By allocating 1.25 pounds of turkey per person, a 20 lb turkey will feed a party of sixteen people. If you are a fan of turkey leftovers, allocate 1.5 pounds of turkey per person.
Turkey cooked whole evokes memories of laughter, bad jokes, tasty meals, outdoor games, and other fun moments with family. As a regular thanksgiving host, I can say that turkey is the thanksgiving centerpiece.
If you too are planning to serve turkey at your next party, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will cover how much turkey you will need for your guests, how to prepare it and store leftovers. I have also included some of my favorite leftover recipes and answered your most pressing questions on thanksgiving turkey servings.
How much turkey you buy depends on:
If you’re expecting a lot of children, they won’t eat as much as an adult, so count back a few extra pounds. 3/4 lbs is enough turkey per child or 1 lb to account for leftovers.
If you fancy making leftover turkey dishes then the bigger the bird the better. Count an extra 1/4 to half a pound per person.
With more side dishes, the less the amount of meat you need to buy. People eat a variety of side dishes but in small amounts. If you have more dishes, you can count smaller portions of meat per person.
On average, toms are grown to a live weight of up to 41 lbs while the hens get to an average of 17 lbs. If you bought a bird weighing between 16-24 lbs, that is most likely a tom. A bird weighing between 8-16 lbs is more likely to be a hen.
Note that larger birds will take longer to cook and might not fit in your smoker. It will also not be as flavorful as smaller turkeys.
Consider buying two smaller birds if you expect a large gathering.
A whole turkey contains a lot of moisture. Just like other meats, when heated, the moisture is forced outwards toward the surface where most of it dissipates or evaporates.
Shrinking depends on how much fat and moisture the meat has as well as the temperature it is subjected to. Higher cooking temperatures will lead to more shrinkage.
Roasting time estimates largely depend on the cooking temperature and whether it is stuffed.
Each pound of turkey will take about 15 minutes per pound to cook through at a grill temperature of 325°F.
By this calculation, a 20-pound turkey that is not stuffed will require 5 hours to fully cook.
As a general rule, 165°F is the safe internal temperature for turkey.
A frozen turkey will take 50% longer to fully cook than thawed one.
Pull out the giblets when the turkey roasts for about 20 minutes.
A 20-pound frozen turkey could therefore take up to 7-8 hours to cook.
USDA does not recommend cooking poultry at temperatures lower than 325°F since the meat will stay in the danger zone, (40-140°F) for too long.
Now that you have bought the best-size turkey, let’s thaw it and prepare it for the grill.
You can thaw your bird in one of three ways, in the fridge, microwave, or with cold water.
The safest way to thaw your turkey is to use your fridge.
You will have to plan ahead in order to allow the turkey an average of 4.8 hours per pound to fully thaw. For our 20-pound bird, thaw in the fridge at 40°F for 4 days.
The meat can stay in the fridge for up to two days before cooking.
Turkey thawed in the refrigerator can safely be refrozen without cooking but the quality of the meat may deteriorate as a result.
If your microwave can fit the whole bird, put it in a microwave-safe dish without any wrapping.
Thaw using the defrost function based on the weight. Rotate and flip several times to ensure the bird thaws evenly.
At roughly 6 minutes per pound, it will take our 20-pound turkey 2 hours to thaw.
Grill immediately.
Put the turkey in a leak-proof plastic bag. This serves to prevent cross-contamination and keep the meat from absorbing water.
Allow about 30 minutes per pound. This means 10 hours for a 20 lb. turkey.
Change the water every half hour and grill immediately after it thaws.
Brine tenderizes and adds an intense flavor to the turkey.
To brine your turkey, plan to leave it overnight in the mixture.
You can brine a partially thawed turkey but not a frozen turkey.
Make a simple quick brine by mixing cold water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, garlic, rosemary, and the peel of three oranges.
Bring this mixture to a boil till the sugar and salt dissolves. Allow it to completely cook before soaking in your meat and refrigerating for 8-12 hours.
Take your bird off the brine, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, and grill.
The best way to baste your turkey without consistently opening the grill and interrupting the cooking process is to slip thinly sliced pieces of butter underneath the skin. Then, place them on the grill.
Basting will ensure your meat is succulent with a rich brown color that is unparalleled.
You can also marinade your bird by mixing an acid like vinegar or olive oil, and your favorite mixed spices. I like to use Spice Hunter Poultry seasoning.
If you’re pressed for time, try a rich dry rub like this Traeger Grills Poultry rub over a coat of yellow mustard. Rub generously on both the inside and outside of the bird’s cavity then grill at no lower than 325°F.
A twenty-pound stuffed turkey will take about half an hour longer than the unstuffed turkey so, let it cook for 5-1/2 hours.
Although stuffing a turkey for the grill or smoker is not recommended, it can be done safely.
This depends on how much turkey meat you have.
Allocate 1/2 to 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. That means 10-15 cups of stuffing for our 20-pound bird.
For uniform doneness, cook the stuffing separately and stuff it loosely to leave room for expansion.
Grill the turkey immediately after stuffing.
Use a food thermometer to ensure even the stuffing gets to the recommended temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before taking it off the grill.
Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving.
After grilling and sharing a wonderful meal with your loved ones, remember to adhere to the two-hour rule for leftovers.
The two-hour rule is a recommendation to only let cooked food sit out in the open for a maximum of two hours. After this duration, always pack it up and refrigerate it.
Here are a few guidelines and ideas on what to do with the leftovers.
Melt butter in a skillet and cook baby mushrooms for about a minute. Add in the extra turkey, broth, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
Place cooked pasta on a baking dish and pour the turkey evenly on top. Sprinkle parmesan.
Bake in the oven till the top gets a nice golden brown color and the cheese melts.
Sauté carrots and peas with garlic and ginger. Add cooked rice and chopped turkey. Season with soy sauce and a little olive oil then dig in.
Boil turkey bones with mixed herbs. Strain the stock. Add in noodles, parsley, and green onion for flavor and simmer for a few minutes. Serve chicken soup with garlic bread or mashed potatoes.
Stir fry shredded leftover meat with garlic and parsley. Toast your bread and spread one with mayonnaise. Place lettuce, thin onion slices, cheese, and the turkey. Top with cranberry sauce for the best turkey sandwich.
If we count 1.25 lb per guest, a 22lb turkey will feed 17 people.
A 25 lb turkey will feed 20 people.
Around 40%-50% of turkey is inedible and mostly made of bones. This means that for every pound of turkey, you get eight to nine ounces of meat.
