This Highland Cow Charcuterie Board is an adorable grazing board filled with meats, cheeses, fruit, nuts and crackers. It’s almost too cute to eat and makes the perfect centerpiece for parties, baby showers and potlucks.
Over the years, I’ve created all kinds of themed charcuterie boards, from Christmas trees to Halloween skeletons, but never one as cute as this Highland cow board. It’s easy to assemble and always gets compliments before anyone grabs their first bite.
Whether you call it a Cow Charcuterie Board, Char-MOO-terie Board or Highland Cow Charcuterie Board, one thing is certain, it’s absolutely moo-velous! See what I did there!
You can easily customize it with whatever your guests would like using a variety of meats, cheeses, fruits, chocolates and snacks so there is something everyone will enjoy.
What You Need to Make a Cow Charcuterie Board
- Meats: hard salami, pepperoni
- Cheeses: provolone cheese slices, cubed cheddar cheese, cubed swiss cheese
- Fruits: green grapes, red grapes, green olives
- Snacks: variety of nuts, crackers
How to Make a Cow Shaped Charcuterie Board
Create the cow’s face by laying the hard salami into two slightly overlapping columns to form a rounded face.
Cut two salami slices in half and overlap them so they form a point to create the ears. Lay them down on each side of the face for ears.
Cut a provolone cheese slice in half to create the two horn shapes and place them near the top of the board.
Cut one long strip and one oval from the remaining provolone slices to create the cow’s nose and muzzle.
Place two green olives on the muzzle to create the nostrils and two green olives on the top salami pieces for eyes.
Make the Highland cow’s shaggy hair by rolling pepperoni into roses. To do this, overlap two slices of pepperoni, fold them in half lengthwise, then tightly roll them into a flower shape. Place them into between the horns to create the fluffy hair.
Arrange crackers, fruit, nuts, cheeses, and any additional charcuterie items around the cow until the board is full.
Serve immediately and enjoy.
If you want to learn how to make meat roses like I did on the side of the board, follow this easy tutorial to show you how.
Different Varieties That Pair Nicely
One of the best things about this charcuterie board is how easy it is to customize. Here are some delicious additions:
- Cheddar, gouda, Swiss, brie, or pepper jack cheese
- Prosciutto, soppressata, summer sausage, or smoked turkey
- Grapes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries or dried apricots
- Candid pecans, almonds, cashews, or pistachios
- Assorted crackers, breadsticks, pita chips, or crostini
- Pickles, cornichons, olives, or roasted peppers
- Honey, hot honey, fig jam, or pepper jelly
- Chocolate-covered pretzels, caramel popcorn, or seasonal candies
Helpful Tips
- Assemble the cow face first, then fill in the empty spots with remaining ingredients.
- Use ingredients of different colors and textures to make the board more visually appealing.
- Chill meats and cheeses until you’re ready to assemble the board so they stay fresh.
- Leave small gaps between ingredients to make the Highland cow stand out.
- Use toothpicks or small serving tongs to guests can easily grab items.
How to Store a Cow Charcuterie Board
If you have leftovers, cover the board tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the ingredients to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep crackers separate from meats and cheeses so they don’t become soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
A large wooden serving board or platter approximately 16-20 inches works best and gives you plenty of room for the cow, snacks and crackers.
Yes! You can assemble it up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Leave crackers off the board until ready to serve.
Depending on what you add around the board, this typically serves 8-12 people as an appetizer.
Recipe
Highland Cow Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Hard Salami
- Pepperoni slices, I used 26
- 3 Provolone Cheese Slices
- 4 Green Olives
- Cubed cheese, mild cheddar & swiss
- Variety of nuts
- Grapes, red & green
- Crackers
Instructions
- Create the cow's face by laying the hard salami into two slightly overlapping columns to form a rounded face.
- Cut 2 salami pieces in half and overlap them so they form a point to create the ears. Lay them down on each side of the face for ears.
- Cut two horn shapes from the provolone cheese slices and place them near the top of the board.
- Cut one long strip and one oval from the remaining provolone slices to create the cow’s nose and muzzle.
- Place two green olives on the muzzle to create the nostrils.
- Place two green olives on the top salami for eyes.
- Make the Highland cow’s shaggy hair by rolling pepperoni into roses. To do this, overlap two slices of pepperoni, fold them in half lengthwise, then tightly roll them into a flower shape. Place them into between the horns to create the fluffy hair.
- Arrange crackers, fruit, nuts, cheeses, and any additional charcuterie items around the cow until the board is full.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
How to Store a Cow Charcuterie Board
If you have leftovers, cover the board tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the ingredients to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep crackers separate from meats and cheeses so they don’t become soft.Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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