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Cooking a 40+ pound Thanksgiving turkey...


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I need wisdom/advice. A friend of my dh is raising Thanksgiving turkeys. He asked my dh if we would purchase one. Not a problem until I found out said turkey will be a 40+ pounder.

 

I've never cooked such a big bird and I don't have any pan big enough to cook such a turkey in. Typically I purchase the turkey bags to put the turkey in and the bags in my local grocery store aren't that big.

 

I need specific links to pans that would work (prefer something that won't break the bank as I may never use it again). Advice, etc on cooking such a large bird are welcome.

 

Thanks!

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That is a big birdy!!

 

Would it fit in a doubled large foil pan? (Doubled because of the weight). You can piece heavy duty foil together for the lid. If not, then overlap cookie sheets for the bottom, and make a "pan" with heavy duty foil to catch juices, and a pieced foil top. Also, I just thought of using a broiler pan for the bottom.

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Are you sure he didn't mean 40+ pounds BEFORE BUTCHERING? 'Cause a 40 pounder would give you about a 28lb dressed out turkey.

 

But... if it's really 40 pounds, you can cut it up and cook the legs in a separate pan and cook the breasts flat in the roasting pan. That's the only way it would fit in my oven anyway.

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Um yeah, I am thinking that might be before butchering weight. DH used to work for a turkey processing facility and we could buy some pretty big birds. I am thinking 30 pounds was as big as we ever saw.

 

If you have to go with an aluminum pan, be sure to put a cookie sheet under it. Or like PP said, you may have to roast it in pieces.

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Are you sure he didn't mean 40+ pounds BEFORE BUTCHERING? 'Cause a 40 pounder would give you about a 28lb dressed out turkey.

 

 

I'm not 100% sure, as I want to talk to said friend but my dh indicated the friend said they were HUGE already and they had almost a month to go yet. I'm going to ask for the smallest one of the bunch.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice thus far. I'm feeling a bit less overwhelmed at the thought. We'll only eat a fraction of the bird & freeze the rest I guess.

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Raised our own. 56 pound bird (dressed out). Cookie sheet under a giant aluminum roasting pan (I think DH got it at a restaurant supply store?). Make sure to cover the tops of the drumsticks with foil to keep it from burning against the elements!

 

How long does it take to roast a turkey that size?

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We raised turkeys this year. I think our biggest dressed out was 32.5lbs. I thought that was HUGE! The turkey we're cooking is 26.5 pounds. Still plenty big. I can't wait to try it. I have no idea what we're going to cook it in. I haven't thought about it yet. I'm pretty sure it won't fit in my biggest pan. :p We do a big get together with friends, since not a lot of people here in AK have family close. So, I'm really hoping one of my friends has a big enough roasting pan.

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