Description
A festive and creative Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board featuring a pear turkey centerpiece surrounded by an assortment of cheeses, sliced meats, crackers, and nuts arranged to resemble turkey feathers, perfect for holiday gatherings and easy entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey Body
- 1 fresh pear
- Candy eyes (edible)
- Small piece of cheese (for turkey nose and legs)
- Peanut butter (optional, for sticking pieces)
Meats and Cheeses
- Sliced turkey
- Sliced ham
- Assorted cheeses (such as cheddar, Colby, gouda), cut into slices or cubes
Filling and Garnishes
- Assorted crackers
- Roasted almonds
- Roasted pistachios
Instructions
- Prepare the Pear: Cut a fresh pear in half vertically. Use one half as the turkey’s body by placing it flat side down on the bottom center of your charcuterie board.
- Create the Turkey Face: Attach the edible candy eyes to the top part of the pear to form the turkey’s eyes. Cut a small triangle from cheese to serve as the turkey’s nose and shape additional small pieces of cheese to resemble legs. If needed, apply a small dab of peanut butter to help secure the eyes and nose to the pear.
- Arrange Crackers: Fan out assortments of crackers around the pear to mimic the turkey’s feathers, spreading them evenly and layering for a full effect.
- Add Cheese: Arrange slices and cubes of assorted cheese around and slightly overlapping the crackers, continuing the fan shape to resemble feathers.
- Layer Meats and Nuts: Continue the feather pattern by layering sliced ham, sliced turkey, roasted pistachios, and roasted almonds in the same fanned arrangement around the cheese and crackers.
- Fill Gaps and Add Texture: Scatter roasted almonds and pistachios evenly around the board, ensuring any empty spaces are filled to maintain a balanced and textured appearance.
- Final Arrangement Check: Ensure that the pear turkey body is clearly visible at the center and all other ingredients are beautifully fanned out to resemble feathers for an attractive presentation.
- Serve: Place the finished charcuterie board in a central location for guests. Provide small serving utensils or toothpicks for easy picking.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears to ensure the turkey body holds its shape.
- Peanut butter can be substituted with cream cheese or edible glue if nut allergies are a concern.
- Feel free to add seasonal fruits like grapes or berries for additional color.
- Choose a variety of crackers with different shapes and textures for visual interest.
- Keep all ingredients chilled until just before serving for freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-cook assembly
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of board (approx. 100g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Thanksgiving, charcuterie board, turkey centerpiece, holiday appetizer, cheese board, festive snack
