Holiday Meal Prep Essentials: Turkey Lifter Forks

Turkey lifters fall into that category of specialty kitchen items that you likely don't need on a weekly, or even monthly, basis, but when you do need them, there's really no substitute. If you're planning to host friends and family for the holidays, you'll want to have a variety of task-specific food prep tools on hand before you start cooking. A set of turkey lifter forks should certainly be on that list.

As the name suggests, these tools are designed to allow you to easily and securely transfer your perfectly cooked bird from the roasting pan to the serving platter. Given that these handy tools feature sharp prongs, they can also be used in place of a carving fork.

The Details

Turkey lifters are relatively simple tools that resemble oversized forks and are almost always sold as a set of two. The wide-set prongs slide under your roast, providing plenty of support for even the largest birds. While the prongs distribute the weight of roasts up to 30 pounds, the sturdy handles keep your hands a safe distance from the steaming food and scorching pan. Turkey forks are most often associated with the star of your Thanksgiving feast, but they can, of course, be used to lift and shift any kind of roast. The prongs on the lifters are also perfect for holding your turkey, chicken, goose or ham in place as you carve it.

Here are just two of the turkey lifter sets available at Williams Sonoma:

• All-Clad Turkey Forks - Crafted to All-Clad's exacting standards and featuring the company's iconic handle, these heavy-gauge stainless steel turkey forks have an elegant, polished finish that makes them ideal for table service. At nearly 5 inches wide and just over 11 inches long, these lifters are strong and long enough to ensure secure transport of the biggest roasts.
• Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Turkey Forks - These durable turkey forks feature stainless steel tines and ergonomic TPE handles that make it easy to transfer your roast from the pan to the serving dish in one seamless motion. The dishwasher-safe lifters come with protective covers for safe storage.

More Thanksgiving Meal Prep Tools

In addition to a set of turkey lifter forks, you'll want various other chef's tools at the ready when the holiday cooking season gets going. Since this time of year is already so busy, it's a good idea to inventory your kitchen well in advance so that you have plenty of time to order anything that might be missing or in need of replacement. Many of the kitchen utensils that are in heavy rotation from November through December don't get much use during the other months of the year, so you'll want to have a careful look at your holiday cooking plans to ensure that you have everything you need to make all of your favorite dishes. Don't forget to think about your baking needs as well.

Here are a few of the kitchen tools that you might need this holiday season:

• Bulb baster
• Poultry shears
• Fat separator
• Potato masher or ricer
• Apple corer and slicer
• Pastry cutter
• Pie weights