How to prepare a bone - in or boneless turkey breast — plus point absolved of the most common fade error .

If you ’re hosting asmall Thanksgivingmeal , turkey titty is a splendid alternative . A fourth dimension - honour tradition is cut up joker titty at the dinner table but the slicing can be tricksy without employ the right technique . So we ’ve tappedSarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen culinary specialiser , to show us how to chip at a osseous tissue - in turkey chest as well as boneless dud boob meat .

Jason Donnelly . intellectual nourishment Styling : Holly Dreesman . Prop Styling : Joseph Wanek

carved turkey breast on platter with herb garnish and carving tools

Credit:Jason Donnelly. Food Styling: Holly Dreesman. Prop Styling: Joseph Wanek

Setting the Gameplan

prefer a 4 – pound turkey breast should munificently fee a family of four , plus offer one round of leftovers per mortal . This part of the bird can be ready byseveral different methods — and cooks fairly quickly , specially if you opt to atmospheric pressure - cook the heart and soul . ( you could also roast or slow - cook it with stellar results . )   Despite its small size , you may still haveturkey leftoversand there are plenty of formula ideas to serve up all those extra for lunch orSunday dinner party .

Cooked dud should only be kept for 3 to 4 days — even if refrigerated . Leftovers left at way temperature can begin to develop bacterium .

Turkey breast is a savvy solution to reduce the risk offood wastewhile guardianship up with the holiday custom — or simply serving an soft yet graceful entrée any prison term of year .

carving turkey breast

Credit:Jason Donnelly

What You’ll Need to Carve Turkey Breast

Gather your tools ; you ’ll want a cut display panel , chef knife or slicing tongue , and carving fork .

•A big meat cutting board : Ideally , this would have a “ moat ” around the outside rim to collect any turkey juice that might drip out , but any rationalise table will do .

•A chef ’s knife or slicing knife : A largechef ’s knifeis Brekke ’s preferred shaft for the task . If the steel seems dull , take a here and now tosharpen the knife . If you own and are comfortable with an electric knife , feel destitute to habituate that if you like .

turkey breast cut in half on cutting board

Credit:Jason Donnelly. Food Styling: Holly Dreesman. Prop Styling: Joseph Wanek

•A carving crotch or large , sturdy dinner party crotch : This is helpful to keep the Meleagris gallopavo boob firm as you slice .

•A cook turkey breast : The first footstep for how to chip at a turkey chest is to follow your favoriteturkey breast recipe , such as as one requiring onlysimple seasoning , Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast , orBBQ Roast Turkey Breast .   disregardless of the recipe you abide by or sizing of the turkey knocker you start with , it ’s of import to check its temperature . prepare turkey breast until aninstant - read thermometerinserted in the thickest part of the breast register 165 ° F. Once the heart and soul hits this mark , you ’re ready to embark on how to the right way slice the breast meat .

How to Carve a Turkey Breast

When it comes to carving turkey breast , complete one compulsory step before you do : provide the joker breast to rest for 15 minutes before slicing .

Cook and Let Rest

camp the turkey with transparency to keep it affectionate during the cognitive process .

Why wait ? As meat Cook , the juice arise to the surface . If you slice the meat right away , the juice will ooze out onto the veer board rather than being delivered to your plate inside each juicy slicing . This rest time lets the muscle fibers chill out and earmark the juices to redistribute throughout the meat . Reserve the drippings to whip up agravy , if desired .

Before we dive in , Brekke wants to turn to one very important detail : “ The most usual mistake I see people make when carving is attempt to slice a turkey bosom while it ’s still on the bone . ” This can moderate to ragged slicing and more waste .

carved and sliced turkey breast on cutting board

Credit:Jason Donnelly

The top lead to chip at a bone - in Meleagris gallopavo titty is to make it boneless before you start slice .

How to Carve a Bone-In Turkey Breast

Jason Donnelly

Place the turkey breast bone - side up on a press clipping board . place the sternum , then come out the vane of your knife just to the exterior of the os . Using your knife , execute the leaf blade from one sharpness of the dud breast to the other , trace as close along the boob bone as possible . Repeat again on the other side to yield two boneless Republic of Turkey boob .

salve the sternum and any bits ofmeat still on the boneto maketurkey stockfor soup , stews , or turkey gravy .

How to Carve a Boneless Turkey Breast

Now that you have foreshorten two breasts , place the breasts cutis - side up on a cutting gameboard . Using a tongue , slice across the food grain into slices of your desired thickness .

Try not to realize back and off as you work your fashion down the meat . direct for long , clean motions as you slice from top to bottom .

take over until the entire turkey breast is sliced , then transfer to a platter and enjoy .

Now that you ’re a pro at how to slit turkey white meat , you may confidently conquer every step of the domestic fowl prep . Using our Test Kitchen ’s tip for how to cut up a Meleagris gallopavo breast , you ’ll score white , juicy gash that are unquestionably holiday- or dinner party - worthy . If your table is anything like ours , the slices get snapped up chop-chop . But if you ’re lucky enough to have leftover , we suggest putting them on display in delicious manner inGarden Turkey Melts , Copycat Turkey Chili , orTurkey Dinner Shepherd ’s Pie .

“ How long can you keep leftover prepare turkey?”USDA . 2024 .