According to Mel Magazine, the concept of "engastration," or stuffing one animal inside another for cooking purposes, dates back centuries. From early Romans to 1700s England, the idea of "nesting" an animal inside of another animal might be about the indulgence of abundance, but the dish's exact origin is debatable.

In 2002, The New York Times tried to unravel the mystery behind the infamous turducken as the famous Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme purported to have invented the dish, owning the copyrighted name and patented recipe. Regardless of whether Chef Prudhomme was the true originator, his big personality helped to make it legendary.

USA Today recalls Glenn Mistich of Gourmet Butcher Block delivering John Madden a turducken prior to the Rams-Saints game in 1997, which became the official "All-Madden Team" food at one point, being featured on many broadcasts. No matter the true origin, the turducken can be found at a variety of butchers and grocery stores and has even been tackled by a few home cooks.