"The only attribute a knife needs to be a good carving knife is it needs to be sharp," says Paul Kelly, a turkey farmer and managing director of Kelly Turkeys, which sells sustainably bred birds.

“If you’re going to splurge on a new carving knife, I recommend a Japanese-style carving knife called a sujihiki, which is long, thin, light and wickedly sharp,” Card said. “It’s a lot more versatile ...

Before carving, you'll need: a sharp carving knife a sturdy cutting board a platter for arranging the sliced turkey paper towels for blotting excess juices You'll also want to place a damp paper towel ...