Just think of it as a big chicken.

Before you even take the knife out of the drawer, Kelly recommends getting in the right mindset.

Just think of it as a big chicken, he says.

Image of a platter of turkey wings, drumsticks and breasts sliced

Photo:Abbey Littlejohn

Most people have cooked a chicken and they’ve dealt with the chicken.

Use a Sharp, Precise Knife

Most specialty carving knives are pretty largesometimes 10 inches or more.

Let the Turkey Rest (Really!)

Image of roasted turkey on a cutting board.

Abbey Littlejohn

Resting your turkey before you carve and serve it is not an optional recipe step.

Besides just leading to a drier bird or (worse!)

Don’t try and carve it while it’s all on the bone, he says.

Image of a knife cutting off leg from a turkey roast.

Abbey Littlejohn

Then, he moves on to the legs.

Then he twists the leg back and cuts at the thigh joint to remove the leg completely.

He repeats the process to remove the other leg.

Image of a knife cutting through the bottom of a turkey at an angle

Abbey Littlejohn

He then cuts the thigh away from the drumstick and slices it.

Last, he moves on to the breast meat, which he says is the hardest part to remove.

With the tip of your knife, cut along the center breast bone.

Image of a knife cutting off a drumstick from a roasted turkey

Abbey Littlejohn

The Bottom Line

Dont be intimidated by carving your turkey this Thanksgiving.

Image of a knife cutting off a turkey leg from underneath.

Abbey Littlejohn

Image of a knife and carving fork used to slice a roasted turkey down the middle.

Abbey Littlejohn

Image of a knife cutting off a turkey breast from a roast.

Abbey Littlejohn

Image of crispy turkey skin on a baking sheet.

Abbey Littlejohn