Slicing the Bird
The first thought that comes mind when cutting your holiday turkey, is an electric slicer, and to be perfectly honest while they are not a requirement, I love using an electric slicer to carve a turkey. Electric slicers make more consistent slices, and make quick work of carving the turkey, ham and other meats and breads on your table. Many of the nicer electric slicers will come with storage and multiple blades, commonly one for meats and another for breads. If you intend to slice at the table you will want to make sure you have a power plug available near the table. Two of my favorite electric slicers are the Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric knife and the Hamilton Beach 74275 Chrome Classic Electric Knife which comes with a case.
Hamilton Beach 74275 Chrome Classic
The Hamilton Beach Chrome Classic electric knife comes complete with a case and carving fork and is definitely a great entry level electric knife. It slices with ease and for its entry level price it presents a nice option for someone who might be trying the knife for the first time. It is powerful, sturdy and extremely lightweight.
While both of the electric carving knives will allow you to slice through your holiday turkey with ease, you will note that they are $20 apart in price.
Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric knife
The Cuisinart earns its $49 price tag with an additional blade for bread, and a beautiful wooden stand that collapses to store neatly in a drawer. The ease of handling that this knife boasts, as well as the ease in changing the blades made this knife ideal.
A word of caution, with electric slicers, you will want to be careful as you approach bones and joints to first use your carving fork to dislocate the joints and then carve around sockets, to avoid jamming your knife.
If you are not planning to use the electric carving options, you are not out of luck. You can always opt for the traditional knife and carving fork method. Let’s face it a knife will last you far beyond the holiday, and while the electric knives are great for meat carving they can be a bit cumbersome for day to day practical use. While I find that price-wise it is often more expensive to find a quality knife than it is to find an electric knife, there are many carving kits available which make this a cost effective option. Knife kits should include a 12″ carving knife and a carving fork. You will want to make sure the blade of your knife is at least 12″ from the handle. Also, you will want to make sure the handle is comfortable for you to grip in your hand and also easy for you to maneuver.
