Locating the Keel Bone on a Turkey – Your Guide to Identifying this Important Anatomical Landmark
The keel bone is an integral part of a turkey’s anatomy, yet many home cooks struggle to locate it when preparing turkey for roasting or carving But identifying the keel bone is a key step for proper turkey handling Read on for a complete guide to finding the keel bone and understanding its significance.
What is the Keel Bone?
The keel bone is a long, prominent bone that runs lengthwise through the center of a turkey’s breast. Resembling the keel of a boat, this bone provides an anchor point for the turkey’s flight muscles, much like a sternum does in humans. The keel bone is made of solid bone on the upper half and cartilage on the lower half. It serves as the turkey’s central structural support.
Why Locate the Keel Bone?
Identifying the location of the keel bone is useful both in preparing the raw turkey and later when carving the cooked bird. Here are some key reasons to find the keel bone:
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It allows proper butterflying and spatchcocking of the raw turkey for even cooking.
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It guides where to make precision cuts when removing turkey breasts.
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It indicates the center point to slice cooked turkey for serving.
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It helps determine optimal turkey placement in roasting pans.
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It aids in avoiding bone fragments when carving cooked meat.
How to Locate the Keel Bone
On a whole raw turkey, the keel bone is buried internally and not visible. But there are a few simple methods to pinpoint its location:
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Feel for a rigid ridge running down the turkey’s center. This hard bump is the top of the bone.
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Identify the thickest part of the breast, which overlies the bone.
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Follow the cartilage seam at the base of the breast to the bottom end of the keel.
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Probe the breast meat gently with your fingers. The keel bone feels like a solid structure.
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Press down firmly on the breast to feel the hardness of the bone underneath.
On a roasted or smoked whole turkey, the keel bone becomes more defined:
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Visually, it appears as a raised ridge under the surface of the breast skin.
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Slicing into the breast, the cut surface of the bone is visible as a distinct white line.
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Pulling the breast meat back reveals the cartilage portion protruding.
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The surrounding meat is firmer and less pliable along the course of the bone.
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Prodding the cooked breast still produces a noticeable hard resistance.
Remember, the keel bone runs right down the center of the breast from top to bottom. Keeping it in mind while preparing and carving turkey makes the job easier.
Keel Bone Significance When Roasting Turkey
Locating the keel bone on a raw turkey helps ensure proper positioning in the roasting pan. For optimal stability and even cooking, the turkey should be placed breast-side up with the keel bone running parallel and centered in the pan. The legs are positioned to either side of the keel bone. This allows the most heat contact with the breast meat.
The keel bone also serves as a guide for butterfly and spatchcock methods of turkey preparation. These techniques involve splitting the turkey along both sides of the keel bone to open it flat for quicker roasting.
Keel Bone’s Role When Carving Turkey
The keel bone is invaluable when carving cooked turkey. It guides the placement of precision cuts to remove each breast half cleanly. Knowing the keel’s location prevents accidentally leaving valuable breast meat behind on the bone.
The keel also indicates the ideal angle for neatly slicing cooked turkey on the diagonal for serving. Understanding this anatomy provides cleaner, more attractive results.
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.