How Large a Turkey for 10 People?

For 10 people, you need a turkey weighing between 7kg and 8kg. That gives everyone a generous plateful on the day, with enough left over for cold cuts and sandwiches the next afternoon. If your table includes big eaters or you want substantial leftovers, aim for the higher end.

Key takeaways

• A whole turkey of 7–8kg feeds 10 people comfortably, with leftovers.
• The standard guide is roughly 700g–800g of whole bird per person — bone-in weight, not meat weight.
• A slow-grown, free-range bird typically yields more usable meat per kilogram than a fast-grown supermarket turkey, so you may not need to size up.
• A turkey crown in the 3.5–4kg range is a practical alternative if oven space is tight or you prefer white meat only.
• Order early — quality birds at this size sell out well before Christmas each year.

What does 700g–800g per person actually mean?

The 700g–800g rule refers to the whole bird's raw weight, bones included. A 7.5kg turkey does not give you 7.5kg of meat on the plate. Once you account for the carcass, skin and cooking loss, you're looking at roughly 40–50% of that weight as edible meat — around 3–3.75kg for 10 people. That's still a very generous serving per head, with plenty for the next day.

Where the rule can mislead you is if you apply it to all turkeys equally. A well-reared, slow-grown bird — the kind that has spent its life outdoors on open pasture, such as a Copas Farm Shop Turkey - carries more muscle and less water than a fast-grown bird. That means better yield from the same starting weight.

Does the farming method change how much meat you actually get?

It does, and it matters more than most people realise. A factory-reared turkey can lose a significant amount of weight during cooking as retained water evaporates. A dry-aged, free-range bird loses far less, because the dry-ageing process has already drawn out excess moisture before the bird reaches your oven.

Importantly, Copas Farm Shop's decades of slow-growing, hand-plucking and dry-ageing bears this out directly — deeper flavour and better yield than a bird bought purely on weight. If you are choosing a quality bird, you can be confident that 7kg will do the job for 10 people. If in doubt, move to 7.5kg rather than jumping to a heavier bird you don't need.

Whole turkey, turkey crown, or boneless joint: which suits a table of 10?

The whole bird is the right call for most tables of 10. It gives you the spectacle of carving at the table, a full range of cuts — dark and white meat — and the bones for stock afterwards. If your oven is compact or several guests only eat white meat, a crown is a sensible move. Our guide to free-range turkeys covers the full range of cuts and sizes if you want to explore the options before ordering.

How do you calculate the right size step by step?

1. Count your guests and confirm whether any are children or very light eaters — adjust your headcount down by one adult-equivalent for every two small children.
2. Multiply your adjusted headcount by 750g for a comfortable serving with leftovers, or by 700g if you prefer less excess.
3. Round up to the nearest half-kilogram when choosing your bird.
4. Add 500g if you're particularly keen on leftover sandwiches or plan to make a stock.
5. Check your roasting tin and oven dimensions — a 7.5kg bird needs a tin of at least 40cm × 30cm and a standard UK fan oven handles it without difficulty.

For a table of 10, that calculation lands you squarely at 7–7.5kg for most households.

What are the most common mistakes when sizing a turkey for 10?

Buying too large. A 10kg bird for 10 people sounds generous but is usually unnecessary and harder to cook evenly. Bigger does not mean better; it means a longer cooking window and a greater risk of the breast drying out before the thighs are done.

Ignoring oven capacity. A very large bird can be physically impossible to fit, or force you to remove a shelf and disrupt everything else you're cooking. Measure your oven before you order.

Leaving it too late. Quality free-range turkeys in the 7–8kg range are among the most popular sizes and often sell out weeks before Christmas. Ordering early is straightforward insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook two smaller turkeys instead of one large one for 10 people? Yes, and many cooks prefer it. Two birds of around 4kg each give you more surface area for crispy skin, cook faster and are far easier to manage than one large bird. The trade-off is oven space — you'll need two roasting tins running simultaneously.

How long does a 7–8kg turkey take to cook? As a general guide, a 7.5kg turkey at 180°C (fan) needs roughly 3.5 to 4 hours, plus resting time of at least 30–45 minutes. Always use a meat thermometer to confirm the thickest part of the thigh has reached 75°C before carving.

Should I order a fresh or frozen turkey for a table of 10? A fresh turkey is easier to manage — no extended defrosting required — and is the standard choice for quality farm-reared birds. If you order frozen, allow 24 hours of fridge defrosting time per 2–2.5kg of bird, which for a 7.5kg turkey means starting three days before cooking.

What if several guests don't eat dark meat? Order a turkey crown rather than a whole bird, or ask your farm shop whether a bone-in breast joint is available. A 3.5–4kg crown serves 10 as a white-meat-only table, though you will have very few leftovers.

How far in advance should I order a turkey for 10 people? For a Christmas bird, ordering by late October or early November is sensible for a quality farm shop. Birds at the most popular sizes — including the 7–8kg range for a table of 10 — are usually the first to sell out.