Traditional Reindeer Charcuterie Board
Create a festive and delicious Traditional Reindeer Charcuterie Board, perfect for holiday gatherings. This board features a cheese reindeer head with meat antlers, surrounded by an assortment of fruits, vegetables, crackers, nuts, and dips.
Equipment
- Large cutting board or platter
Ingredients
Reindeer Head & Antlers
- 1-2 blocks cheddar or colby jack cheese for the head
- salami proscuitto, or pepperoni for antlers
Accompaniments
- Assorted crackers of various shapes and sizes
- Red grapes
- green grapes
- fresh or dried cranberries
- apple slices
- pear slices
- Baby carrots
- cucumber slices
- cherry tomatoes
- Fig jam honey, or a creamy dip small bowl
- Almonds
- walnuts
- pecans
- pistachios
- black olives for the eyes
- Fresh rosemary sprigs for greenery and accent
- Mini pretzels or pretzel sticks for ears, if desired
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash and dry all fruits and vegetables; slice cheeses, apples, and pears as needed. Arrange cured meats on separate plates for easy access.
- Place a large block or wedge of cheddar or colby jack cheese in the center of your board for the reindeer's head; trim to shape if necessary.
- Layer salami, pepperoni, or prosciutto above the cheese, fanning them out to create impressive antlers.
- Place two black olives above the cheese for eyes and a cluster of fresh or dried cranberries at the bottom edge for Rudolph's nose.
- Optionally, place mini pretzels or apple slices above and to the sides of the head to resemble ears.
Arrangement
- Arrange assorted crackers around the base of the board, then fill remaining spaces with grapes, apple/pear slices, nuts, baby carrots, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes, ensuring a balanced distribution of colors and textures.
- Place small bowls of fig jam, honey, or your chosen dip near the cheese head for easy access.
- Tuck fresh rosemary sprigs around the board, especially near the antlers, to add festive greenery and a pop of color.
- Review your board and make any final adjustments to ensure it looks cohesive and inviting.
Notes
For a truly festive touch, use a holiday-themed cutting board. You can also add other small holiday candies or chocolates for extra flair. Try using cookie cutters to shape the cheese for more variety.