What is the Largest Turkey You Can Buy?

As Thanksgiving and the winter holidays approach, many people start thinking about cooking up a big turkey as the centerpiece of a festive family meal. But if you’re hosting an especially large gathering or simply want a bounty of leftovers, you may be wondering – just how big of a turkey can you buy? Let’s take a look at some of the largest turkeys available and how to pick the right size bird for your needs.

Where to Find Truly Massive Turkeys

First, it’s important to understand that the typical supermarket turkey will max out around 18-22 pounds. Going beyond that size moves you into the realm of special order “monster turkeys” from local farms or specialty retailers

While any butcher shop should be able to source a large bird on request you’ll get the best selection and availability from local turkey farms. Many small-scale turkey producers make it their specialty to breed and raise absolutely massive toms topping 30, 40 or even 50+ pounds.

Online mail order food companies like Williams-Sonoma, D’Artagnan, and Nueske’s also carry extra-large turkeys in the 25-40 pound range for holiday feasts. Just be prepared to pay a premium price, especially with overnight shipping costs factored in.

Pushing the Upper Limits of Turkey Size

Realistically, how big can home chefs go when shopping for the ultimate mega-turkey? While availability varies by specific farm and location, most jumbo turkeys fall into the 25-45 pound range. Going above 45-50 pounds puts you in rare air even among specialty producers.

The largest turkey ever reportedly raised tipped the scales at a whopping 86 pounds according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Nicknamed “Too Too” after boxer Muhammad Ali’s “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” catchphrase, this behemoth bird fed over 450 people at a 1989 event in London.

Clearly that size of a turkey is out of reach for home cooks, but birds over 40 pounds can still make a dramatic presentation at your holiday table. Just make sure your oven can accommodate a gobbler that large before bringing one home.

Choosing the Right Bird Size for Your Gathering

When deciding how massive your majestic turkey should be, the main factors to consider are:

• Number of guests you plan to serve
• Desired amount of leftovers
• Oven capacity

The standard guideline is estimating 1-1.5 pounds of turkey per person, depending on your menu and how generous you want the portions to be. To allow for ample leftovers, err on the higher end of that scale.

For example, if you’re hosting 12 guests, a 18-20 pound turkey would provide both decent meal portions plus solid leftovers. Going up to a 25 pounder would mean abundant leftovers to stock your freezer.

Make sure to measure oven dimensions as well – a good rule of thumb is allowing 4 inches clearance beyond the turkey size.

Cooking Considerations for Giant Gobblers

Once you secure your super-sized bird, adjusting your cooking process is key to roasting it to perfection. Here are some tips:

• Allow significantly more roasting time for larger turkeys. Estimate at least 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F.

• Monitor temperature closely with a probe thermometer to prevent overcooking. Go to 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh.

• Use a heavy duty roasting pan with a sturdy rack to support the weight. You may even need to use 2 pans.

• Tent with foil if the skin browns too quickly, but remove it toward the end for crisping.

• Let the turkey rest 30-60 minutes before carving for easier slicing and juicier meat.

Finding the Right Oven for Roasting a Giant Bird

Before you actually buy your super-sized turkey, double check that your oven can fit it with room to spare. Measure the interior width at its narrowest point and allow at least 4 inches more space than the turkey width.

If it’s not going to fit, you have a couple options. First, see if you can source a slightly smaller turkey in the 20-25 pound range. Or get creative with alternate cooking methods – smoke it on a grill, deep fry outside, or even ask to borrow a neighbor’s oven.

No matter what, make sure you have a plan to cook the massive bird before bringing it home from the farm or store.

Benefits of Going Big with Your Turkey

Other than wowing your guests, are there good reasons to splurge on a giant turkey versus multiple smaller birds? Here are a couple of the best benefits:

Great value for feeding crowds – When cooking for large gatherings, one huge turkey can provide better overall value than buying several smaller ones. But do compare per-pound pricing.

Abundant leftovers – With a monster turkey, you’ll have gobs of delicious meat for casseroles, sandwiches, soups, etc. for a couple weeks after the big meal.

Bragging rights – Let’s be honest, serving an impressively mammoth turkey makes a statement and gives you serious bragging rights as a host!

Richer flavor – Some turkey connoisseurs claim larger birds deliver more succulent, deeper flavor from the longer growth period.

So if going big matches your holiday hosting style, seek out the largest locally-raised pasture turkey you can find! Just be sure to prep properly so your guests remember it for all the right reasons.