Fish Thanksgiving Alternatives

Some Traditional Fish Alternatives to Thanksgiving Turkey

Discover the bounty of Thanksgiving with George Foreman

Vegans and strict vegetarians aren’t the only ones that don’t necessarily want turkey on Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a non-meat/poultry vegetarian or just someone that doesn’t like the taste of the traditional bird, sometimes you may need an alternate protein at your Thanksgiving dinner.

A good solution is to serve a fish entrée as an alternate main course to the turkey. Simply do a nice whole fish or thick cut of steak to give your non-turkey guests something as hearty and filling as the main entrée. Like the vegetarian alternatives offered in Wednesday’s posting, when you cook the fish, try using spices and liquids in your marinade or rub that have a more traditional Americana feel to them, to keep with the spirit of the meal. Dill, lemon and apple cider vinegar are all good options to use as a flavor base.

As for the types of fish you want to use, it will feel more authentic and traditional if you can use a fish that’s distinctively American. Trout and catfish are good, classic choices for your fish, and salmon can work as well. However, the most traditionally accurate choice you could use would be an Atlantic Cod. This fish was around the area of the pilgrims and plentiful at the time,* so it’s something that will hearken back to that first Thanksgiving and give a real sense of a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Like the vegetarian suggestions we made on Wednesday, the other advantage to a fish dish main course alternative is that you can use your electric grill to cook the dish instead of infringing on already limited oven space. If you have a grill that has a griddle plate or deep-dish bake plate – like the 360 Grill™ or the Power Grill™ Grill & Griddle – you can even do a baked fish dish without using your oven.