Description
This Halloween-themed Skeleton Charcuterie Board combines an artful arrangement of cheeses, meats, fruits, and snacks to create a spooky skeleton design. Featuring a brie cheese skull with blueberry jam details, a rib cage of manchego triangles, Italian dry salame folded as ribs, and complementary accompaniments like grapes, cheddar, and dried orange slices, this board is a festive centerpiece perfect for autumn gatherings and Halloween parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeses
- 1 (16-oz) brie wheel
- 16 oz young manchego, sliced into triangles
- 10 oz mild cheddar, cubed
- 1 string cheese
Meats
- 12 oz Columbus Meats Italian Dry Salame
- 1 (12.5-oz) package Columbus Meats Charcuterie Tasting Board
Fruits & Snacks
- 2 oz blueberry jam
- 4 yogurt covered pretzels
- 30 oz dark purple grapes
- 8 dried orange slices
Other
- Olives (amount not specified, use small ramekin)
- Chocolate covered cranberries (amount not specified, use small ramekin)
Instructions
- Chill Brie: Place the entire 16-oz brie wheel in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to carve the skull shape.
- Carve Brie Skull: Cut wedges out of the sides of the bottom third of the brie to create a mushroom-like base shape. Round the edges at the top to form the skull shape. Slice off the top ½-inch of brie and set this piece aside.
- Add Jam and Facial Features: Spread 2 oz of blueberry jam on the bottom piece of brie. Using a paring knife or small cookie cutters, carefully cut out a rectangular mouth, a triangular nose, and circular eyes on the jam-covered brie.
- Assemble Brie Skull: Place the reserved top ½-inch layer of brie back on top of the jam-spread bottom piece. Slice one slice of manchego cheese into 5 small squares and arrange them in the rectangular cut-out mouth to mimic teeth.
- Build the Skeleton Neck and Sternum: Position the brie skull on your serving board. Place the 4 yogurt-covered pretzels beneath it to serve as the neck, and then place the string cheese below the pretzels to resemble the sternum bone.
- Create Rib Cage: Arrange the manchego triangles in two rows on either side of the string cheese, alternating their direction to imitate ribs.
- Add Salame Ribs: Fold the Italian dry salame into quarters and tuck these pieces between the manchego ribs and around the string cheese sternum to enhance the rib cage look.
- Prepare Ramekins and Garnish Board: Fill two small ramekins—one with olives and the other with chocolate-covered cranberries—and place them on the board. Arrange the remaining Columbus Meats Charcuterie Tasting Board components along the edges of the display.
- Fill Gaps and Finish Decoration: Use the 30 oz of dark purple grapes and 10 oz of cubed mild cheddar to fill in empty spaces on the board. Finally, garnish the entire arrangement with 8 dried orange slices for a festive touch.
Notes
- This skeleton charcuterie board is perfect for a Halloween scare-cuterie surprise that delights guests with its spooky presentation.
- Use a sharp paring knife or small cookie cutters for precise facial feature cuts on the brie.
- Chilling the brie before carving prevents it from becoming too soft and difficult to shape.
- You can customize the board further by adding your favorite meats, cheeses, or seasonal fruits.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure pretzels and all ingredients used are gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of board
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
