cheese slices, cut into two round pieces for eyes and two triangles for the legs and feet
2mini chocolate chips or mini raisins for the pupils in each eye
Optional: use pretzel sticks for the legs and feet instead
For the turkey feathers
Assortment of sliced cheeses (Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss, Havarti)
Sliced turkey meat
Sliced salami
Mini turkey sausages
Assortment of crackers
Grapes
Almonds or other nuts (Pecans, Cashews, Walnuts)
Instructions
Lay out the board and any plates or outer decorations. If creating any cheese greetings using mini alphabet cookie cutters, cut those out now and set them aside. Or, go ahead and place them on the board where you would like them.
Make the turkey body
Cut a pear in half and create a turkey. Cut out cheese for the eyes, beak, and feet. You can also use pretzels for the feet. Then use small raisins or mini chocolate chips to place in the middle of the round cheese pieces you cut out for the eyes. Set the turkey aside on a plate for now.
Make the turkey feathers
Start by placing the bottom outer layers first. For me, this was the cheese, which I used to create the outer turkey feathers.
Next, place the prepared pear turkey body on the plate or board. This helps you plan the rest of the ingredients around it. Place some almonds or other nuts at the bottom to serve as the "ground" the turkey stands on. At this time, you can also fill in some spots with rosemary, thyme, or sage sprigs for the bottom layer.
Start layering in the turkey slices, since these are larger and you can layer on top of these as needed.
Then start placing the crackers in, and then the other meats like salami or turkey sausage peaces.
Fill in gaps with more cheese triangles to create "feathers" throughout, and also with grapes. Continue filling in blank spots with more meats, cheeses, nuts, or fruits until you've filled in all the spots. Feel free to move some items around for better placement. At the end, you should have a nice looking Thanksgiving turkey charcuterie board!
Notes
Ingredient options • Meats: turkey slices, hard salami slices, small turkey sausage pieces, prosciutto• Cheeses: cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, swiss, havarti, feta crumbles• Fruit: red and/or green grapes, pear slices, cranberries, apple slices• Nuts: pecans, almonds, walnuts• Herbs: sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, or sageMake ahead: you can make this turkey charcuterie board 2-3 hours ahead and store, wrapped with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Just leave the crackers out until you are ready to serve and add those last, as they won't do well in the refrigerator.