The change in the recrystallized fraction through the thickness of AA7050 hot rolled plate has been investigated and the factors that contribute to this local variation have been analysed. The stored energy due to hot rolling, which provides the driving force for recrystallization, has been determined through the plate thickness from measurements of the subgrain size and misorientation made using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The number density of large intermetallic particles capable of stimulating the nucleation of recrystallized grains (PSN) has also been measured at the same positions. These measurements, coupled with a model for the Al3Zr dispersoid distribution and recrystallization, have been used to predict the variation in the through thickness recrystallized fraction. The observation that the recrystallized fraction is greatest at the centre and surface and least close to the T/4 position is reproduced well by the model.