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One thing is for sure: you’ll need a lot of turkey for Thanksgiving! But figuring out how much turkey each person needs is always a problem. In the end, the centerpiece that steals the show should be big enough for all of your guests, no matter how many there are. Here is a simple formula that will help you figure it out before you place your order. Then you can start brining the turkey and looking for the best turkey recipe.
As a general rule, you should plan to serve 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per guest. This amount includes the bones and other parts of the turkey that people don’t eat. That should be plenty especially with everyones favorite Thanksgiving side dishes on the dinner table. And if you want to send everyone home with extra food, you could always aim for 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per person. That way, theres plenty to make leftover turkey pot pie the next day.
Thanksgiving and other holiday meals often revolve around a delicious, juicy turkey as the centerpiece. But if you’re hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and are in charge of getting the turkey, an important question is “how much does a 20 lb turkey feed?”
Knowing approximately how many people a 20 lb turkey will serve can help make sure you don’t end up with way too little or way too much turkey for your gathering. Read on for a guide to how much a 20 lb turkey feeds so your holiday meal goes smoothly.
Turkey Serving Size Basics
First let’s go over some turkey basics. The general guideline is to plan for 1-1.5 pounds of uncooked turkey per person. However, this is just a rough starting point since appetites vary. Kids and seniors may eat less while teenage boys can pack away surprisingly large servings.
Also keep in mind that the weight you see on the turkey packaging is the pre-cooked weight A turkey loses around 25-30% of its weight during roasting from moisture loss. So a 20 lb turkey ends up being around 14-15 lbs after cooking.
Finally, remember that a turkey is only about 70% white meat. Not everyone eats dark meat, so be sure to have enough white meat for your guests.
How Many Will a 20 lb Turkey Feed?
Now on to the main question – how many people can you expect a 20 lb turkey to feed?
According to experts, a good rule of thumb is a 20 lb turkey will feed 12-14 people. This assumes the guests will eat both white and dark meat and allows for generous portions with some leftovers.
To get a better idea, here’s a breakdown:
- 20 lb raw turkey = approx. 15 lb cooked turkey
- About 70% of cooked weight is white meat = 10.5 lbs white meat
- With 12 guests, that’s 0.9 lb of white meat per person
- With 14 guests, that’s 0.75 lb of white meat per person
So with a 20 lb turkey for 12-14 people, you can expect around 3/4 – 1 lb of turkey meat per person. This provides an ample holiday meal portion.
As you can see, a 20 lb turkey safely feeds right around 12-14 without running out. If you need to serve more than 14, it’s best to move up to a 22-24 lb turkey (or cook two smaller turkeys) to ensure you have enough.
Turkey Size Recommendations
Here are some more turkey size guidelines depending on your guest count:
- 8-10 people: 12-15 lb turkey
- 10-12 people: 15-18 lb turkey
- 14-16 people: 20-22 lb turkey
- 18-20 people: 24-26 lb turkey
These sizes provide a comfortable amount of meat with some leftovers. Allowing 1.5 lbs per person instead of 1 lb will give you a little extra insurance.
And if you’re feeding a very large crowd, cooking two smaller turkeys can be easier than one huge bird. Just remember ovens vary, so be sure your oven can fit the size turkey you buy.
Make Sure To Have Leftovers
One final tip – plan to have leftovers! Leftover turkey makes for amazing sandwiches, casseroles, soups, and other dishes after the main meal.
It’s better to have a little extra turkey than to run out during your event or have no leftovers. A 20 lb turkey for 12-14 people fits the bill perfectly.
The Verdict on a 20 lb Turkey
How Much Turkey Per Person
For each person, you should plan on at least 1 1/4 pounds of turkey. Here’s a quick shopping list to help you out. Find out what size turkey to shop for for your family feast:
6 people = 8 lb. turkey
If you’re only having two or four people over for Thanksgiving this year, don’t buy a whole turkey. Instead, buy a turkey breast. Many people’s favorite part of a turkey is the white meat on the breasts. Breasts are also easier to work with. They take less time to thaw and cook. You can even cook one in an air fryer! Each person should have about half a pound (8 ounces) of boneless chicken breast.
How much meat do you get from a 20 pound turkey?
FAQ
How many will a 20 lb turkey feed?
How much turkey do I need for 2 adults?
How much meat will a 20 pound turkey yield?
How much does a 2 lb turkey breast feed?
How many people can a 12 lb turkey feed?
Alternatively, if everyone tends to pluck light meat from the platter, roast a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. How many people will a 12-lb. turkey feed? Considering that about 1½ pounds of turkey meat will feed one person, a 12-pound turkey will feed eight people.
How much meat is in a pound of Turkey?
“One pound of raw whole turkey will equal about eight ounces of raw, usable meat,” he says. “With moisture loss, that is about five to six ounces of cooked meat per person.” Keep in mind that if some of your guests are vegetarian, you can purchase a smaller bird. Consider your crowd’s preferences for light meat versus dark meat, too.
What size Turkey should I buy?
The number of guests is the very first start to determine what size turkey to buy. Most turkey portion serving sizing charts are based using a bone-in turkey. A chart might say 1 to 1.5 pounds of purchased turkey per person, so an 8-pound turkey is allegedly perfect for 6-8 people. I say NO! Initially, the bone removes some of that weight.