Halloween Charcuterie Board

I had so much fun making this Halloween Charcuterie Board.  If I can make this charcuterie board anyone can do it!  I do not feel really confident making charcuterie boards, but I decided I just had to jump in and make a leap of faith.  I really wanted to make the prosciutto covered hand and arm.  With that as my centerpiece, I found it easy to drop in the other pieces.  Costco is my friend when shopping for a charcuterie board.  I will give you detailed instructions below. 

How to Make a Halloween Charcuterie Board

1.  Start with the centerpiece.  This hand is so easy to make.  All you need to do is trace your fingers, hand and arm on a piece of parchment paper.  (Remember the Thanksgiving turkeys you made in elementary school. That is what I am talking about.) Cut out the parchment paper and place it on the board you are using to build your Halloween Charcuterie Board.  

The arm is made up of a log of goat cheese, a round of Boursin Cheese for the hand and string cheese cut into the length of fingers.  Place the goat cheese on the parchment paper for the arm.  Take the Boursin Cheese out of the package and place it on the palm of the hand pattern.  Push it into the shape so it fills in all the space on the pattern of the palm of your hand.  Then cut the string cheese the length of the fingers.  I rounded the ends of the string cheese to look more like fingers.  

After everything is set on the parchment paper, use sheets of parma prosciutto and lay them over the arm and hands.  (You can find a two pack of prosciutto in the deli section at Costco.) Tuck them under the arm and hand once you have them placed.  You want to go different directions so it looks more like skin or muscles. Wrap each of the fingers and place the seam side down.  This might take a minute to make sure you get the rounded end of the finger where it needs to be.  You can also cut the string cheese flat at the top to make it easier. 

Remember you can break the prosciutto apart.  You do not have to use the whole sheet. This is a great way to show off your anatomy skills if you have any.  I don’t!  

Create Some Kind of Centerpiece on Your Board

2.  Once the hand and arm are made, you can now start filling in the empty spaces.  I love using balls of burrata and placing them in three different areas.  I purchase Burrata in a container that has about 8 – 10 balls in it.  Use the left over burrata on any salad you make. You will find it adds a new depth of flavor. If you have never purchased burrata, it is a loose ball of fresh mozzarella.  It has not set up all the way.  Once you place it on the board, stick a knife in it and it will open up like a Christmas present.

I think a charcuterie board is kind of like making a flower arrangement.  Odd numbers are king.  Try and use things with different colors and different textures.  That is why I love the burrata it gives a completely different texture than all the other cheeses.

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Picking Out The Cheese is My Favorite Part

3.  You can use any cheese you want.  I went on a small shopping spree at Harman’s.  Harman’s is my high end grocery store of choice. If you live in California, Von’s is a great high end grocery store.  If you are on the East Coast you are so lucky because there are so many great little cheese shops that carry all kinds of great cheeses.   I say pick out five or six cheeses that look good or interesting to you.  

When picking the cheese, think of the people that will be eating the Halloween Charcuterie Board you are making.  Do they like spicy cheese with jalapeños or habaneros?  Is a mild cheese favorite or do they like a soft and creamy cheese?  Do they like sweet cheese with honey, cranberries, raspberries or chocolate?  I picked one cheese from each of these categories and then two more that seemed interesting.  A smoked gouda is always a must on my charcuterie boards.  It is my husband’s favorite.

4.  You can get really picky about crackers.  Trying to keep it simple was my thought process.  I purchased a box of Breton crackers at Costco that had three different kinds of crackers.  Triscuit and Wheat Thin crackers are always in my pantry.  They were easy to add because they are small and do not take up a lot of room. 

There are So Many Fruits to Choose From

5.  Most charcuterie boards will pull in some fruits and nuts.  Berries are on sale in Utah right now.  So I went with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  Grapes are another great fruit to add.  Due to the many varieties of grapes, sometimes that is all you need.  Sometimes you can get a package with green, red and purple grapes. They give great color and texture to any board.  

Pecans, pistachios, cashews and almonds are my nuts of choice.  These are nuts that most people love.  These seem to have less health issues for people than things like walnuts and peanuts.  The nuts offer another layer of texture to the board.  I did not put any nuts on this board, but they are a staple on many charcuterie boards. The paring of nuts and fruits is as old as time.  Apples are a wonderful addition as well.  I suggest dipping them in pineapple juice to keep them from browning on your charcuterie board.

Cheese, Meat, Crackers, Fruit and Nuts

6.  The sliced small squares of cheese at Costco is an easy way to spruce up your board.  You can lay the slices together or mix them up and place them on several different spots on the board.  Keep the rule of threes and fives in mind as you place things on the board.

7. Adding some kind of meat like salami and proscuitto is a must.  Coscto has a package of salami meat that has several different kinds.  One is a plain salami, another has a peppered edge, there usually is prosciutto in there too.  I purchased some shorty sausages to cut into bite size pieces and place on the board as well.

Some really good meats from the deli counter would be a great part of any charcuterie board.  Get them cut a little thicker so they can be stacked up.  A nice black forest ham, roast beef or turkey are all fantastic choices.

8. Once you have the board arranged the way you like, you are ready to serve. Place some kind of small knife or spreader so people can cut off the pieces they want and can dig into the arm and hand. You can make things a little gorier by adding a little raspberry jam oozing out of a finger or a cut in the arm.

Let me know on Instagram or Facebook if you make this.  Post a picture and tag me @dinasdiner.