving platter, assemble the meat, and separate the white meat (the breast and the wings) from the dark meat (the legs and the drumsticks). Present your hungry guests with a delicious and tidy bird.