You will have a ton of fun making this turkey charcuterie board which boasts a festive variety of cheeses, meats, and crackers arranged in the iconic shape of pear turkey! Kids and adults alike will enjoy munching on this one during your Thanksgiving gathering! We have served this Thanksgiving charcuterie board as our primary Thanksgiving appetizer. It’s always a hit!
Why We Love Our Turkey Charcuterie Board
Take a creative approach to the assembly process. Start by choosing a tray or board. Cover it with a spring-like fabric, if desired. Putting together this turkey snack board will give you both a delicious Thanksgiving charcuterie board but also a fun table decoration at the same time! It’s so pretty that no one ever wants to be the first person to start pulling from it!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces salami
- 2 ounces pepperoni
- 1 pear
- 4 slices thinly sliced ham
- 3 slices white American cheese or provolone
- 3 slices aged cheddar or sharp cheddar (whichever is your favorite)
- 10-12 mini mozzarella balls (mozzarella pearls)
- 2-3 figs
- 1 large bell pepper
- 15 graham crackers
- 1/2 cup red or green grapes
- 2 almonds
- 2 candy googley eyes
- Dab of peanut butter or cream cheese to help hold the eyes and beak into place
Note, we made our turkey a little modern with the green pear body. You can easily customize the plumage with additional items if you want!
Process for Assembling a Turkey Charcuterie Board
For a Thanksgiving charcuterie board like this one, we include fruits in a rich color scheme for fall – green grapes and figs.
1. Cut bell peppers in half. Remove insides and seeds. Cut peppers into strips.
2. Cut white American cheese into triangles and roll. Form aspen leaves from the aged cheddar using a fall leave cookie cutter.
3. Prepare a large platter or round board. Cut pear in half and place cut side down on plate. With a tiny dab of peanut butter or cream cheese, place candy googley eyes and a small triangle of cheddar for the beak.
4. Under the pear body, add the two almonds for the feet.
5. Arrange salami and pepperoni on top of the turkey body. Place aspen leaves between the rows of salami and pepperoni.
6. On the next row, add grapes and mozzarella balls.
7. Cut the figs into quarters and arrange them on a plate. Fold the ham in quarters and arrange them in a mirror image. Complete this row with cheese rolls, bell peppers. Place the crackers overlapping on the far edge of the plate. Fill the empty space with bell peppers and grapes.
Tips for a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board
- As you see, we used aged cheddar and white American cheeses on our borard. But you can also use Camembert cheese – sliced. Also, you can easily substitute Brie cheese – another rind cheese – if you prefer. We like to include different cheeses in our boards, ranging from soft brie to sharp cheddar, and a variety of cured meats like salami, prosciutto, and pepperoni for different tastes.
- Not a fan of salami? Consider using another style of turkey or ham.
- Select one or two unconventional spreads like fruit jams or spicy pepper jelly on the board or alongside the board. One of our favorite spicy pepper jelly versions is candied jalapeño jelly. It is the absolute best! My friend sells it in her shop, and I always stock up ahead of the holidays.
- We have green grapes in our photos – but the deep red/purple grapes look great on this board also because they pull in the deep colors of the fall season.
Storage and Advance Prep
- To store your turkey charcuterie board, carefully cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring that the wrapping does not disturb the arrangement of the cheeses, meats, and garnishes. I like to tent the foil so it doesn’t touch the cheese. Refrigerate the board promptly to preserve the freshness of the ingredients, and when ready to serve again, allow it to come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes since the Camembert is a soft cheese and should be served at more of a room temperature.
- Personally, I do not like to store the crackers and such on the platter as they might loose some of their crunch. I just add those crunchy items on just before serving. For advanced preparation, you can pre-cut some of the cheeses and cured meats to save time on the day of the event. Arrange non-perishable garnishes and snacks, such as crackers, nuts, or dried fruits, in separate containers for easy placement later. Additionally, you can prepare any specialty spreads or dips a day ahead and keep them stored in the fridge.
Turkey Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 2 slices White American cheese
- 2 slices Aged cheddar or Sharp cheddar
- 1 Pear
- 2 oz Salami
- 2 oz Pepperoni
- ½ cup Red grapes or green
- 12 Mozzarella balls
- 3 Figs
- 4 slices Deli ham
- 15 Ritz crackers plus more to add to the side
- 2 Almonds
- 2 Candy eyes googley eyes
- Peanut butter or cream cheese dab
Instructions
- Cut bell peppers in half. Remove insides and seeds. Cut peppers into strips.
- Cut first grade cheese into triangles and roll. Form aspen leaves from second grade cheese using cookie cutter.
- Prepare a large platter or round board. Cut pear in half and place cut side down on plate. Arrange salami and pepperoni on top of the turkey carcass. Place aspen leaves between the rows of salami and pepperoni. Next row – grapes and mozzarella.
- Cut the figs into quarters and arrange them on a plate. Fold the ham in quarters and arrange them in a mirror image. Complete this row with cheese rolls, bell peppers. Place the Ritz crackers overlapping on the far edge of the plate. Fill the empty space with bell peppers and grapes.
- Cut a tiny triangle of cheddar cheese for the beak. Using small dabs of peanut butter or cream cheese, place the two candy eyes and the cheddar cheese beak on the pear to make a face. Place the two almonds under the pear as feet.
Nutrition
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