Name: Turkey Charcuterie Board
Prep time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 Bosc pear (cut in half, for the body); 2 whole cloves or black peppercorns (for the eyes); 1 small triangle of cheddar cheese (for the nose); 1 walnut (halved, for the legs); 3.5 oz chorizo; 2.5 oz Salami Spianata Romana; 2.5 oz Salami Milano; 2.5 oz prosciutto (about 5 slices); 3.5 oz sliced smoked ham; 5 oz Gouda cheese (cubed or sliced); 5 oz red cheddar cheese (cubed or sliced); 4 oz parmesan or hard Italian cheese (sliced or chunked); 4 oz mini mozzarella balls; 4 oz marinated goat cheese balls; 14 oz dark grapes; 2 persimmons (sliced); A handful of mixed nuts; A handful of walnuts; A handful of pecans; 2.5 oz dried cranberries; 2.5 oz dried plums; 7 oz dried apricots; Cranberry jam and apricot jam (in small bowls); Cracker breads; Sliced French baguette; Sourdough bread; Pretzels

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Charcuterie boards are great for serving up when you’re entertaining, as these can look seriously impressive.

If you take the time to think through HOW you’re going to arrange everything on the platter, you can turn a simple meat and cheese board into a beautiful centrepiece that will wow all your guests!

Turkey Charcuterie Board - fall themed turkey-shaped charcuterie board with different meats, cheeses, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, jams, and breads.

This turkey charcuterie board is a pretty seasonal appetizer idea that’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving celebrations.

Packed with a ton of different cheeses, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, jams, and more, the meats on the board are arranged in a cute shape of a holiday turkey.

It’s a gorgeous party appetizer that will make you everyone’s favorite host!

How To Make This Turkey Charcuterie Board

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe

For the turkey body:

1 Bosc pear, cut in half, for the body
2 whole cloves or black peppercorns, for the eyes
1 small triangle of cheddar cheese, for the nose
1 walnut, halved, for the legs

For the turkey tail:

3.5 oz chorizo
2.5 oz Salami Spianata Romana
2.5 oz Salami Milano
2.5 oz prosciutto (about 5 slices)
3.5 oz sliced smoked ham

To fill out the rest of the board:

5 oz Gouda cheese, cubed or sliced
5 oz red cheddar cheese, cubed or sliced
4 oz parmesan or hard Italian cheese, sliced or chunked
4 oz mini mozzarella balls
4 oz marinated goat cheese balls
14 oz dark grapes
2 persimmons, sliced
A handful of mixed nuts
A handful of walnuts
A handful of pecans
2.5 oz dried cranberries
2.5 oz dried plums
7 oz dried apricots
Cranberry jam and apricot jam, in small bowls
Cracker breads
Sliced French baguette
Sourdough bread
Pretzels

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Make the turkey body:

Wash your pear, then slice it in half lengthwise and place it at the bottom centre of your serving tray.

Press two cloves or black peppercorns into the top of the pear to form eyes.

Cut a tiny triangle out of a slice of cheddar cheese and place it under the turkey’s eyes to form a nose.

Break one walnut in two and arrange the halves under the pear as turkey legs.

2. Arrange the turkey tail:

The easiest way to make the feathers is to roll the different meats into little spirals and just arrange them around the pear to form a tail.

I chose to fold or fan my meats in various ways before arranging them in the shape of a tail.

When arranging the meats on the board, alternate chorizo and salami, then spread prosciutto around them at the top and place “feathers” of smoked ham slightly under the turkey body to hide any gaps.

If necessary, use the meats to lift the pear body slightly.

3. Fill out the rest of the board with the remaining ingredients:

Start by arranging the largest items first. Place the cranberry and apricot jams in small bowls or jars and set them on either side of the board.

Then add piles or rows of your cheeses, cracker breads, pretzels, and fresh fruit to different sections of the board.

Finally, fill in the remaining empty spaces with the smaller items like nuts and dried fruits.

Try to vary the colors of the items you’re placing next to each other!

Serve with fresh bread on the side and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

The quantities for this recipe are enough to cover a 22×14-inch party tray or cutting board.
Although pretty much any large cutting board can be used to serve this recipe, I prefer using dedicated slate serving boards for these types of recipes, as they are much easier to clean than wooden ones.
When using a regular wooden cutting board, line it with parchment paper first. This protects the board from all the oils and fats from the cheese, but also helps keep your food safe from any lingering residues on the surface.
You can make this charcuterie board a few hours ahead of time, then keep it covered in the fridge until serving time. Take it out of the fridge about half an hour before serving to allow the ingredients to come up to room temperature.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s an absolutely gorgeous board that is just perfect for the holidays. The turkey-shaped board is tailor-made for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving.
It’s easily customizable, and you can use whatever meats, cheeses, jams, and snacks you love or have on hand. The layout works with any combination of meats, cheeses, and fruits!
This board can easily serve 8 to 10 people, so it’s perfect for parties and holiday gatherings.
The turkey-shaped charcuterie board totally doubles as decor!