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Funeral lunch advice.

18 years ago

Amazing...only the second one this year....and I was out of town for the last one.....and they managed without me!

Anyhow...I found Butterball Turkeys on sale for $.60 a pound and bought 2 almost 16 pound birds.

Any idea how much, in cups or quarts, or cooked, cut up turkey I can hope to get from one of them?

Linda C

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Comments (14)

pkramer60
18 years ago
Nice price, but sorry about the funeral. While I am not sure, I would think that you would get about 10+ pounds of meat from a 15# bird, so 30 total? If you are thinking of turkey salad, you can stretch it with celery, red pepper, grapes and almonds and even some chopped hard boiled eggs in there. Turkey and curry go well as do mandarin oranges, but for a large crowd, not sure of the cost.

Peppi
jimster
18 years ago
My rough rule of thumb is 50% meat/50% waste for any whole fowl, fish, etc.

From one 16 lb. turkey I would expect about 8 lbs. of cut up meat. I don't think that would be a bad estimate.

Jim
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What time of day...are these people "elderly mostly? Will there be lots of teens? What kind of ham? Boneless? Bone in? For a normal group...mix of teens, kids and elderly as well as "ordinary people" figure a minimum of 1/4 pound of meat per person....that is meat without considering bone. For potatoes....10 pounds of potatoes will be lots for your crowd....but please don't add green bean casserole to scalloped potatoes, and macaroni salad....too much glop...sauce...white creamy stuff. For a funeral lunch...with ham, I would serve a creamy veggie pasta casserole ( recipe to follow if you want) with a cheesy sort of alfredo sauce and pasta and veggies like broccoli, carrots, red peppers for color, peas, green beans mushrooms etc. Then maybe that cheesy pineapple casserole....a simple green salad, I'll tell you how I do that if you want. And for simple, I ask for cookies and bars..no forks needed nor plates...and we never do paper so that is a consideration...they can put the cookie on the saucer of their coffee cup....or just stand there and gobble them down. I think people really love cookies better than cakes etc....they get to sample this and that, and just one more is good! I figure 3 cookies or squares per person....some will eat 6 and some only one and it works out. So my menu would be Ham, probably 2 20 pound bone in whole hams. Veggie pasta casserole..3 or 4 casseroles...3 pounds of pasta and about 20 cups of assorted veggies pineapple cheese casserole, 3 8 1/2 by 1...and 3 food service size cans of pineapple...about 2 pounds of cheese...sugar and butter and bread cubes. Salad. 3 heads of iceberg.. a pound bag of baby spinach, 1 1/2 pounds of shredded carrots, small head of shredded red cabbage......dressing recipe to follow if you ask I would have bread and rolls too... And figure 9 or 10 dozen pieces of cookies or bars. Good luck!! Linda
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jimster
18 years ago
Peppi and I posted at the same time. Average our estimates and you get 9 pounds.

Jim
lindac
Original Author
18 years ago
And.....what's that in cups...of cubed meat?
Don't yet know what we'll be making...
I have made sort of a BBQ not really, sort of thing....tyrkey, broth, celery onions vinegar, brown sugar tomatoes of some sort I think....and serve it either in a bun...or on a plate if you cut it large.
Anyother ideas? Think we'll be serving about 75. We can always do the Tetrazinni-like casserole thing..
Other ideas gratefully recieved!
Can I say "a pint's a pound, the world around" and come up with 4 quarts or so of meat? Per turkey?
I bought 2....do you think we will need both?
Any thoughts on boiling it rather than cooking it in the oven in a roaster?...never done that with a turkey.
Linda C
Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
found something that says 1lb of raw turkey will equal about 10oz..but that was bone in breasts. I'm kinda thinking that 10oz of cooked meat would yield maybe 2 cups...

Just a guess though...

The BBQ thing sounds good or Tetrazini works for me too.

You can boil a chicken for stock and meat..so why not a turkey..but I'd think you might want to atleast cut it in half.. ????
jimster
18 years ago
'Can I say "a pint's a pound, the world around" and come up with 4 quarts or so of meat? Per turkey?'

You certainly can. Remember, a chunk of turkey will sink, not float, in water. That means it is a little denser than water, so a pint of it weighs a little more than a pint of water. But anyway, you have a rough estimate.

Seems to me that roasting is both simpler and tastier than boiling.

Hey, why are you asking us? Aren't you the one we depend on to answer these questions? LOL

Jim
lindac
Original Author
18 years ago
"but I'd think you might want to atleast cut it in half.. ???? "
Yeah....Right....with a chain saw!! LOL!
How do you cut a 16 pound turkey in half??
Wonder if I can find someone with a new blade on a Sawzall?...and I am not entirely kidding!
Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
really sharp kitchen scissors???

A machetee?

lol
jimster
18 years ago
Don't we all keep a Sawzall in the kitchen these days, along with our butane torch for creme brulee and our other industrial equipment? I love my jackhammer for cleaning stubborn messes off cookware.

Jim
Terrapots
18 years ago
For that many people I would use both of them. "Hot" cold turkey sandwiches are soooo good. Set it out with sandwich fixings, sliced to be used in sandwiches or added to a Cesar or green salad. My recall is that one should plan 1# of turkey per person but I think that's too much for a luncheon. Linda, you stay so busy!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
18 years ago
My mil has made a simmered turkey for every family event for at least 20 years. It's very good. She just cooks it on the stove top until it's done and it's always juicy and not dry.
lindac
Original Author
18 years ago
Decisions made....found a willing volunteer to cook and cube the turkey...
And since yester day there is another funeral on Friday....Oy!
So it will be a cheesy/creamy sauce over pasta, turkey, broccoli, carrots, onions, water chesnuts....with a side of that cabbage/ ramin noodle salad, maybe some fruit salad and rolls/bread...bought and donated cookies and brownies.
Make enough Thursday and repeat on Friday!
Hot turkey sandwiches are expensive!...buns cost a lot!...we can do chicken salad and ham salad on sliced bread, but not hot turkey sandwiches....
Linda C....all ahout the $$$
jimster
18 years ago
It's good of you to be doing this, Linda. Those post-funeral luncheons are so comforting and healing to the spirits of all who attend.

Jim
magothyrivergirl
18 years ago
2 EASY fruit salad recipes that you can make ahead that would be good w/ turkey (Each were given to me by an aunt )

CRANBERRY SALAD
origin: exported from Master Cook

2 small Cherry jello
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 each bananas-mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 20oz can crushed pineapple -DO NOT DRAIN
2 cans whole cranberry sauce

Mix jello w/ hot water - let cool
Add bananas, nuts, pineapple and cranberry sauce
Put in a dish or mold - refrigerate.

This is easy to cut in half or double.
------------------------------------------------------
FRUIT SALAD
origin: unknown

1 LARGE can sliced peaches - drained
1 can chunk pineapple-grained
1 box frozen strawberries - thawed - NOT DRAINED
3 each bananas- sliced
1 small box instant vanilla
2 T TANG

Mix all ingredients well - refrigerate at least 1 hour.
(Note: Add the vanilla pudding dry - do not make)

The Fruit Salad with the TANG is always a huge hit - It is also great for summer BBQ's.

You are wonderful to provide these luncheons. I usually keep these ingredients on hand as these recipes are quick & easy are not expensive & great sides for gatherings.

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