What carving fork means
A carving fork is a large fork with long, sharp, sturdy prongs, used mainly to hold meat steady while it is being carved. The prongs are pushed into a roast joint, whole chicken, turkey, ham or other large piece of meat to keep it still on the board, so the carving knife can cut neat, even slices without the meat sliding around. Carving forks may have straight or slightly curved prongs. Curved prongs are useful for lifting and turning meat, and straight prongs for holding it firmly while slicing.
Traditional carving forks often have a guard, a small metal bar that flips up near the handle and helps protect the hand if the knife slips. They are usually sold as part of a carving set with a matching carving knife, and sometimes a sharpening steel. Besides carving, the fork is used to lift roasts out of the tin and onto a board, to turn large pieces of meat during cooking and to serve slices onto plates. It is best to insert the fork into the meat as few times as possible so juices are not lost.
Many cooks keep a carving fork for Sunday roasts and festive meals, while a long cook’s fork with a similar shape is used for turning meat on a barbecue. You will see a carving fork in lists of roasting and carving equipment.