How to Carve Poultry

Make your next chicken or turkey dinner that much better by Learning how to carve poultry.

How to Carve Poultry Carving a bird does take a bit of practice but once you learned how to do it, you can use the same method for chicken, turkey, duck or any other poultry. To carve a bird, you will need a sharp boning or slicing knife. First start with the leg, pull it away from the body right down to the thigh joint like this then look for the joint; you can see it here. Slice between the joint and not through the bone itself. Next, separate the thigh from the drumstick, again, just cutting between the joint. Don’t be afraid to use your knife to feel around for it. It is sometimes hidden beneath the meat then transfer to a platter. Now, repeat the same process on the other side. Next, remove the wings on either side of the bird by slicing through the second joint like this. Here, we have left the drum attached but you can remove it if you like, leaving it on just makes for fancier presentation. Now, all we need to do is remove the breast from either side of the breast bone which is this bone here. Make a shallow incision on one side of the breast bone. This cut should follow the bone for its entire length. Deepen the incision by using the tip of the knife to follow along the rib cage to carefully remove the breast, pulling the meat away bit by bit as you carve deeper along the bones. Once the breast is separated from the bone, slice the meat into smaller pieces. This allows your guest to take a bit of white and/or dark meat if they choose. When transferring the breasts to a platter, use a flat spatula to keep the pieces together; it will just look nicer on the platter. Again, do the same thing for the other side. Remember that you will get better at this the more you practice. Also, remember to save and freeze the bones for the next time you make stock. If you like, you can pour any reserve juices or a bit of the sauce over the plattered meat to give it a nice shine.