How to Debone a Turkey - Step by Step Recipe

Frozen turkeys are available year-round. They are quite good roasted with the bones in, but the bones can make carving difficult. Some butchers will debone the turkey for you, usually at a higher price. It's easy to do it yourself in about 15 minutes. Learn how to remove the breast, back, and thigh bones, and you'll end up with a boneless turkey suitable for stuffing. Your guests will never guess it is deboned until you cut it. A sharp boning knife is essential.

You will need:
• A thawed turkey, tail clipped (optional), rinsed and patted dry.
• Kitchen shears and/or sharp 7- or 8-inch boning knife.
• Cutting board.
_{Photo © 2005 Peggy Trowbridge, licensed to About.com, Inc.}