How Many Around Your Table? What Size Turkey?

[Saphire]

I am just sitting down after working all morning doing Thanksgiving preparation. But the house is looking good.

We are having twelve this year, and I will be buying two 9-10 pound turkey breasts. What about you?

 

[Nolcrest]

Well we're having 23 for dinner. I really don't know how much turkey to make. Historically speaking I always have a ton left over. I am cooking a 21 pound turkey, a 10 pound ham, Mac & cheese and a ton of other dishes. ALl in all no one should go home hungry. The most I've had for dinner is 16. SO, we'll see how this year goes.

 

[punkin]

I am having 14 (4 don't eat meat) so I started with one 14 lb Turkey, but I am now second-guessing myself and will probably buy another 14 lb-er.

 

[dalt01]

9 people and a 24 lb bird...........if you want to eat off it for a couple days some of you will need to step up to a bigger turkey.

 

[Tinijocaro]

13 people total and a 22 lb turkey. I like to have extra to make a soup and to freeze some.

 

[Meriweather]

3 people...and one won't eat the turkey, 20 pound bird Couldn't resist the price.
Usually just do a breast, but this was cheaper by far!

 

[RitaZ.]

I am just sitting down after working all morning doing Thanksgiving preparation. But the house is looking good.

We are having twelve this year, and I will be buying two 9-10 pound turkey breasts. What about you?

There will 10 of us and I'm also getting 2 turkey breasts. No one eats the dark meat, so I don't bother with a whole turkey.

 

[Pixiedust34]

It's just the 4 of us for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Today I bought two (one for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas) 19 pound turkeys! I wanted to get smaller turkeys, but a 19 lb. size was the smallest the store had, and they were a good deal at 49 cents/pound.

Every year I freeze leftovers for turkey salad, turkey pot pie, turkey enchiladas, etc. For any recipe that uses cooked chicken, you can use cooked turkey. We have a lot of turkey, but I'll make it in a variety of ways and we'll be saving a lot of $$ with using leftovers.

ETA: I read somewhere that if you don't know what size turkey to get, estimate 2 lbs. per adult/1 lb. per child or small eater. I don't know if that's accurate, but it sounds like it would be an OK estimate. Some of the weight is bones and non-edible parts.

I hope my 19 pounder thaws by Thursday!

 

[maslex]

We're having a total of 9 (one doesn't eat turkey) and we're basically having 2 turkeys. The first one (20lb) will be cooked and served on T-day. Then DH wanted an extra turkey for at home the next day for another turkey dinner and then a bunch of leftovers. We usually go to someone elses house for dinner and usually don't get leftovers, so he made sure we'll get some this year. LOL SO, I bought a 22lb-er today for our "leftovers" LOL Hey I couldn't pass up 47 cents a lb. I'll end up freezing most of the meat, I'm sure for future meals. I'm thinking soup, sandwiches, pot pie and something I saw on Rachel Ray the other day. She made "turkey wellingtons" rolled out the phyllo dough, put some turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce on the inside and made these little pockets of yumminess.!!!!

 

[Angelhalo]

5 adults and we have a 15 pound turkey. I hope to have enough of the good meat leftover for turkey sandwiches. All I know is that my mom usually does 12 pounder and there's never enough left. Well T-Day is at my house this year for the first time so I decided to go a little bigger in hopes of having more left.

 

[JLitfin]

I'm having 19 maybe 20 for Thanksgiving Dinner. Our store has a deal if you spend some much for 4 weeks you can get a free turkey. So I picked up the largest turkey they had which was a 21 lb turkey.

What do you think is that going to be large enough or should I pick up another turkey or a small ham?

 

[Angelhalo]

I'm having 19 maybe 20 for Thanksgiving Dinner. Our store has a deal if you spend some much for 4 weeks you can get a free turkey. So I picked up the largest turkey they had which was a 21 lb turkey.

What do you think is that going to be large enough or should I pick up another turkey or a small ham?

I think if it were me, I'd get a ham or a small turkey breast to go with yours. Once you take out the weight of the bones and unusable parts, thats less than a pound per person.

 

[golfgal]

We are going to my BIL's house and I think there will be about 18 of us, about 1/2 kids, 1/2 adults. If we were doing Thanksgiving at our house I would have at least 2 10-12 lb birds (most of the kids are little-under 10).

 

[JLitfin]

I think if it were me, I'd get a ham or a small turkey breast to go with yours.* Once you take out the weight of the bones and unusable parts, thats less than a pound per person.

That's what I was thinking, I told my DH that I'm going to pick up a ham to go with the turkey, just to make sure we have enough meat on the table.* Thanks for the reply.

 

[slk537]

I am almost embarrassed to admit this but we have an 18 pound Butterball for the three of us (DH, DS8 and me). Last year we did a 12 pound and ended up making another one the following weekend because we just didn't have the huge amount of leftovers we wanted. I really love having turkey for sandwiches, casseroles, soup, etc. I think 18 may be a bit TOO much for us, but we can always throw some in the food saver and freeze.

We don't do turkey for Christmas, so this is our big holiday turkeyfest.

 

[Kitty 34]

We will have 13 around our table and I'm cooking two 21 pounders; one for the meal and one for leftovers.

 

[mrsheppo]

We are actually doing Thanksgiving today as DH & I both have to work on Thursday. We have 10 adults and 4 kids with a 17 lb turkey along with many side dishes.

The bird is almost ready, only about another hour left until dinner.

 

[Pooh67_68]

4 people, a 24.54 lb. turkey. Need lots of leftovers.

Of course if you are alone this year, come on over.

 

[Saphire]

We will have 13 around our table and I'm cooking two 21 pounders; one for the meal and one for leftovers.

We just got back from the store and I did indeed get two 9 pound turkey breasts, but DH said, "you don't want any leftovers?" So...we got an 'extra' 6 pounder that I will cook on Wednesday and save, just in case all my turkey is gone by Thursday night. The whole bottom shelf of my fridge is TURKEY!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!