How Many Pounds Of Turkey Do You Need To Serve Per Person?

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, it is time to make your holiday plans and purchase your turkey. The meat is traditionally the centerpiece of the festive feast. In 2017, the USDA estimated that Americans consume over 46 million turkeys on the holiday each year. All that said, it is important when making Thanksgiving plans to know how much of each food to prepare, especially when it comes to the beloved main course. Wondering how large of a turkey you should purchase for your gathering with friends and family? Chinese American chef, cookbook author, and content creator Jon Kung has a simple solution.

Turkeys come in all different sizes. There are small turkeys that are roughly 10 to 14 pounds, as well as much larger ones. However, Kung doesn't use any mathematical equations to determine how much turkey to purchase for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, the chef buys whatever makes sense for the kitchen size. "I always get as big a turkey as my oven can handle regardless of how many people I'm feeding," Kung tells Chowhound exclusively. "The best part of a Thanksgiving turkey is the leftovers. The sandwiches, the congee, the stock. Always make more than you need that night. Make two if you have the space and time."

So, while it is commonly said to prepare roughly 1 pound of turkey per guest, that does not account for leftovers as Kung suggests. Therefore, if you are already making a hearty meal, you might as well go big!

As chef Jon Kung emphasizes, leftovers are a crucial part of Thanksgiving dinner. When it comes to the holiday gathering, ideally, you are going to want leftovers for not only yourself but also your guests to take home. Leftover turkey can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days or in the freezer for three to four months, according to the USDA. However, when frozen, the meat may lose some of its moisture and flavor. Fortunately, celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay's warm broth hack is the perfect way to bring the dish back to life. 

Now that you know the longevity of the leftover bird, what are you supposed to actually do with it? After all, not everybody wants to eat the same turkey dinner for several months. The good news is there are several ways to repurpose the leftover meat into new dishes. For one, there is the infamous Thanksgiving sandwich that incorporates leftover turkey and sides. It typically contains unconventional fillings such as cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, all layered together with slices of turkey. While it can be made on any thick, strong bread that can hold the weight of the smorgasbord of Thanksgiving foods, Martha Stewart suggests using Japanese milk bread for its melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can also use leftover turkey to make a classic turkey melt or a fresh, juicy turkey salad. Other ways to use up leftover turkey are to make dinner dishes like casseroles, soups, and pot pies. In any case, having more meat than necessary is never a bad thing.