A bold new take on Thanksgiving dinner is reviving the colonial tradition of stuffing a roasted bird with seafood.
Historians agree that the 1621 Plymouth feast featured wild fowl and venison, and that seafood likely appeared given the coastal diet of clams, scallops, oysters and fish.
The menu lacked pumpkin pie and marshmallow‑topped sweet potatoes because butter and flour were scarce, but the presence of birds made stuffing a probable addition.
Cooking methods from coastal Massachusetts clambakes inspired the author to imagine a bird filled with a maritime stuffing.
Roast Bird With Saltwater Stuffing
The recipe starts with an overnight salt brine, enriched with clam juice to boost flavor and retain moisture, keeping the bird juicy.
Lemon is added because both chicken and seafood taste best with its bright acidity.
The seafood mix is flexible; the author favors imitation crab for its flavor‑absorbing qualities, frozen breaded scallops and calamari for texture, and cod as a nod to Plymouth’s proximity to Cape Cod, while lobster provides a luxurious touch.
When using shelled shellfish such as clams or mussels, the author steams them separately, removes the shells, and folds the meat into the stuffing to avoid excess space.
This seafood‑stuffed roast can be scaled to a turkey, and home cooks are encouraged to add their favorite ingredients for a personalized twist.
