With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, we’ve compiled a selection of turkey-related facts. From the largest turkey in history, to the first-ever presidential pardon of a turkey, to modern, vegetarian alternatives, here’s a story about all things turkey ahead of America’s annual turkey day.
Let’s start with Tyson. Tyson, from Peterborough in the United Kingdom, wasn’t any old bird. He was the heaviest turkey ever recorded, setting a Guinness World Record back on December 12, 1989, that has not been bettered to this day.
Tyson belonged to Philip Cook of Leacroft Turkeys Limited, and was measured at a “greatest dressed weight” of 86 lbs (39 kg). He was weighed in the last iteration of an annual heaviest turkey competition in London, then auctioned to charity for a hefty sum of £4,400 (equivalent to $6,692 in 1989).
Back in 2016, Great Big Story made a video on “Tofurky”. The clue is in the name, and the vegetarian alternative has become popular in recent years. The creation didn’t just appear out of thin air, however, but was years in the making. See how Seth Tibbot and his friend Hans mastered their Tofurky recipe below.
You’d expect the history behind the now yearly tradition of the US president pardoning a turkey in the White House garden to be well-documented and crystal clear. Alas, it’s rather more complicated than you might expect.
Back in 1865, a reporter called Noah Brooks recorded then-president Abraham Lincoln granting clemency to a turkey two years earlier. Whether this inspired the modern tradition is unlikely, but it was the first of its kind and inspired the tradition of Americans gifting turkeys to the White House. By the early 20th century, these turkeys often arrived with decoration and ceremony, including bunting on their crates or, in the case of one special bird from a Harding Girls Club in Chicago, “outfitted as a flying ace, complete with goggles.”
The next rumblings of the official start of the pardoning tradition date back to Harry S. Truman’s presidency and the late 1940s. They are linked to government policies known as “meatless Tuesdays” and “poultryless Thursdays” introduced between September and November 1947. These angered members of the American meat industry, who sent crates of live chickens to the White House in a protest known as “Hens for Harry”. The myth then goes that Truman pardoned the birds to support his policies, but this is disputed by none other than the office of Harry S. Truman Library & Museum itself, which said: “The Library’s staff has found no documents, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, or other contemporary records in our holdings which refer to Truman pardoning a turkey that he received as a gift in 1947, or at any other time during his Presidency.”
Annual White House turkey gifts continued through the mid-20th century, ramping up during Reagan’s premiership in the 1980s, when “the turkey ceremony also became a source of satire and humor for reporters,” according to White House History.
Our story finally reaches its conclusion with Reagan’s vice president and eventual successor, George H. W. Bush. The year was 1989, and with animal rights activists protesting nearby, Bush Sr. said: “Let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy — he’s granted a Presidential pardon as of right now — and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.”
Sadly, not every turkey is spared, and some are eaten quicker than others… You may have encountered Joey Chestnut before. He is famed for his exploits at Coney Island’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, where he is a sixteen-time champion. His world record for hot dogs and buns is a stomach-churning 76 in 12 minutes, but he also holds the record for the most amount of turkeys in a ten-minute period. Chestnut devoured 9.35 pounds of meat off the bone back in November 2014. Sounds thoroughly unpleasant, but he pocketed $5,000 as a reward. Each to their own.
Another turkey-themed Guinness World Record is the fastest time to carve a turkey. That crown goes to Paul Kelly, from Essex in England, who carved a turkey in 3 minutes and 19.47 seconds on June 3, 2009. Kelly was competing against a local butcher called David Harrison.
If you’ve made it this far, you will be delighted to know that the fastest carver is not the only Guinness World Record owned by Kelly, nor even his most niche claim to fame. He also clocked the fastest time for plucking three turkeys.
And one final fact: did you know wild turkeys sleep in trees? They typically find the lower canopy of tall trees where they settle their heads into their feathers for a good night’s sleep.
For many people, the turkey is the star of the show at Thanksgiving dinner. These big birds can feed a crowd when cooked up golden brown and served with all the fixings. But just how big can turkeys get? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest turkeys ever recorded.
Tyson the 86 Pound Heavyweight
In December 1989 a stag turkey named Tyson set the record for the world’s heaviest turkey when he weighed in at a whopping 86 pounds at a competition in London. To put that into perspective that’s heavier than a newborn baby rhino!
Tyson was bred by Leacroft Turkeys Ltd and was more than four times the size of the average turkey eaten on Thanksgiving. At 86 pounds he weighed as much as two average adult human legs or four gold bars.
After winning the heavyweight competition, Tyson was auctioned off for charity and raised an impressive £4,400, which was about $6,692 at the time. So not only was he record-breakingly massive, he was also generous of spirit!
Other Notable Giant Gobblers
While Tyson remains the reigning heavyweight champ, there have been a few other mega-sized turkeys that have come close to his record:
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In 2006, a Merriam’s turkey weighing 31.56 pounds was captured by George Connors in California. That tips the scales at over double the 15 pound average Thanksgiving turkey.
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In 2002, hunter David Cody took down an Eastern turkey in Kentucky that weighed 37.61 pounds.
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Another massive Eastern turkey weighing 37.125 pounds was killed by a hunter in Oregon back in 2002.
Though they didn’t surpass Tyson’s record, these are still some tremendously large birds!
Cooking Colossal Birds
You may be wondering if it’s even possible to cook up a bird as big as Tyson. Most ovens can handle turkeys up to about 22 pounds. Anything larger than that is going to be challenging to cook all the way through.
Unless you have access to a commercial oven, Tyson’s 86 pounds of turkey meat would likely have to be cooked in sections to be properly prepared. Even for experienced cooks, spatchcocking and radiantly roasting in parts is the safest way to ensure a bird that big is fully and evenly cooked.
For deep frying turkey, which many people opt for instead of oven roasting, having a bird that is too large can actually be dangerous. Partially frozen large turkeys can cause hot oil to overflow or even explode due to the difference in density between hot oil and frozen water.
So when it comes to turkey frying safety, it’s best to stick to smaller birds that can be completely submerged in the oil safely. No one wants an ER visit to go with their Thanksgiving dinner!
Enjoying Your Turkey, No Matter the Size
When it comes down to it, you don’t need a record setter like Tyson on your holiday table to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner. The average size turkey is more than enough for most gatherings of family and friends.
If you want to dream big, there’s no harm in being gobsmacked by Tyson’s gorging abilities. But when push comes to shove, it’s more about who you share your turkey with rather than the giant size of the bird on the platter.
Fun Turkey Facts
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The turkey is native to North and Central America. The most common breed eaten on Thanksgiving is the Broad Breasted White.
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Turkey got its name from the country Turkey, which is where many Europeans first encountered the bird after it was brought over from the Americas.
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Only male turkeys, called toms, gobble. Female turkeys make a clicking noise. Gobbling allows males to attract females in the wild.
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Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour and run 20 miles per hour.
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The loose skin hanging down on a turkey’s neck is called a wattle. The red lumps on the throat are called caruncles.
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Turkeys have great vision during the day but very poor vision at night. Their field of vision is about 270 degrees.
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Turkey eggs hatch after 28 days of incubation. Baby turkeys are called poults.
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Adult male turkeys are called toms. Adult females are called hens. Castrated males are called stags.
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The longest recorded lifespan for a domesticated turkey is 12 years. Wild turkeys usually live 3-4 years.
So there you have it, a comprehensive look at some of the biggest turkeys around and fascinating turkey facts. Whether your bird is supersized or standard, gobble it up and enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Turkey Hunting – State Record Turkey! Heaviest Bird Ever Shot in Missouri with a Bow!
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