Written by Rick Alabaugh, Executive Chef at Golden Ocala.

After hours of preparation and cooking in the kitchen you have your mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes, corn, rolls, pies and everything else you have prepared for Thanksgiving Dinner. You now pull out your perfectly golden turkey you have been looking forward to all day! It is now time to carve your turkey. This can be a tricky task for some. Below I have some turkey carving tips for you!

Turkey Carving Tips from Golden Ocala.

Cooking your Turkey

First you should start by roasting your turkey upside down for the first hour. Then turn right side up for remaining cooking time. When your turkey is done remove it from the oven, cover it with foil, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before placing on a clean cutting board. The temperature of your turkey should reach 160 degrees.

Separating the Turkey

Next you separate the drumsticks from the thighs by holding the tip of each drumstick. You then cut through the joint where it meets the thigh bone.

Slicing the Turkey

The next step is to hold each drumstick by the tip, resting the larger ends on the cutting board. You then slice the turkey parallel to the bone until all meat is sliced.

Cutting the Breast

After all the meat is sliced, make a deep horizontal cut into the breast meat just above the wing.

Continue Cutting

From the outer top edge of each breast, continue to slice from the top down to the horizontal cut made during the previous step. Repeat steps 4-5 on the other side of the turkey.

Removing the Wings

Remove the wings by cutting through the joints where the wing bones and back bone meet.

Your turkey is now complete and ready to be served. I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays. For more information on dining at Golden Ocala, visit our dining blog.