Breaking down a whole raw turkey means cutting it into parts — legs, thighs, wings, breasts and a backbone — before you cook it. This is not the same as carving a roasted bird at the table. Work on a large board reserved for raw poultry, keep juices on a tray, and wash your hands and tools before they touch anything else. The parts still need to reach 165°F when you cook them. The backbone is excellent for turkey stock from the carcass. See how to cook a turkey breast, how to cook turkey wings, and the turkey techniques and food safety hub.
Legs and wings first, then the breasts
Pat the turkey dry and set it breast-side up. Pull a leg away from the body, cut through the skin, and pop the joint, then cut the drumstick from the thigh at the next joint. Repeat on the other side. Remove the wings at the shoulder joint. To take off the breasts, follow the breastbone with a sharp knife and lift each side away in one piece, keeping the skin on if you can. Kitchen shears help with rib bones and the backbone, which you can roast or simmer for stock. This is a different project from spatchcocking, which flattens the bird but leaves it in one piece.
Refrigerate the raw parts at 40°F or below and cook them within 1 to 2 days, or freeze them. Do not rinse the turkey. Keep a clean knife for later cooked food, and sanitize the board when you are finished. Related: the USDA turkey roasting guide and the Thanksgiving guide.
Cooking parts instead of a whole bird can make timing easier, because legs and breasts can come out when each one is done. It also lets you roast the backbone for gravy or stock while the meat cooks in another pan. If you only want a breast, buying one already cut can be simpler, but a whole turkey is often a better value if you will use every piece.
Bag the parts separately so you can season or freeze them one at a time. Label what is raw. Cook stuffing in a dish, not packed into a raw carcass you have already taken apart. Confirm 165°F in the thickest meat, away from the bone.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as carving a cooked turkey?
No. This is butchering a raw bird into parts before cooking. Carving happens after the roast reaches 165°F.
What should I do with the backbone?
Simmer or roast it for stock or gravy. It is not wasted just because you cooked the parts separately.
How soon do I have to cook the parts?
Keep raw poultry in the fridge 1 to 2 days, or freeze it. Cook each piece to 165°F.
Helpful kitchen tools
- Cuisinart Stainless 16-Inch Roasting Pan with Rack and Deluxe Basting Set — A tray or pan keeps raw juices contained while you cut the turkey up.
- OXO Good Grips Chef’s Precision Digital Instant Read Thermometer — Check 165°F later, when you cook the parts.
- OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Digital Kitchen Food Scale — Weigh the breasts and legs if you want even seasoning or even roasting pans.
- ThermoPro TP01B Instant Read Meat Thermometer — Useful when two pans of parts finish at slightly different times.
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