Hidatsa Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin

This is a traditional Plains Indigenous dish from the Hidatsa people of the Northern Plains, who farmed pumpkins, corn, beans, and wild rice along the Missouri River for centuries before European contact. The technique is brilliantly simple: hollow out a sugar pumpkin, stuff it with seasoned game meat and wild rice, and slow-bake until everything melds into one harvest feast.

Ground bison (buffalo) is the most authentic protein, but venison or beef both work. The lean game meat browns hard with onion before getting mixed off-heat with cooked wild rice, eggs, sage, salt, pepper, and a touch of dry mustard. The eggs bind everything into a sliceable stuffing.

The pumpkin itself is the cooking vessel and a side dish in one. As it bakes for 90 minutes in a half-inch of water (steam keeps it from drying out), the flesh softens to spoon-tender and absorbs the savory juices from the filling above.

Cut into wedges at the table for a stunning, edible centerpiece.

Chef Tips

• Use a sugar pumpkin (also called pie pumpkin), not a jack-o-lantern variety; sugar pumpkins have sweet, tender flesh while carving pumpkins are stringy and watery
• Prick the cavity with a fork before rubbing with salt to help the seasoning penetrate the flesh
• Save the pumpkin seeds: toss with oil and salt, then roast at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes for a savory snack
• Add water to the baking pan as needed; a dry pan scorches the pumpkin bottom

Variations

• Stir in dried cranberries, chopped pecans, or roasted corn kernels with the wild rice for textural contrast
• Use ground turkey or chicken for a leaner version of the filling
• Substitute brown rice or farro for wild rice if you can’t find it at the store