How to Carve a Large Roast

Correctly carved roasts look great and taste wonderful.

For special occasions or weekly family gatherings, most meat eaters enjoy a tasty roast. Knowing how to prepare and cook the roast is important, but it is essential that the roast be carved properly as well. Incorrectly carving can ruin this expensive cut of meat. Some people may prefer to carve the roast in the kitchen, but most enjoy the ritual of carving the meat at the dinner table. Large roasts can be a bit more challenging to carve than smaller ones, but with a large, sharp carving knife and a some determination, it can be sliced to perfection. Does this Spark an idea?

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Large carving knife
Long-handled carving fork
Cutting board
Meat platter

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place the roast on a wooden cutting board. Insert the large fork into the meat, about 2 inches from the smaller end of the roast, to hold it securely in place. Place the carving knife at the top of the roast, closest to the smaller end of the meat. Hold the blade of the knife at a right angle to the top surface of the roast. The sharp blade should touch the top surface of the meat.
- 2
  
  Make the first slice with a back-and-forth sawing motion. Check the slice to ensure you are cutting against the grain. If cut properly, the grains of meat will appear as small squares; if not, the grain of meat will look like long strings. If the slice appears stringy, turn the roast 90 degrees before making the next slice.
- 3
  
  Keep the fork firmly embedded in the meat and cut a second slice, similar to the first. Place the blade of the knife about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch from the cut edge of the meat. This will create slices of meat that are 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Continue making slices until the blade is about 1/2 inch from the tines of the fork. Lift the fork out of the meat, and embed it further back in the roast, close to the center of the remainder of the roast.
- 4
  
  Repeat this process of slicing and moving the fork back until the entire roast is carved. Transfer the slices from the cutting board to the serving platter. Preserve the original shape of the roast by moving a few slices at a time. Maintain the order of the slices. Hold the knife sideways and slide the flat edge of the blade under a few slices of meat and transfer them to the platter.

Tips & Warnings

Use an electric knife. It makes cutting thin slices easier and your arm will not become tired.
When approaching the end of the roast and there is no room for the fork, do not hold the meat with your fingers while attempting to carve the remaining slices.