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Buying a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner comes with nearly as many questions (not to mention drama) as preparing and serving the meal itself: How big a turkey should I buy? How do I cook it evenly? Should I cook it in parts? Is Kelly still vegetarian? Wait—how much turkey do I need if I want lots of leftovers?
We hear you. We’ve been there. And we have plenty of Thanksgiving turkey recipes to steer you in the right direction. But to determine once and for all just how big a holiday bird should be, I turned to our incomparable team of test kitchen editors for their best turkey-buying and holiday-hosting tips.
First and foremost, know your approximate number of guests before shopping for your turkey. Planning ahead allows you to buy the right size bird with confidence and allows you to calculate the turkey’s roasting time. With the day’s approximations anchored by the turkey’s oven appointment, you can plan the other side dishes accordingly (better yet, outsource those entirely to your guests). And tell yourself that maybe—just maybe—Thanksgiving will run on schedule this year.
Determining how much turkey breast to buy for 8 people can be tricky. You want to make sure everyone gets enough without having lots of leftovers. This guide will walk you through how to calculate the right amount of turkey breast per person and share tips for cooking turkey for a crowd.
How Much Turkey Per Person?
The general guideline is to plan for 1 pound of uncooked bone-in turkey breast per person. This allows for generous portions with a bit of leftovers.
For 8 adults you’ll need about 8 pounds of bone-in turkey breast. Here’s a simple formula
- Adults: 1 lb per person
- Kids: 1/2 lb per child
To be safe, it’s better to slightly overestimate than underbuy. If some guests have larger appetites, an extra pound wouldn’t hurt.
Bone-in vs Boneless Turkey Breast
Bone-in turkey breast has more flavor as the bones impart flavor during cooking But boneless breasts are more convenient
- Bone-in: Calculate 1 lb per person
- Boneless: Calculate 3/4 lb per person
So for 8 people, you’d need:
- 8 lbs bone-in breast
- 6 lbs boneless breast
Since bone-in has bones that you can’t eat, boneless may be easier for a group.
Tips for Cooking Turkey Breast for a Group
Get the Right Size Roasting Pan
Make sure your roasting pan is big enough to fit an 8 lb turkey breast, with some room around it.
Brine for Extra Flavor
Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine before cooking infuses it with flavor. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 4 cups water and submerge the breast for 8-12 hours.
Roast Low and Slow
Cook at a lower temp like 325°F to keep the meat juicy and tender. An 8 lb breast needs about 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
Let It Rest
Letting the breast rest for 20 minutes before carving allows the juices to reabsorb for moist, tender meat.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Cooking to an internal temp of 165°F ensures the breast reaches safe doneness, especially the thickest part.
Add Flavor Inside and Out
Rub the breast with herbs, oil or butter and season it generously inside and out for extra flavor.
Make Gravy from the Pan Drippings
Using the tasty pan drippings to make gravy is a great way to add flavor.
More Tips for Feeding a Group
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Make extra sides like potatoes, stuffing and veggies to round out the meal.
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Keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve if your meal time is later.
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Consider cooking ahead and reheating if you’ll be too busy on the big day.
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Let guests help themselves buffet-style for faster serving.
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Use disposable plates and utensils to minimize clean-up.
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Have multiple cutting boards and knives ready for easy carving and serving.
With an 8 pound turkey breast and hearty sides, your 8 guests will have a feast to remember! Planning ahead helps make the meal less stressful when cooking for a crowd.
What if I’m cooking turkey breasts?
Turkey breast offers a great solution for home cooks who prefer white meat (and only white meat, thank you very much). They’re also easier to cook more evenly than whole turkey. We recommend using skin-on, bone-in breasts, which have a deeper flavor and tend to stay juicier throughout the cooking process, as opposed to boneless turkey breasts. If you’re cooking for a small group, you could roast two single breasts side by side and store one unsliced, still on the bone, in the refrigerator overnight for next-day sandwiches.
Wondering how many pounds of turkey breast per person you need? Since most of our recipes call for bone-in breasts, the same guidelines apply as above. Plan on 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey breast per person. Because most of the breast is 40 to 50-percent bone and cartilage, you’ll realistically get around half a pound of edible meat per guest—just don’t forget to scale up slightly if you want leftovers.
How many pounds of turkey per person do I really need?
As tempting as a 20-pound turkey may look at the store, you really don’t need one that large for a six-person gathering. The general rule is 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person. If that seems like a lot, remember that a whole bone-in turkey comes with parts that don’t get eaten. “When you buy a whole turkey, a lot of it is bone,” says recipe developer (and former BA staffer) Jessie YuChen. The smaller the bird, the higher that percentage may be. For smaller gatherings, Jessie recommends scaling your amount of turkey to 2 pounds per person to guarantee extra turkey for leftovers (more on that later). “For four to six people, 11 to 13 pounds is a good range,” Jessie says. (Most of our recipes call for a 12-to-14-pound bird.)
Beyond the bones, the total mass of a whole bird accounts for cartilage and less favorable cuts of meat around the shoulders, neck, and back that are better suited for making stock than presenting on a platter. Buying a pound of turkey per person doesn’t mean it’ll yield an equivalent amount of meat.So, what’s the best size turkey for my crowd?
If you’re thinking about going up a turkey size to guarantee everyone feels well-fed and plenty doped up on tryptophan, contributing editor Amiel Stanek points out that larger birds are more prone to uneven cooking. “In terms of ensuring the breast meat is moist, and the dark meat is cooked through,” he says, “you’re going to get the best results from a 15-pound turkey, max.” If you’re cooking for a large crowd, consider buying two or more moderately sized birds and roast them side by side—or roast one a day or two early and then reheat on Thanksgiving Day.
If a 15-pound bird sounds teeny compared to your guest list, Amiel and Jessie recommend supplementing with a different meat or protein, no matter your party’s size. “I like to do steak or lamb chops,” says Jessie, “which are very festive and a lot easier to prepare than a whole turkey recipe.” Having a second meat on the table provides a backup if you choose a smaller turkey or your bird is on the scrawny side, but it also makes your turkey stretch further. Aim for 1 to 1½ total pounds of protein per person, including your supplementary main, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
If you’re hosting a smaller gathering, another option is to forgo the roast turkey entirely in favor of a smaller bird—roast chicken or glazed duck make just as nice a centerpiece.
How long does it take to cook an 8 pound turkey breast at 350?
FAQ
How many servings are in a 5 pound turkey breast?
If you’re not cooking for a crowd, make a bone-in turkey breast. A 5- to 7-pound breast feeds about 4.Nov 25, 2019
How much turkey for 8 adults with leftovers?
The rule of thumb is 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person with leftovers and 1 pound of turkey per person without leftovers. If your guest list includes a lot of kids, lean towards a smaller size turkey. If your guests are big eaters, lean towards a larger turkey.
How big of a turkey do I need for a family of 8?
How Much Turkey Per Person. The general rule is to plan for 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per guest. If you’re buying boneless meat, assume about 8 ounces per guest.Nov 12, 2024
What size turkey will feed 8 people?
A small turkey (3-4.5kg) will feed 6-8 people. A medium turkey (4-5kg) will feed 8-10 people.