Advice on how to choose the right turkey size for your holiday gathering and estimate how much each guest will consume of it
Unbelievably, each of your adult visitors will eat between half and a pound of turkey meat. There should be enough leftover turkey for sandwiches, soups, pot pies, and stews if you’re like most home cooks who toiled over a full turkey dinner. When deciding how big of a turkey to buy for your guests, keep these numbers in mind:
Uncooked whole unstuffed turkey
For a small gathering (4 to 8 people), estimate two pounds of the entire turkey per person, and about one For a larger group (10 to 16), 5 pounds of the entire, larger turkey per person is recommended. Remember: The larger the bird, the higher the meat-to-bone ratio.
Uncooked turkey breast (bone-in)
Think of about 1.25 (one and 1/4 pounds) per person.
Uncooked turkey breast (boneless)
Think of about 0. 75 pounds (3/4 of a pound) per person.
Turkey roasting chart
Servings |
Weight |
Stuffed |
Unstuffed |
| 4 to 6 | 10 – 12 lb (4.5 – 5.5 kg) | 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 hours | 3 to 3-1/4 hours |
| 8 to 10 | 12 – 16 lb (5.5 – 7 kg) | 3-3/4 to 4 hours | 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 hours |
| 12 to 16 | 16 – 22 lb (7 – 10 kg) | 4 to 4-1/2 | 3-1/2 to 4 hours |
Print our helpful chart for roasting ham, beef, and a goose if you want more roasting instructions.
FAQ
How much turkey breast do I need for 8 adults?
8 people = 4 pound turkey breast. 10 people = 5 pound turkey breast. 16 people = 8 pound turkey breast.
How many pounds of turkey breast do I need for 7 people?
Congrats! Your head is in the right place. Here’s your response: If you buy a whole turkey, estimate that each person will consume 1 lb of turkey. Get 3/4 lb of bone-in turkey breast per person (or 12 lb of boneless breast)
How many will a 9 lb turkey breast feed?
4 to 6 people = 4- to 9-lb. (If you can’t find a turkey that size, get a slightly larger bird so there are more leftovers.) ).
How many will a 5 pound turkey breast feed?
LITTLE BIRD Prepare a bone-in turkey breast if you’re not feeding a large party. A 5- to 7-pound breast feeds about 4.