How to Cut Steaks From Whole Turkey Breasts

Turkey breast slices are thin, boneless fillets, sometimes referred to as steaks or cutlets. They are all white meat, cut across the grain of the turkey breast.

In a recent price check of several local supermarkets, turkey breast slices ranged from $4.29 to $5.39 per pound, while whole turkey breasts were $1.69 to $3.99 a pound. Despite the weight of bone in the whole breasts, that still amounts to a major price difference.

To economize, or if and when turkey breast slices are not available at the market, you may cut them yourself from a fresh, thawed or partially thawed whole turkey breast. The savings are even greater when you consider that turkey breast slices are an excellent substitute for far more expensive veal cutlets.

Begin by placing the turkey breast on a cutting board with the small end pointing away from you. Using a large sharp knife, cut through the center of the breast (Step 1), down along one side of the keel bone.

Set that half of the breast aside. Then cut down the other side of the keel bone (Step 2) to release the second breast half.

Remove the skin from the breast halves by running the point of the knife between the flesh and skin (Step 3). Also cut off any excess fat.

Slice the breast meat across the grain into half-inch to one-inch slices for steaks, 1/8-inch to 3/8-inch slices for cutlets (Step 4). Use as directed in a recipe, saute or pound thinner and prepare as scaloppine, piccata or Parmigiana.