How Big of a Turkey Do I Need for 15 People?

[Anonymous]

Especially since the vast majority will prefer white meat? This is my first time making a bird, so I'm clueless. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I think 1 1/4 pound per person, 1 1/2 pound per person if you want leftovers. I'd do an 18 pounder.

[Anonymous]

Check out the portion calculator on this link:
http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/tips/calculators-and-conversions

[Anonymous]

Also, since it's your first time - I would suggest instead of getting a 20 lber - to get 2 smaller 10 lbers if you have the room in your oven - they will cook more evenly. The math of 15:55 is a bit off, but the ratios are correct - for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 your looking at a 19-22 lb bird - which is a monster bird to cook - as well as being a bit more difficult to find.

[Anonymous]

If they prefer white meat, I would buy a couple of breasts instead of a whole turkey. With breasts, I would estimate that 1.25 lbs per person would be enough.

[Anonymous]

I have done Thanksgiving for at least 9 years. I always make the BIGGEST fresh turkey I can find...usually between 20-25 pounds. The one year I decided to make two turkeys was the one year I about had a break down because I couldn't get them to cook evenly in the over. I vote for the BIGGEST fresh turkey you can get. Go you your grocery store and get your name on the fresh turkey list. Pick it up on the Wednesday before the big day. Have a great holiday!

[Anonymous]

PP here - I stand corrected on the double turkey issue,

[Anonymous]

My mom always does 2 turkeys -- small ones, about 10 to 12 pounds each. She cooks one the day before, and one the day of. This is for about 18 people. My sister tels me it always works out great. (I don't travel for Tday anymore).

[Anonymous]

Ohhh...Breakdown Poster here. I never thought about making one turkey ahead of time. I tried to make my two turkeys at the same time. In my defense, I was only 26

[Anonymous]

The ratios of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2lb per person are the standard, per the PP, but do a quick mental check of your guests. Lots of hungry teenage boys or a family of heavy people with a history of "gorging" at Thanksgiving - up the number? Any smaller kids, vegetarians or folks you know are not huge eaters - lean towards that smaller amount. Also, how many side dishes are you serving? Lots and lots, maybe need less turkey. Just one or two -- load up on the bird.

I'm cooking Thanksgiving at my MILs this year for my husband's family. She was going for a massive turkey -- thinking of her grandsons and sons as strapping high school athletes. Well, her sons (my husband and BIL) are in their late 40s and the boys are in college and beyond. They aren't eating 3 plates-full of food anymore. I also know that I don't really like turkey so will likely have about two bites, so don't count me in that ratio for planning purposes! So this year I convinced her to dial back the size a bit.

anyway, point being, unless you want a ton of leftovers, know your audience.

[Anonymous]

I too cook one a day ahead of time and one the day of. On Thanksgiving I put the cooked one in a slow cooker with gravy while the other one is roasting. Works out great! I also bought a roaster last year which totally frees up my oven for all the other goodies that day. The turkey came out fantastic in the roaster.

[Anonymous]

PP, do you mean you put slices of the cooked turkey into the slow cooker or you put the whole turkey in it? Am just trying to visualize -- a whole turkey covered with gravy sounds messy.

[Anonymous]

You could always just roast a turkey breast or two the day before instead of the whole bird, since you said most people prefer white meat anyway. This is what I am going to do this year. Last year we had almost no leftovers and I was pissed. I mean there were 8 adults and I think we polished off a 18 lb bird