The roasted turkey is undeniably the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table. After hours of preparation and cooking, you’ll want to present your turkey in the most mouthwatering, Instagram-worthy way. A beautifully decorated turkey platter is sure to impress your guests before they dig in. Follow these simple tips and tricks to create a stunning turkey presentation.
Prep the Platter
Choose a large platter, cutting board, or platter base that can comfortably fit your turkey. Neutral colored platters work well as a blank canvas, or pick one that coordinates with your tablescape colors. Line the platter with fresh greens like spinach, kale, or lettuce to provide a foundation.
Accessorize with Fall Produce
Take advantage of fresh seasonal fall produce to decorate around the turkey. Arrange persimmons pomegranates, figs, cranberries, grapes, apples, pears, and citrus slices. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage also make great additions. For texture, add nuts like pecans, walnuts, and chestnuts.
Mix whole fruits and sliced pieces for visual interest. Place lemons, herbs, or apples inside the turkey cavity so it doesn’t look empty The colors and textures of fall produce beautifully complement the turkey.
Add Pops of Color
Incorporate colorful fruits like pomegranates, grapes, and cranberries to add festive pops of color. For an autumnal look, use produce in bold shades of red, orange, yellow, and green. Contrast the fruits against the brown turkey and green base.
Get Creative
Think beyond just produce. Use mini pumpkins, gourds, pinecones, or eucalyptus sprigs for seasonal touches. For a modern twist, add flowers like roses or ranunculus. Get creative with unique turkey decor
Consider Overall Look
Step back and look at your platter as a whole. Rearrange pieces as needed for the best look. Fill any visible gaps with extra fruits, nuts or herbs. Remove any pieces that seem too large or small in proportion. Vary placement so items aren’t too uniform.
Finishing Touches
Just before serving, brush the turkey with olive oil or poultry seasoning for sheen. Scatter fresh herb sprigs over the turkey and platter for a final pop of color. With these tips, your turkey will be the true star of your holiday spread. Dazzle guests with your styling skills and celebrate the flavors of the season.
Creative Turkey Platter Décor Ideas
Here are some specific ways to beautifully decorate your thanksgiving turkey:
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Surround with a base of leafy greens like kale, spinach or lettuce
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Garnish with fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley
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Arrange sliced citrus fruits – oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
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Use fall produce like pears, figs, persimmons, pomegranates
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Add pops of color with cranberries, grapes, currants
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Include nuts for texture – pecans, walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts
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Place squash slices – butternut, acorn, delicata around turkey
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Use foraged items like pinecones, acorns, maple leaves
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Fill cavity with lemons, herbs, apples, onions if unstuffed
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Incorporate edible flowers – roses, mums, nasturtiums
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Drizzle turkey with olive oil or brush with poultry seasoning
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Scatter fresh herb sprigs on turkey and platter for garnish
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Mix whole fruits and sliced pieces for interest
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Vary sizes and shapes of produce for visual appeal
Planning Your Decor
When planning your turkey platter décor, consider your tablescape colors and theme. Aim for a coordinated look that reflects your style. For a casual fall feast, use plaid linens and decorate the turkey with squash, nuts and maple leaves.
For a more elegant dinner, adorn your bird with jeweled tones of garnet pomegranate seeds, crimson cranberries, and golden squash atop dark greens. The possibilities are endless! Whatever your Thanksgiving style, a beautifully embellished turkey will be the pièce de résistance of your holiday table.
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FAQ
How should I decorate my turkey?
cranberries, oranges, pomegranates and grapes just to name a few! When you combined them, the look gets even better. Putting all natural elements around a turkey really makes it look outstanding and a perfect spotlight on your lovely Thanksgiving dinner.
How to garnish a cooked turkey?
Place the turkey on a platter and garnish it generously with fresh herbs, blossoms of mint marigold, pineapple sage and other salvias, and crab apples, cranberries, kumquats, small clusters of grapes and slices of lemon or orange.
What is the proper way to stuff a turkey?
Turn the turkey upside down and loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing or aromatics, such as chopped onions, carrots, and herbs. Pull the neck skin neatly over the filling and use a long wooden skewer to fasten the flap to the underside of the turkey.
What is a good garnish for Thanksgiving turkey?
Garnish serving plates with more fresh rosemary, thyme and a handful of fresh cranberries or sliced citrus. Serve warm.
How do you decorate a roasted turkey?
Just take care that decor doesn’t contact the roasted turkey. Decorate the sides of the turkey with autumn gourds, mini pumpkins, fresh greens, herbs, fall leaves, or floral blooms in a way that spills down the platter edges. Try standing twigs bundled with wheat or dried pods upright around the sides for height.
How do you decorate a turkey platter?
There are so many all natural choices you can do to decorate your platter. Sage, rosemary. cranberries, oranges, pomegranates and grapes just to name a few! When you combined them, the look gets even better. Putting all natural elements around a turkey really makes it look outstanding and a perfect spotlight on your lovely Thanksgiving dinner.
How do you decorate a Turkey with sprigs?
Tuck sprigs under the turkey or line the edge of the platter with them. Leafy greens like kale and chard are another way to add an organic look. Place them underneath the turkey or roll the leaves and stand them upright around the sides. Bring in natural elements that capture the warm colors and textures of autumn. Try:
How do you decorate a turkey tail?
Leave space around the sides and front for decorating. Have the tail side face the back of the platter. Start embellishing by the base, tucking in fresh herbs, greenery, leaves or vines to crawl out from under the turkey. Citrus slices and fresh cranberries or pomegranate seeds also look great. Wrap elements with twine or raffia if desired.
What can you put on a turkey platter?
Turkey platter garnish is such a added loveliness to your turkey. There are so many all natural choices you can do to decorate your platter. Sage, rosemary. cranberries, oranges, pomegranates and grapes just to name a few! When you combined them, the look gets even better.
How do you keep a Turkey from slipping on a platter?
You can also line the platter with a clean terry-towel instead of edible greens to keep the turkey from slipping. This method is good if you want to use minimal greens on your platter. Use whole and sliced fruits to fill in the gaps around the platter with color.