• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Simply So Good

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Our “BIG BIRD” Thanksgiving

Our “BIG BIRD” Thanksgiving

November 28, 2012 Updated May 2, 2017 12 Comments

2 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
How do you roast a 40 pound Turkey?

This is my darling niece, Cara.  Her boyfriends father (are you following me?) raised a few Turkeys for Thanksgiving.  Because Cara is so wonderful, her boyfriends father gave her one of the turkeys.  Since I was hosting Thanksgiving this year, she gave me the bird to roast.  
I was told the bird was going to be huge.  I didn’t know it was going to be over 40 pounds huge!!!
I don’t even think “huge” describes how big this bird was.

The turkey barely fit in my largest roasting pan.  We had to grease the birds thighs to get it to fit.
I put the turkey in a 250 degree oven at 10:00 the night before thanksgiving.
I was told to roast it low and slow and that it would take about 12 hours.
At noon on Thanksgiving day the bird was still NOT cooked.  They temperature read 140 degrees.  
Needless to say I had to finally crank up the heat to 375 degrees and we didn’t eat until 4:00 p.m.  That was only an hour later than we had planned.  
My two lovely daughters, Charees and Tiffany are standing in front of the bird after it had been removed from the oven.
This is my nephew, Daniel, attempting to eat the drumstick.
We had such a wonderful meal.  I think I was full for three days.  
Probably because I ate the entire pecan chocolate tart myself in two days…pathetic.
How do you roast a 40 pound turkey?
Low, slow, and long.

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook

Related

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « Pecan Chocolate Tart
Next Post: Homemade Cultured Butter »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet Barton says

    May 29, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    Yep.

    Reply
  2. 4e26497e-c89e-11e2-8db4-000bcdcb471e says

    May 29, 2013 at 8:28 pm

    blonds are hot

    Reply
  3. Janet@simplysogood says

    November 30, 2012 at 1:22 am

    Hahaha Thanks Polly. My girls are sweethearts. I wish I were shopping in your store right now. I call WS my mother ship. Better than a shoe store. I hope you win.

    Reply
  4. Polly says

    November 30, 2012 at 1:17 am

    Oh, I want to come live w/you. That bird is beautiful! But your girls are more beautiful. I'll be watching for that giveaway, and keep my fingers crossed, though busy, busy, busy at WS. You're amazing.

    Reply
  5. helen says

    November 29, 2012 at 12:29 am

    omg that is the biggest turkey i've ever seen!!! it looks amazing though…great job!!

    Reply
    • Janet@simplysogood says

      November 29, 2012 at 4:18 am

      Thanks, Helen. I hope I never have to cook one that big ever again. It made for great conversation and we laughed a lot.

      Reply
  6. Pamela Gold says

    November 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    And I thought I was going to have leftovers for days…SHEESH!

    Reply
    • Janet@simplysogood says

      November 28, 2012 at 4:11 pm

      Sheesh is right. I didn't think we'd ever polish off the meat. I sent the remaining gallon bag full home with college students.

      Reply
  7. Charlotte says

    November 28, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    Now that's a really big bird! Love the photo's!

    Reply
    • Janet@simplysogood says

      November 28, 2012 at 4:11 pm

      A HUGE bird. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply
  8. Emily B. says

    November 28, 2012 at 4:47 am

    And there I am in the background, gawking at Lettie as usual. Ha ha. That poor girl. I'm well on my way to being known as the weird Aunt- and I couldn't be happier about it 🙂

    Reply
    • Janet@simplysogood says

      November 28, 2012 at 4:10 pm

      Hahahaha. The problem is you married the weird uncle. Lettie loves you and the attention you give her. We love you.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

I believe cooking from scratch, using unprocessed and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating. My goal is to help you create amazing recipes by providing easy step-by-step photos and instructions.

Read More »

Trending Recipes

  • No-knead Crusty Bread in a Dutch oven No-knead Crusty Bread

  • Several chocolate drop cookies on white background Chocolate Drop Cookies

  • pink iced heart sugar cookies Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Wooden board with chocolate cookies with half chocolate icing and half vanilla icing Chocolate Half Moon Cookies

  • fried ice cream with spoonful taken out with honey and berries Fried Ice Cream

  • Glass of almond milk with 2 gray striped straws on wood board with container of almond milk in background Quick Homemade Almond Milk

  • Lemonade and raspberry lemonade in tall glasses Old Fashioned Lemonade

  • Jerk Spatchcock Chicken on wood Jamaican Jerk Spatchcock Chicken

  • Roasted Chicken Pot Pie

  • chocolate glazed and glazed spudnuts stacked on cutting board with donut holes Spudnuts (Potato Doughnuts with Glaze)

Latest on Instagram

simplysogood

🍋 I teach you how to cook from scratch
🍒 Follow simple step-by-step recipes
🫐 A lover of fresh, seasonal, & local ingredients

Fresh Herb Crockpot Turkey Breast with Brown Butte Fresh Herb Crockpot Turkey Breast with Brown Butter Pears is perfect for a smaller but still impressive Thanksgiving dinner. This easy recipe features a boneless turkey breast coated in homemade herb butter and "roasted" in a slow cooker, then served with a creamy cider herb gravy and sautéed browned butter pears....

https://www.simplysogood.com/fresh-herb-crockpot-turkey-breast-with-brown-butter-pears/
These strawberry rhubarb crumble bars will take yo These strawberry rhubarb crumble bars will take you straight to dessert paradise! 🥰⁠🍓
.⁠
Sweet-tart love in every bite, they’re the perfect treat for sunny days and cozy nights. Grab a bar and let’s indulge in this fruity delight!⁠
.⁠
Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio, where I post step-by-step photo instructions!
⁠
#rhubarbseason #homemadewithlove #dessertclub #strawberryrhubarb #strawberryrhubarbpie #strawberrycrumble #strawberryrhubarbcrumble
Baking up some homemade magic with my no-knead Lem Baking up some homemade magic with my no-knead Lemon Rosemary Gruyere bread!
•
This recipe is as easy as pie (or should I say bread?), bringing the flavors of tangy lemon, fragrant rosemary, and oh-so-melty Gruyere to life. 🍋🍞🌱
•
Click the link in my bio to read through these helpful tips that will make your homemade bread a melt-in-your-mouth success!

#homemadebread #nokneadbread #gruyerebread #lemoncheesebread #cheesebread #homemadecheesebread
Starting the day off right with these indulgent no Starting the day off right with these indulgent no-knead brioche morning buns! 🤎 There’s just something about the buttery, flaky brioche and the sweet cinnamon swirl that makes mornings extra special.
•
The base dough recipe for no-knead brioche morning buns is a buttery no-knead dough that is refrigerated overnight. The chilled dough is very easy to roll, fill, slice, and bake.
•
So go ahead, treat yourself to something delicious and let these buns brighten up your day! 

The recipe link is in my Instagram bio!

#MorningTreats #BriocheLove #SweetIndulgence #cinnamonsugar #cinnamonandsugar #morningbuns
No fancy Ice Cream Maker — no problem! 🍦🍨 No fancy Ice Cream Maker — no problem! 🍦🍨 This no churn Strawberry Raspberry Ice Cream recipe is quick and easy to make without an ice cream maker in only 10 minutes.
•
Simply blend together a mix of frozen strawberries and raspberries with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sherbet for a rich, fruity, and creamy dessert that tastes homemade! 🍓
•
Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio, where I post step-by-step photo instructions!

#nochurnicecream #homemadeicecream #strawberryicecream #raspberryicecream #kidfriendlyrecipes #simplerecipes
These chewy peanut butter bars have been a family These chewy peanut butter bars have been a family favorite for decades! Peanut butter cookies layered with chocolate and a delicious peanut butter glaze! 🥜🍫
•
Trust me, your family will LOVE them!
•
Click the link in my bio to read through these helpful tips that will make your peanut butter bars a melt-in-your-mouth success!

#peanutbutterbars #peanutbuttercookies #pbbars #peanutbutterchocolate #peanutbutterlover #pbandchocolate
Start your day off on a flaky note with these skys Start your day off on a flaky note with these skyscraper buttermilk biscuits!
These melt-in-your-mouth treats are the perfect indulgence for breakfast, brunch, or anytime you’re craving something buttery and delicious.
•
So go ahead, treat yourself to these heavenly delights and savor every flakey, buttery bite with me!
•
The recipe link is in my Instagram bio!

#butterybiscuits #homemadeisbest #breakfastindulgence #brunchgoals
Sharing my famous Lemon Curd Recipe! 🍋🌼💛 Sharing my famous Lemon Curd Recipe! 🍋🌼💛 The one that everyone says I should sell at farmers markets — nah! I’ll just share the recipe with you all instead!
•
I love lemon curd, and use it for so many things!!
🍰 Layered in a cake
🍦 Swirled into ice cream
🍪 Smashed between cookies
☀️ Filled inside scones

The possibilities are endless!! Give this recipe a try by clicking the link in my Instagram bio! And if you’d like the recipes for my other lemon curd inspired goodies, they’re all linked in my Instagram stories!

#lemoncurd #lemoncurdcake #lemoncurdicecream #lemonicecream #lemondessert #lemoncurdrecipe
Have you ever tried an olive oil cake!? 🍰 They Have you ever tried an olive oil cake!? 🍰 They are incredibly soft and moist — you gotta give it a try!
•
This citrus olive oil cake recipe features a tart lemon curd filling and a rich mascarpone frosting. Then we gently add flowers for beautiful decoration. It is an impressive looking and mouth-watering dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion! 🍋🤍🌼

Recipe is linked in my Instagram bio!

#oliveoilcake #oliveoilcakes #lemoncurdcake #mascarponefrosting #mascarponeicing
Follow on Instagram
  • No-knead Crusty Bread in a Dutch oven No-knead Crusty Bread posted on September 19, 2018

  • Several chocolate drop cookies on white background Chocolate Drop Cookies posted on May 20, 2024

  • pink iced heart sugar cookies Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting posted on February 8, 2025

  • Wooden board with chocolate cookies with half chocolate icing and half vanilla icing Chocolate Half Moon Cookies posted on April 5, 2024

  • fried ice cream with spoonful taken out with honey and berries Fried Ice Cream posted on May 4, 2025

  • Glass of almond milk with 2 gray striped straws on wood board with container of almond milk in background Quick Homemade Almond Milk posted on June 3, 2020

  • Lemonade and raspberry lemonade in tall glasses Old Fashioned Lemonade posted on June 22, 2018

  • Jerk Spatchcock Chicken on wood Jamaican Jerk Spatchcock Chicken posted on May 18, 2018

  • Roasted Chicken Pot Pie posted on November 14, 2022

  • chocolate glazed and glazed spudnuts stacked on cutting board with donut holes Spudnuts (Potato Doughnuts with Glaze) posted on October 21, 2019

Footer

Featured on

The Daily Meal Logo The foodgawker-logo reddit Logo BuzzFeed Logo halfbaked Harvest Logo Browneyed Baker Logo FOOD52 Logo University of Washington Logo sheknows Logo

Copyright © 2025 Janet Barton
Privacy Policy