We know, we know. You’re so ravenous you could eat a horse. Meanwhile, a delicious whole turkey or beef roast just finished cooking in the oven. However, before you dig in, you should loosely cover the meat in foil and let it sit out for approximately 15-20 minutes. This is known as “stand time”, and it accomplishes a few things. For starters, stand time allows the temperature to keep rising and thereby finishes cooking the meat. It also redistributes the meat’s juices, resulting in better texture and taste. Because of the improved texture, stand time enables a smoother carving process as well.

If you’re carving in the kitchen, make sure you’re using a quality carving board with a well at one end at and a napkin or towel underneath it. The well is there to collect any juices and the napkin will prevent the board from shifting around. And remember that carving boards are for cooked meat only, not for preparing raw meat or slicing vegetables. If you’re carving at the table and serving the meat from a platter, you should still carve the meat on a cutting board first so as not to scratch your dinnerware. When carving at the table, you should also place the carving board on top of a baking sheet to collect the juices.

At long last, it’s time to carve into that juicy roast. Naturally, you’ll need a proper set of tools, namely a carving fork and sharp carving knife (or an electric carving knife). Using the carving fork to keep the meat steady, take the carving knife and slice into the meat. Notice how we said slice–not saw–meaning the movement should be as graceful and uninterrupted as possible. Be sure to use the entire carving blade, and refrain from applying too much pressure, which can affect texture and ruin the aesthetic. When applicable, you want to cut across the grain, i.e. perpendicular to the muscle fibres. This will increase tenderness and decrease chewiness in each respective slice of meat. If the roast is bound by strings or skewers, be sure to remove them as you go.