How to carve meat perfectly

Carving a cut of meat worthy of praise needn't be difficult. These simple guidelines will show you the proper way to carve meat.

All joints served hot will be more tender and easier to carve if the meat is covered in foil and left in warm place to "relax" for at least 15 minutes and up to half an hour before carving. Boneless cuts are the easiest to carve, such as a rolled beef rump or sirloin, or a boned and rolled leg of lamb. As a rule, meat is best cut across the grain. Before you start, make sure that your knife is sharp and your board isn't going to slip (lay it over a tea towel if necessary).

You will need:

• Sharpened carving knife.
•  Two-pronged carving fork.
•  Carving board.
• Small sharp knife.
• Large warmed side plate.

1. Rib of beef. For a large joint, turn onto one side and make five centimetre (two inch) cuts across ribs. Lay the joint rib side down and carve several slices. Place them on a warm side dish then turn the rib back on its side and repeat. For a smaller joint, cut the meat away from the ribs in one go and then carve it into slices.
2. Sirloin of beef on the bone. Use a small knife to loosen the meat from the bone. Carve down to the bone in thin slices, turn the meat over, remove bone and continue carving.
3. Leg of lamb or pork. Place the leg meaty side up on the board. For pork, remove the crackling and put to one side. Cut a shallow V from the middle then carve slices downwards from both sides, widening the V. Turn the leg over and cut slices across the underside.
4. Shoulder of lamb. Place joint with fat side uppermost. Cut a long slice about 15 millimetres thick from the centre of the joint on the side opposite the bone, right down to the bone. Keep carving slices to widen the first cut then take horizontal slices from the top, over the central bone. Carve horizontal slices from the underside.

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