Turkey size is the source of much stress around Thanksgiving. It's already a challenge tocook a perfect turkeywhile avoiding the dreaded combination of dry and flavorless meat that so many people complain about. You also have an endless number of Thanksgiving side dishes to choose from, which sometimes amount to a half dozen or more additions to your meal. And don't even mention dessert. This all complicates the math of how much food you need to feed a family, and when you have a room full of hungry people, that math is important. Thankfully, there's a pretty simple range to shoot for, depending on your family size. Aim for 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person, or about half that much if you're just making a turkey breast.
That sounds like a lot, but whole turkeys are made up of inedible bones and cartilage, around 40 to 50%. If you're planning to roast boneless turkey breasts, that obviously won't factor in, so in that case, aim for about½ pound per person. Bone-in breasts are also mostly meat, so that same rule of thumb should still apply, but if you have some big eaters in your family, you can bump that up by around 50%, just to be safe. And, of course, it's always better to have Thanksgiving leftovers than not enough turkey to go around.
You're Better Off With Too Much Turkey Breast Than Too Little
There are so many variables to consider for Thanksgiving that it's better to air on the side of more food than less. You won't know how many people are only going to want dark (or white) meat, so you'll need to have a lot of both. You also won't know if you can rely on guests filling up on rolls and green bean casserole. If you're feeding a really big crowd, you may even want to opt for two smaller turkeys over one big one, as smaller birds are often more flavorful and tender.
Since the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers anyway, there are plenty of things you can do with extra turkey or turkey breast. Leftover sandwiches are always a winner, but you can also make a turkey pot pie, which can even be frozen if you're sick of holiday food after the big day. Turkey can take the place of chicken in chicken salad or get added to soup, and it can even be made into tasty tacos. Thanksgiving leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving, so you'll never be upset that you gave yourself plenty to work with.
How much turkey per person do I need? Our recommendation is to plan for one pound of turkey per person, or ½ pound per person for a boneless turkey breast. If you're buying a bone-in turkey breast, figure on 3/4 pound per person.
Aim for 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person, or about half that much if you're just making a turkey breast. That sounds like a lot, but whole turkeys are made up of inedible bones and cartilage, around 40 to 50%.
How Much Turkey Breast to Buy. One (3-pound) half-breast will feed two to four people. A whole (six- to seven-pound) turkey breast (two breasts, still joined at the breast bone) will feed six to eight people. This method will work for either amount of meat.
“So, for 10 people you should prepare a 20-pound turkey. Home cooks should expect to yield 40 percent of a cooked bird, and between dark meat and white meat preferences, the yield will shrink even further,” DiSpirito says.
Start in a hot heated oven at 450 degrees F, then lower the heat to 350 degrees F just before you put the turkey in the oven. The initial high heat will help brown the skin, then the lower heat will help cook the turkey breast on the inside without drying it out.
While the weight of Cook from Frozen turkeys will vary slightly, Butterball recommends planning for 1.5 – 2 pounds of turkey meat per guest, which will allow for leftovers.
So how much turkey will you need for a small gathering? As a general rule, estimate about 1 pound for serving, give or take a little. This means a 10-pound turkey will serve about 8 to 10 people. If you want to go even smaller (say, if you're cooking for one or two), you can always consider a turkey breast instead.
Once you know the exact number of attendees, use this formula: Number of guests x 1.25. You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person. That means if you're expecting 12 guests, plan for a 15-pound bird.
It takes 24 hours for every four to five pounds of weight for a turkey to thaw in the refrigerator (a 15-pound turkey will take three days to thaw in your refrigerator). A completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one or two days before cooking.
A turkey crown (2-2.5kg) will feed 6 people. A small turkey (3-4.5kg) will feed 6-8 people. A medium turkey (4-5kg) will feed 8-10 people. A large turkey (6-6.5kg) will feed 12-15 people.
A bone-in turkey breast consists of both breast portions, along with the skin, ribs, and part of the backbone, weighing 4-5 pounds and as large as 8 pounds. You will commonly find bone-in turkey breasts at the supermarket throughout the year, usually packaged as shown in the photo below.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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