Locating the Keel Bone on a Turkey A Guide to Turkey Anatomy
The keel bone is an important anatomical feature of a turkey but its location hidden beneath flesh and skin leaves many home cooks perplexed. Where exactly is the keel bone found on a turkey? Let’s explore turkey anatomy to unravel the mysteries surrounding this essential structure.
What is the Keel Bone?
The keel bone is a long, prominent bone that runs through the center of a turkey’s breast. It provides an anchor for the major flight muscles, akin to the breastbone on chickens and other birds. The keel bone consists of the fused collarbones, and in a living turkey it is flexible to allow wing movement.
Why Locate the Keel Bone?
When carving a roasted turkey, identifying the keel bone aids in cleanly separating the breast meat from the carcass. Knowing where it’s located helps ensure proper carving technique. It also assists in carving evenly sized portions and accessing the delicate white meat.
Mapping Out Turkey Anatomy
To locate the keel bone, let’s first familiarize ourselves with the basic anatomy of a turkey:
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Breast: The upper front portion of the turkey composed of the pectoral meat surrounding the keel bone. Skin covers the breast along with the breastplate.
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Wings: Appendages joined to the turkey’s shoulders. The wings contain smaller bones and less meat.
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Legs: The rear limbs of the turkey with more muscular thighs and drumsticks containing smaller wing bones.
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Cavity: The open space once occupied by internal organs.
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Back: The rear dorsal area of the turkey anchored by the spine and rib bones. Contains darker, fattier meat.
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Tail: The feathered posterior extremity.
Pinpointing the Keel Bone
Armed with a basic understanding of turkey anatomy, let’s zoom in on the breast area to locate the keel bone:
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Place the turkey breast side up with the neck facing you. Locate the breastplate, the central semi-circular bony area on the surface of the breast.
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Run your fingers down the center of the breastplate until you feel the ridge or crest of the keel bone underneath, protruding up slightly.
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Visually, the keel bone divides the breast vertically into two separate lobes or sides of meat.
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The keel runs the length of the breast from the cavity opening down to the tail area. It is surrounded on both sides by the pectoral meat.
Carving Along the Keel Bone
Once located by touch or sight, use the keel bone as a guide for carving slices of breast meat:
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Position the knife in the valley between breast lobes, directly over the keel.
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Cut down firmly along one side of the bone from cavity to tail in a smooth, sweeping motion.
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Repeat on the other side of the keel, removing the breast meat cleanly in two portions.
Locating this central structure properly separates the breast lobes for easy portioning. Identifying the keel bone location provides for precise, efficient carving.
Demystifying Turkey Anatomy
While finding the keel bone amidst flesh and skin can prove challenging to turkey novices, an understanding of basic turkey anatomy goes a long way towards simplifying the process. Pinpointing this key internal feature allows cooks to cleanly divide the turkey breast for proper portioning, carving, and poultry part utilization. So the next time your carving knife meets a turkey, employ this anatomical map to confidently locate the keel bone. Your holiday guests will be grateful for your carving mastery!
A Closer Look at Turkey Keel Bones
For those unfamiliar with the keel bone and its importance, let’s examine some key facts:
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Composition: fused collarbones made of bone and cartilage
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Location: center of breast, beneath breastplate
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Shape: long central ridge, slightly raised
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Purpose: anchor for flight muscles and breast attachment
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Aids: carving and portioning of breast meat
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Identification: palpate breastplate to feel ridge
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Carving: cut along either side of keel bone to separate breasts
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After Cooking: keel bone flexible when raw but calcifies when cooked
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Removal: keel bone not eaten but can be removed after carving breast
Mastering Turkey Anatomy and Carving
Learning a turkey’s anatomy is like becoming familiar with a roadmap, providing direction to carving success. Specifically, identifying key landmarks like the keel bone allows for properly portioning meat, granting diners access to the choicest cuts. The breast is a cornucopia of delicacies, but finding the hidden keel bone is essential to unlocking its treasures. So for your next holiday turkey, embrace your inner anatomist and let the keel bone guide you to carving enlightenment.
How to Remove a Keel Bone & Spatchcock Poultry
FAQ
What is the keel bone of a turkey?
What is the keel bone?
Is the keel bone the wishbone?
How do you cook a Turkey keel bone?
Score the keel bone with a sharp knife and turn turkey breast-side up. Press down firmly until the keel bone separates and breast flattens. Cover entire turkey with Spice rub and arrange in a roasting pan. Cook for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (180 C, Gas Mark 4).
How do you cook a Turkey keel rib?
Cut a slice down each side of the backbone, then cut ribs with kitchen shears to remove backbone from the carcass. Score the keel bone with a sharp knife and turn turkey breast-side up. Press down firmly until the keel bone separates and breast flattens. Cover entire turkey with Spice rub and arrange in a roasting pan.
What is a keel in a bird?
A keel or carina (pl.: carinae) in bird anatomy is an extension of the sternum (breastbone) which runs axially along the midline of the sternum and extends outward, perpendicular to the plane of the ribs. The keel provides an anchor to which a bird’s wing muscles attach, thereby providing adequate leverage for flight.
How do you remove a keel bone from a breast?
Locate the keel bone. The keel bone is a dark triangular bone in the center of the breast. This is the first and more important bone to remove. You may want to pick up the breast and bend it backward a bit in order to better expose the keel bone. Cut the cartilage. Using your knife. slice through the cartilage found just above the keel bone.
How do you cut a Turkey rib?
Place turkey breast-side down on a cutting surface. Cut a slice down each side of the backbone, then cut ribs with kitchen shears to remove backbone from the carcass. Score the keel bone with a sharp knife and turn turkey breast-side up. Press down firmly until the keel bone separates and breast flattens.
How do you cut a turkey breast?
Place the turkey breast with the skin-side down on a plastic cutting board. Position the pointed end so it is facing away from you. Be sure that you have plenty of elbow room around your cutting board to work. Make a center slice. Make a cut down the center of the breast all the way down to the bone. This may take several cuts.