How to carve a turkey - notes from a private chef

1.      Find your best Chef’s knife and sharpen it or have it sharpened by a professional

2.      Kit yourself out with a carving fork if you don’t have one

3.      Have some thin plastic gloves ready to avoid burning your hands/getting greasy.

4.      Pull the drumsticks away from the body and set aside (keeping warm in some foil)

5.      Slice the skin carefully with the knife until you reach the joint, steadying with the carving fork, and then cut through

6.      Separate the drumstick from the thigh by cutting through the joint. Never saw through the bones

7.      Remove the wings by slicing away, towards the front of the bird

8.      The dark meat near the thigh above the spoon shaped section of the backbone, is called the ‘oyster’ and it should be removed. However, you may find you have a guest that loves to eat this part, so keep it to one side (wrapped in foil for warmth)

9.      Carve thin even slices of meat, running your knife parallel to the breastbone. Begin half way up the breast and move down until bone is exposed, then move to the other side. Keep all the slices warm until plating.

10.  Remove individual servings of stuffing inside the bird, if it has been cooked with it.

11.  Lay your meat on a warmed platter, and pour over a drizzle of gravy and sprinkle lightly with rock salt and cracked black pepper (optional).

12.  Un-eaten meat retains moisture better if left on the bone, so only carve as much as you need.

13.  Later find the wishbone, clean and leave it out to dry for a couple of days. You need two people – hold one end each and pull. Whoever ends up with the larger bone makes a wish!

14.  Use leftover turkey meat in lots of ways of the next few days – for example in this turkey, leek and ham pie.

Our thanks to Ella Canby, former EA at Consider it Done and now owner of Sugarella Cooks.