Method:
1. First, remove the legs. Put the turkey on a large carving board. Pull one leg away from the side of the bird to loosen the joint. Use the tip of a carving knife to cut between the ball and socket joint at the base of the leg and release it. Place the leg on a separate chopping board.
2. Next, separate the thigh and drumstick. Pull the two sections of the leg open to expose the joint, then use the tip of the knife to cut between the thigh and the drumstick. You can remove the skin at this point before slicing the meat, if you prefer.
3. Hold the drumstick upright and cut vertically down all sides of the bone to remove the meat. Transfer to a warmed serving platter/dish.
4. Turn the thigh over so the bone is on top. Cut around the bone with the tip of the knife to release it from the meat. Lay the thigh meat flat and cut across into short, thick slices. Add to the warmed platter.
5. There are two methods of carving the breast meat. For thick slices of meat, find the line of the breast bone along the top of the bird. Insert the carving knife at one end and follow the bone along the length of the breast, cutting all the way down. Once the knife has gone all the way through, pull the breast gently away from the breast bone and cut along the bottom of the breast in sweeping motions outwards until the breast comes away. Place the breast on the chopping board. Cut across the breast into thick, short slices and transfer to the warmed platter. If you prefer thin slices, carve the breast meat from the bird. Turn the turkey around to the side with the full breast facing you. Make one long horizontal cut underneath the breast all the way to the breast bone in the middle. Place the knife at the top edge of the breast and slice carefully downwards in one long motion, not a sawing action, keeping the knife as vertical as possible, towards the cut at the bottom. A thin, large slice should come away cleanly. Repeat across the breast towards the bones, cutting off large slices and transferring to the platter.
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