De-boning a raw turkey is a daunting prospect for many home chefs, and while it can be somewhat complicated at first, the process becomes easier with practice. De-boning a turkey before you cook it allows you to add more stuffing and flavor to the meat through rubs and marinades, and it also makes the turkey easier to carve once you cook it. De-boned turkey will take a little less time to cook, so check the internal temperature with a good instant-read thermometer regularly to avoid overcooking.
Step 1
Remove the giblets and neck bone from inside the turkey if they are included. Discard the giblets or save them for another recipe if you'd like.
Step 2
Rinse the turkey under cold clean water from the tap inside and out. Pat the turkey dry with clean paper towels.
Step 3
Cut along the backbone of the chicken on both sides with sharp kitchen scissors, getting as close to the bone as possible. Save the backbone for stock or discard it.
Step 4
Separate the two sections of the turkey, which the backbone was holding in place. With the tip of a sharp paring knife, start on one side of the turkey and carefully cut the ribcage away from the meat. Try to remove as much meat as possible while you do that.
Step 5
Break the joint connecting the wing bone and breastbone on the same side of the turkey. Carefully and gently cut away the wing bone. Avoid cutting away too much meat from the breast and wing section.
Step 6
Cut down the center of the chicken toward the legs. Cut away the wishbone and thigh bone from the meat once they are visible.
Step 7
Break the bottom of the thigh joint where it connects to the breast. Carefully cut away the meat on top of the thigh joint from the bone. Remove any connecting cartilage from the body of the turkey, making sure not to cut the breast meat as you go.
Step 8
Repeat the de-boning process on the other side of the turkey in the exact same way, starting with the ribcage.
Tips and Warnings
- After de-boning, stuff the turkey if desired and tie the bird together with cooking string.
Things You'll Need
- Raw, defrosted turkey
- Clean paper towels
- Sharp kitchen scissors
- Sharp paring knife
References
- "The Complete Meat Cookbook"; Bruce Aidells, Denis Kelly; 2001
- "Martha Stewart's Cooking School"; Martha Stewart; 2008
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