Carving a Sunday Roast: Technique and the Right Knife

Roast dinner season is here! As the seasons begin to change and roast dinners start to become a Sunday staple again, it’s time to treat yourself to a premium, Japanese carving set. We’ve put together the most important tips on how to carve the perfect Sunday roast to get the most out of your carving knife and fork.

There’s a particular kind of disappointment that comes from spending hours on a roast, only to hack it into ragged, uneven slices at the table. This is where we are here to help as carving well is about using the right technique, timing and, most importantly, the right knife.

Why resting matters more than you think

Cutting into a roast the moment it comes out of the oven is one of the biggest mistakes home cooks make. As meat cooks, its muscle fibres contract and push moisture toward the centre. Slice too early, and the moisture will leak into the board leaving you with a drier, less flavourful result. Resting gives those fibres time to relax and reabsorb the juices throughout the meat.

Resting times:

Small joint like a chicken: 10-15 minutes

A mid-sized roast (leg of lamb, pork loin): 15-20 minutes

A large roast beef or turkey: 20-30 minutes

Top Tip:

Cover the meat loosely with foil during this time.

Slicing against the grain

Every cut of meat has a grain, the direction the muscles fibre run. Slicing with the grain leaves the long fibres intact which make bites chewier and harder to cut through. Slicing against the grain shortens those fibres, which is what makes a slice more tender.

Before you cut:

1.      Look closely at the surface of the meat to spot the direction the fibres run.

2.      Turn the roast so your knife will cut perpendicular to those fibres.

3.      Cut in slow, controlled strokes, don’t saw!

Top Tip:

Some roasts (like a whole chicken) have fibres running in more than one direction. For these roasts, carve section by section adjusting the angle as needed rather than trying to slice the whole thing in one continuous motion.

Carving Fork Technique

The carving fork isn’t just for show, using it properly stabilises the meat and keeps your hand clear of the blade.

Step 1: Insert the fork at an angle, not straight down, so it anchors the meat without splitting it apart.

Step 2: Apply gentle pressure to hold the roast steady, don’t press too hard or you’ll squeeze the juices out!

Step 3: Reposition the fork as you move down the roast for better control.

Step 4: Use the fork to transfer finished slices to you serving plate to keep the board clear for your next cut.

Why the knife makes the difference?

Technique only gets you so far without the right blade. A long, thin, flexible carving knife is built specifically for this job, and it shows in the results.

Length: A long blade lets you complete each slice in a single, smooth cut, rather than having to saw back and forth. Fewer strokes mean cleaner edges and less torn muscle fibre.

Thin Blade: GLOBAL’s carving knives use a thinner blade profile which reduces drag as it moves through the meat. Less resistance means less compression, so the slices hold their shape instead of squashing under the blade.

Sharp Edge: GLOBAL’s cromova 18 stainless steel blades are sharpened to a 15° angle for an ultra-sharp blade that maintains its edge.

Balance: The knife’s weight is engineered into the handle rather than the blade, giving your control for precise, even pressure.

The formula for restaurant-quality carving is simple: rest the meat fully, cut against the grain, use the fork to stabilise the joint and let a purpose-built carving knife do the work.