Carving roasted meats and poultry is easy when you have the right equipment and know the proper techniques. Equipment The proper fork, cutting board and knife is all you need to get started: - Two-pronged carving fork
- Stable plastic cutting board, preferably one with a “lip” around the edge to catch meat juices
- Slicing knives have long thin blades
- Electric knives contain two very sharp, thin blades that move separately in a sawing motion
Knife Safety Tips Be sure to handle your knives with care and respect: - Keep knives sharp. Dull knives are a safety hazard as the knife can slip, rather than slice, when you are carving.
- Slice food on a cutting board, and place a damp paper towel under the cutting board to keep it from sliding
- Hold food being sliced with a carving fork, not your hand
- Always cut with the blade of the knife angled away from you
- Keep hands away from the blade
Techniques Prepare the meat before carving and then treat it gently: - Allow roasted meats and poultry to rest about 15 minutes before carving so the meat retains more natural juices
- Remove strings and skewers before carving. However, stuffed or rolled meat might fall apart during carving, so leave one or two strings.
- Avoid piercing the meat too many times with the carving fork to prevent meat juices from leaking out
- Carve using a gentle sawing motion
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