What kind of edge will carve your turkey/ham?

Crayola

Crayola

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
3,831
So there you are ready to carve the Christmas turkey or ham. Will it be a super polished blade? Will it be left rough? Will it be a Cold Steel kitchen knife with them tiny sharp serrations? Any tips for sharpening a kitchen knife for the sharpening impaired knife knuts?

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"Come What May..."
 
Ham is relatively easy. The meat is not too tough and it holds together well. Anything will work for a boneless ham. I like a thin blade for reduced drag. I often use my basic 8" French chef's knife. A bone-in ham is a bit more interesting. You have to work around the bone. I like a straight, stiff, 5" boning knife. I usually use one from Chicago Cutlery.

Last night I experimented with my new Marbles Woodcraft model hunting knife with the enlarged guard. The razor sharp 52100 blade did an excellent job. As the handle got slippery with grease I was glad to have the guard. A slightly larger and ribbed handle would also have been nice.

Turkey is more of a challenge because it tends to fall apart. I like to use a long, very thin and narrow nonserrated edge. I found an old Case XX slicer that works well. It swells out a little wider for the last 3 inches near the point. This convex area acts as the primary slicing section. It makes clean breast slices even on an overcooked bird. The shape also works well around the bones. It might be handy to use a boning knife for getting the dark meat off some of the bones.

 
I've been using a Ka-Bar for years
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I actually prefer a good Feasant for my christmas dinner. Feasant has to some extent the same sharacteeristics of turkey, it falls apart easy. I would side with Jeff on this one.

Merry Christmas
 
HMmmmm.... maybe I'll try my ka-Bar this year, Should freak out the family nicely!! HeHe

Thanx for the idea Clayton!
 
This is good so far! Ka-Bar carver!! HA! Now I've heard it all!

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"Come What May..."
 
Would have to try my 17 inch John Fitch Ironwood Bowie on the bird. Anything else just doesn't make the grade.
 
For Thanksgiving, I used an Emerson/IAI Tanto folder. Over the weekend, I used a Cold Steel XL Voyager.
 
A couple of days before Thanksgiving I recieved a Lamey fighter and put it right to
work on the turkey. I think I will test it on
the Christmas roast beef next.

Happy Holidays,
Win
 
All the purists out there can skip this post.

Are they gone yet ?

After getting my Sharpmaker before Thanksgiving, I sharpened up the blades on my ... gasp...electric knife, and it worked great on the turkey. Best is with the leg/wing sections, you can apply pressure to the joint and let the knife do the work of separating the pieces. And on white meat, it doesn't get hung up on the skin.
 
Better tell Lamey about your test of his knife! That ought to be a good selling point!

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"Come What May..."
 
Slice? You guys don't circle 'round it with the wife & kids and just sink yer teeth in?

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Brandon

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Quis ut Deus
 
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