How much turkey for 20 people?
For 20 people, buy 30 lb of turkey if you want leftovers (two turkeys of about 15 lb each), or 20 lb for just the meal. For Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, move the frozen birds from the freezer to the fridge by Sunday, November 22, then roast them 3¾–4¼ hours each at 325°F, unstuffed.
| Plan | Total | Buy | Thaw | Roast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With leftovers (1.5 lb each) | 30 lb | two turkeys of about 15 lb each | 4 days | 3¾–4¼ hours each |
| Just the meal (1 lb each) | 20 lb | one 20 lb turkey | 5 days | 4¼–4½ hours |
Kids at the table, a different headcount or a bird you already bought? Run your own numbers in the turkey calculator; it counts kids under 12 as half and gives your thaw date.
The rest of the table
| Side | Amount |
|---|---|
| Potatoes for mash (raw) | 15 lb |
| Stuffing | 20 cups |
| Gravy | 10 cups |
| Cranberry sauce | 7 cups (5 cans of 14 oz) |
| Pie (9-inch, 8 slices) | 3 pies |
Potatoes are ¾ lb raw per person, stuffing 1 cup, gravy ½ cup and cranberry sauce ⅓ cup, with one slice of pie each. Sources and the no-leftovers amounts are in the Thanksgiving sides calculator.
How the math works
The USDA allows 1 lb of whole turkey per person, because a whole bird is mostly bone; 1.5 lb leaves leftovers. Above 24 lb we split the order into two birds, because the USDA roasting timetable stops at 24 lb and a giant bird dries out before the middle is done. Thawing in the fridge takes about a day per 4–5 lb (USDA); we use 4 lb so the bird isn't still icy on Thursday morning. Cook to 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
Questions people ask
How much turkey for 20 people?
30 lb with leftovers, 20 lb without. The USDA allows 1 lb of whole turkey per person; 1.5 lb leaves enough for sandwiches the next day.
When do I thaw a turkey for 20 people?
Two turkeys of about 15 lb each need 4 days in the fridge at 4 lb a day, so move them from the freezer by Sunday, November 22 for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26.
How long to cook a turkey for 20 people?
3¾–4¼ hours each at 325°F unstuffed for two turkeys of about 15 lb each, per the USDA timetable. It is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.