The Weirdest Things to Eat on Thanksgiving: Unique and Unexpected Dishes
Thanksgiving is traditionally associated with a classic spread of turkey, stuffing, and pie. However, some adventurous cooks and families embrace the unusual and the unconventional, adding a touch of the bizarre to their Thanksgiving table. If you’re looking to shake things up this year or just want to see what others are serving, here’s a guide to some of the weirdest and most unexpected Thanksgiving foods from around the world and right here in the U.S.
1. Turducken
Overview: Turducken is a holiday feast within a feast—a boneless turkey stuffed with a boneless duck, which is then stuffed with a boneless chicken. This impressive dish combines three types of poultry into one, layered with stuffing between each layer.
Why It’s Weird: The complexity and the sheer size of turducken make it a conversation starter and a culinary feat. The concept of stuffing a bird inside another bird takes the idea of “stuffing” to a whole new level.
2. Deep-Fried Thanksgiving Dishes
Overview: For those who love deep-fried foods, Thanksgiving can become a playground of crispy delights. Think deep-fried turkey, deep-fried stuffing balls, or even deep-fried pumpkin pie.
Why It’s Weird: Deep-frying traditional Thanksgiving dishes adds an unexpected crunch and flavor twist. The combination of traditional holiday foods with deep-frying creates an unusual and decadent take on classic recipes.
3. Cranberry Sauce Jello
Overview: Cranberry sauce Jello is a gelatin dessert made with cranberry sauce, often mixed with other fruits or flavors and set in a mold. It’s a colorful and jiggly addition to the Thanksgiving table.
Why It’s Weird: The combination of a typically savory side dish with a sweet gelatin dessert challenges the norms of traditional Thanksgiving fare, making for a quirky and surprising addition.
4. Thanksgiving Pizza
Overview: Thanksgiving pizza is a creative mash-up that uses traditional Thanksgiving ingredients as toppings. Imagine a pizza with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes all piled onto a crust.
Why It’s Weird: Combining pizza with Thanksgiving staples might seem unconventional, but it’s a fun and inventive way to enjoy the flavors of the holiday in a totally new format.
5. Sweet Potato and Marshmallow Casserole with Bacon
Overview: While sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is a classic, adding bacon to the mix turns it into a whole new experience. The smoky flavor of bacon contrasts with the sweetness of the marshmallows and the earthiness of the sweet potatoes.
Why It’s Weird: The combination of bacon with sweet potatoes and marshmallows creates a surprising flavor profile that’s both savory and sweet, pushing the boundaries of traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
6. Thanksgiving Sushi
Overview: Thanksgiving sushi rolls can feature a variety of holiday ingredients such as turkey, cranberry sauce, and even stuffing, all wrapped in sushi rice and seaweed.
Why It’s Weird: The fusion of Japanese sushi with Thanksgiving flavors makes for a unique and unconventional dish that challenges traditional culinary boundaries.
7. Thanksgiving Poutine
Overview: Poutine, a Canadian favorite, is typically made of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. For a Thanksgiving twist, this dish can be topped with turkey, cranberry sauce, and gravy.
Why It’s Weird: Turning Thanksgiving sides into poutine creates a strange but delicious fusion of flavors that reimagines how Thanksgiving dishes can be enjoyed.
8. Pickle and Peanut Butter Stuffing
Overview: Combining pickles and peanut butter into stuffing might sound odd, but it creates a distinctive flavor profile. The tangy crunch of pickles and the creamy richness of peanut butter offer a surprising twist on traditional stuffing.
Why It’s Weird: The unusual combination of ingredients in stuffing can make for an unexpected and intriguing dish that’s sure to be a conversation piece.
9. Turkey Ice Cream
Overview: Turkey ice cream is a novelty flavor that incorporates turkey, gravy, and sometimes even cranberry sauce into an ice cream base. This unusual dessert is both savory and sweet.
Why It’s Weird: The idea of ice cream flavored with turkey and gravy is a radical departure from traditional dessert flavors, making it a bold and bizarre choice for the Thanksgiving table.
10. Thanksgiving Jello Salad
Overview: Thanksgiving Jello salad can include layers of fruit, marshmallows, nuts, and even vegetables, all set in gelatin. It often comes in vibrant colors and interesting textures.
Why It’s Weird: The concept of combining gelatin with both sweet and savory elements, and including items like vegetables, creates a dish that’s both visually striking and unconventional in flavor.
Embrace the Unconventional
Thanksgiving is a time for tradition, but it can also be a great opportunity to explore new and unconventional dishes. Whether you’re looking to impress your guests with a creative twist on classic recipes or simply want to add a touch of the unexpected to your feast, these weird and wonderful dishes are sure to make your Thanksgiving memorable.
So, go ahead and experiment with these unusual foods or use them as inspiration to create your own unique Thanksgiving spread. After all, the holiday is about celebrating and making memories—no matter how unconventional the dishes might be!