How Much Does a Butterball Turkey Weigh? A Complete Guide

As the holidays approach many of us start planning our big turkey dinner. For over 60 years, Butterball has been a popular choice for juicy delicious holiday turkeys. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know what size Butterball turkey to get? This complete guide will walk you through typical Butterball turkey sizes and weights so you can pick the perfect bird for your gathering.

Overview of Common Butterball Turkey Sizes

Butterball offers whole turkeys in a wide variety of sizes from small 8-12 pound birds up to giant 30+ pound turkeys. Here’s a quick rundown of the most common sizes available

• Small Butterball Turkeys Approximately 8 to 16 pounds Best for gatherings of 4-8 people Varieties include Lil’ Butterball and small frozen young turkeys.

• Medium Butterball Turkeys: Around 16 to 24 pounds. Comfortably feeds 8-12 people. Medium frozen young turkeys fall in this range.

• Large Butterball Turkeys: Roughly 24 to 30 pounds. Provides plenty for 12-16 guests. Large frozen young turkeys are usually this size.

• X-Large Butterball Turkeys: About 30 pounds and up. Extra-large whole birds can feed 18+ people. Jumbo frozen young turkeys weigh 30+ pounds.

• Butterball Turkey Breasts: Range from 3 to 8 pounds. Allow for smaller meals or leftovers.

Average Weights of Popular Butterball Turkey Options

Here are some more specifics on the typical weight ranges for popular whole Butterball turkeys and turkey breasts:

• Lil Butterball Turkeys: Small whole turkeys perfect for 4-8 people. They range from 8 to 16 pounds.

• Frozen Young Turkeys: All-natural, minimally processed whole turkeys. Available in small (8-16 lbs), medium (16-24 lbs), large (24-30 lbs), and x-large (30+ lbs) sizes.

• Butterball Turkey Breasts: Boneless or bone-in breast of turkey. They range from 3 to 8 pounds and provide plenty of white breast meat.

• Whole Turkey Breast: Typically 5 to 7 pounds. Feeds smaller groups and provides leftovers. Cooks faster than a whole bird.

So a small or Lil Butterball may weigh around 12 pounds. A typical medium turkey is approximately 20 pounds. And a turkey breast is often between 3-5 pounds.

How Much Turkey Per Person?

A good rule of thumb is to allow 1 to 1 1⁄2 pounds of turkey per person for your holiday meal. This provides ample portions and leftovers. However, you may need a little more or less depending on your menu and guests’ appetites.

Here are some turkey weight guidelines per person:

• For just turkey meat, plan 3⁄4 to 1 pound per person
• With bones/stuffing, allow 1 to 11⁄4 pounds per person
• For lots of leftovers, buy 11⁄4 to 11⁄2 pounds per guest
• With other main dishes, you may only need 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 pound per serving

If you expect large appetites or love leftovers, aim for the higher amounts. Adding side dishes like ham reduces the turkey needed per guest. Generally, a 16-24 pound Butterball turkey can easily feed 8-12 people with extra meat.

What Impacts the Weight of a Turkey?

There are several factors that determine the final weight of a whole turkey or breast:

• Breed: Heritage breeds tend to be smaller, commercial broad-breasted turkeys are bigger.

• Gender: Toms (males) are much larger than hens (females).

• Age: Younger turkeys are smaller, older ones are heavier.

• Diet: What the birds eat affects their growth rate and size.

• Housing: Free range turkeys are often heavier.

• Enhancing: Sodium solutions add weight to “enhanced” turkeys.

• Bone-in vs Boneless: Boneless breasts are lighter.

• Season: Turkeys are lighter in summer, heavier in winter.

So breed, age, diet, housing, enhancing, bone-in vs boneless, and season all impact the final weight of your turkey. This explains the wide range of turkey sizes available.

Checking Your Turkey’s Weight

When buying a frozen turkey, the packaging should clearly state the weight. But once thawed, you can double check the weight:

• Weigh on a scale – For the most accurate reading, place your thawed, unstuffed turkey on a kitchen scale.

• Check specifications – The website or packaging may indicate the typical weight range.

• Estimate based on meat/bone ratio – Whole turkeys are about 75% meat, 25% bone. So a 16 lb turkey has about 12 lbs of meat.

• Read the pop-up timer – Some are calibrated by weight and indicate target cook times.

• Assess size – Bigger birds take up more fridge and oven space.

• Consider leftovers – Estimate based on the leftover meat after serving.

Weighing and inspecting size are the best ways to confirm weight and select the ideal turkey size for your gathering.

Typical Weight Ranges of Butterball Products

To summarize, here are the typical weights for popular Butterball whole turkeys and turkey breasts:

• Lil Butterball: 8 to 16 lbs
• Small Young Turkey: 8 to 16 lbs
• Medium Young Turkey: 16 to 24 lbs
• Large Young Turkey: 24 to 30 lbs
• X-Large Young Turkey: Over 30 lbs
• Whole Turkey Breast: 5 to 7 lbs
• Turkey Breast Roast: 3 to 8 lbs

So a Lil Butterball or small turkey is around 12 pounds. A medium turkey approximately 20 pounds. And a turkey breast 3-5 pounds. Use these Butterball turkey weights to pick the perfect size bird for your next holiday feast!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average weight of a Butterball turkey?

The average weight of a Butterball turkey depends on the specific product. Small Butterball turkeys range from 8-16 lbs. Medium turkeys are 16-24 lbs. Large whole turkeys are 24-30 lbs. Turkey breasts average 3-8 lbs.

How much does a frozen Butterball turkey weigh?

Frozen Butterball turkeys are available in a wide range of sizes. Small frozen young turkeys are 8-16 lbs. Medium frozen turkeys weigh 16-24 lbs. Large frozen birds are 24-30 lbs. Extra large turkeys are over 30 lbs.

How many people can a 16 lb Butterball turkey feed?

A 16 lb Butterball turkey will feed 8-12 people comfortably with some leftovers. Butterball recommends planning for 1-1.5 lbs of turkey meat per person.

Can you cook a Butterball turkey from frozen?

Yes, Butterball turkeys can absolutely be cooked directly from frozen. Just be sure to allow 50% more cook time compared to a fully thawed turkey. And use an oven-safe thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature.

Are Butterball turkeys already brined?

Butterball whole turkeys are pre-brined at the factory before freezing. This makes the meat extra juicy and flavorful. You don’t need to brine a Butterball turkey yourself before roasting.

Picking the perfect turkey size ensures you have plenty of delicious meat for your holiday meal and guests. Use this guide to Butterball turkey weights to select the ideal whole turkey or breast for your gathering. From petite Lil Butterballs to giant 30-pounders, Butterball has just the right turkey for your holiday feast.