How to Cut a Whole Turkey in Half for Easier Roasting and Carving

Roasting a whole turkey is a festive centerpiece for special meals, but maneuvering these large birds can be tricky. Learning how to properly cut a turkey in half prior to cooking makes it easier to roast evenly Halving also simplifies the carving process to serve a crowd

With a few simple cuts using heavy-duty kitchen shears, you can divide a turkey into two halves. Then arrange them breast-side up in the roasting pan for beautiful presentation and even cooking. Follow these steps for successfully cutting your turkey in half.

Why Halve Your Turkey?

There are several advantages to cutting your turkey in half before roasting:

• Fits better in roasting pans – A whole 15-20 lb turkey may not fit nicely in a standard pan. Halved turkeys nestle into the pan better.

• Cooks more evenly – The breast and thigh areas can have different cooking times. Halving lets you angle the breast up higher.

• Easier to maneuver for basting and checking doneness during roasting,

• The presentation looks impressive with both halves neatly arranged breast-side up.

• Simplifies the carving process – No struggling with maneuvering a whole large bird.

• Lets you roast just a breast half or leg quarters if you don’t need a whole turkey.

• Allows you to rub spices or slather on compound butter under the skin nicely.

• Keeps the tender breast meat from drying out as much.

For the home cook, halving the turkey really takes the hassle out of roasting this sizable bird.

Select the Right Turkey

• Choose a turkey about 10-18 lbs to halve. Very large birds over 20 lbs can be difficult to cut cleanly.

• Make sure the turkey is fully thawed – cutting when partially frozen is hazardous.

• Pat the turkey dry thoroughly with paper towels before cutting. Wet turkeys are slippery.

• Have the backbone cavity emptied and rinsed out first. Removing giblets makes cutting safer.

• Use an unsupported method like a cutting board versus trying to hold up the bird.

Supplies Needed

• Sharp, sturdy kitchen shears – This is better than a knife for poultry cutting.

• Cutting board – For a sturdy surface. Place a damp paper towel underneath to prevent sliding.

• Sharp paring knife – For miscellaneous cutting tasks.

• Poultry claws – Helpful for gripping the skin while cutting.

• Meat mallet – Useful for flattening the breastbone after splitting.

• Trussing skewers – For securing the wings and legs together after halving.

Step-by-Step Halving Process

Follow these simple steps for cutting your turkey in half smoothly:

1. Remove any neck or giblets – Check both front and main cavities to ensure no innards remain. Rinse cavities well. Pat very dry.

2. Place breast side up – Have backbone cavity facing you. Legs pointing away. Use poultry claws to grip.

3. Find the thigh joint – Locate where the thigh meets the body on one side. This is your starting cut point.

4. Cut into the thigh joint – Use shears to cut deeply into the hip joint, while keeping the shears turned horizontally.

5. Cut up towards backbone – Keep shears in the same position. Cut up from thigh towards back cavity opening.

6. Feel for the breastbone – Run fingers over the center to feel where the breastbone is. Cutting close to this point keeps breast meat intact.

7. Cut through breastbone – Use shears to cut through the bone and cartilage down the turkey center. Take care not to cut yourself on bone shards.

8. Repeat on other side – Follow same steps working from other thigh up towards opposite side of backbone.

9. Separate turkey – The two halves can now be pulled slowly apart at the center. Finish cutting any stubborn tissue to fully separate.

10. Trim up any uneven edges – Use shears and paring knife to trim any uneven portions so the halves match.

11. Pound down breastbone – Optionally, use a mallet to flatten the breastbone halves so they lay better in roasting pan.

12. Truss legs together – For stability, insert skewers through thighs and drumsticks to keep them together.

13. Refrigerate until ready to cook – Place halves in an airtight container or roasting pan. Cook within 24 hours for food safety.

Now your turkey is perfectly halved for easier roasting and carving on your festive holiday table! This simple pre-prep step takes the headache out of maneuvering a whole turkey.

Cooking Your Halved Turkey

Once the turkey is cut in half, cooking it is easy:

• Rub the skin with oil or melted butter and season generously with salt, pepper and any other spices desired.

• Place halves breast-side up in a large roasting pan. Angle the breast end higher by propping up with chopped vegetables or crumpled foil balls.

• Roast at 350°F, basting occasionally, until the breast reaches 165°F and thighs 175°F internally. The thinner breast half often cooks faster than the leg quarter.

• Allow the halves to rest about 20 minutes before carving to let juices redistribute.

• Carve each half into nice slices and pieces. Arrange on a platter for an impressive presentation!

Common Carving Problems and Solutions

Carving a turkey half has fewer difficulties than a whole bird, but a few issues can still arise:

• Breast half drying out – Start checking temp after 1 hour. Wrap with foil at 160°F.

• Leg half undercooked – Increase roasting time as needed. Check thighs with meat thermometer.

• Skin not crisping – Raise heat to 400°F for last 30 minutes if skin is pale and limp.

• Mismatched doneness – Cook halves separately if one seems to be cooking much faster.

• Leg skewers loosen – Check trussing occasionally. Retruss if drumsticks are separating too far.

• Bones loosening – Take care when maneuvering halves in and out of the oven when basting and removing.

Get Carving!

Get ready to impress your guests with perfectly roasted, juicy turkey halves to celebrate the holidays in style. Learning how to properly cut a whole turkey in half helps ensure roasting and carving success.