Flayed Human Skull Antipasto Platter

This recipe is one of my personal favorites and has been my go-to Halloween appetizer for years. Not only is it delicious, it’s creepily realistic…so realistic in fact that I’ve used it on camera before for a CSI investigation themed film shoot. One of the actors in that shoot, a former Chicago police officer, told me that it was disturbing how much the prosciutto-wrapped skull looks like the real thing. I didn’t ask for more details and he didn’t elaborate. Probably a good thing.

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients...

Along with my prosciutto-wrapped skull, I enjoy offering my strong-stomached guests an array of cured meats, olives, cheese and other finger foods and allow them to mix and match their own flavor profiles. Meal worms are optional.

For this recipe you will need:

1 Pound assorted sliced deli meats (such as salami, spicy capocollo, mortadella, and bresaola but it's always dealer's choice...whatever makes you happy works.)1 Pound assorted cheeses (for this platter I used Vermont Cheddar and orange rind Muenster. Parmigiano-Reggiano is always a good choice, especially if you plan on including fruits like grapes as are other cheeses like sliced Asiago and provolone. Again, dealer's choice.)

• ½ Pound prosciutto, sliced
• ¼ Pound mozzarella pearls, drained
• ¼ Pound marinated olives
• 1 loaf Black like my Soul baguette bread, sliced
• serving platter
• small bowls for olives and mozzarella pearls
• 1 skull
• Plastic food wrap (optional)

THOROUGHLY WASH AND DRY YOUR SKULL. Because you will be using it as the centerpiece to your antipasti platter and covering it with prosciutto, you want to make sure that it is clean and dry.

**SIDE NOTE: While it might be tempting to use a real skull for this project (because who doesn't have a real human skull hanging around the house?!) I would personally recommend using a plastic one. Not only will plastic be much easier to clean, (top rack dishwasher safe!) but the porous nature of real bone makes it a magnet for bacteria. However, if you do decide to go the Full Monty on this project and actually USE Uncle Monty's skull, I would strongly suggest first carefully wrapping it with clear plastic food wrap. Press the wrap onto the surface of the skull, ensuring that the bone is fully covered.

Step 2: Cover Your Skull

COVER YOUR SKULL IN PROSCIUTTO. Working from the eyes outward, wrap your skull in the sliced prosciutto. Pay attention to the curvature of the skull. You will want the fat veins in your prosciutto to follow those natural lines. I'm using a skull with open eye sockets and nasal cavity. I prefer this skull because it allows me to really tuck the meat into those openings, giving the skull a very realistic look. It might not be as realistic as a real skull with a more enclosed socket, but for our purposes, I think it actually looks better.

**SIDE NOTE #2: Having done this project for years now, I've discovered that the higher the grade of prosciutto you use, the more difficult it is to get it to adhere to your skull. Normally I'd tell you to splurge and get the highest quality ingredients possible for all your projects, but in this one situation alone, I'm going to encourage you to actually save some money and go for a lower quality meat. Because this is a cured ham product, the higher quality meat tends to be more dried out and a little leaner. The lower quality seems to be much fattier and a little less "cured" which makes it stick to the skull and itself much better. Like I said, this is a one time deal when I tell you to go for the low shelf stuff. (Save your pennies on the prosciutto and spend them on the rest of your meat platter.)

Step 3: It's All About Presentation!

FOR BEST RESULTS AND GUEST SATISFACTION, I suggest aiming for at least two layers of prosciutto. It will give your skull a nice "meaty" look as well as allow your guests to peel back a few layers before revealing the 'bone' beneath.

ARRANGE THE REMAINING MEATS AND CHEESES AND BREAD on the platter. Place the marinated olives in a small serving bowl. Place the mozzarella pearls in the small serving bowl.

SERVE, allowing guests to choose their own selection of antipasti on their plate.

And as they say in hell...

Bone appetite!

I have even more disgustingly delicious recipes available online both through Instructables.com as well as my blog, The Necro Nom-nom-nomicon. Enjoy and have a deliciously disgusting Halloween!!

Comments

[KerriL14]

For past few years I’ve made this every Halloween, I agree with the original post on buying cheaper cuts. My guests never seem to want to “pick from the skull” so I’ve used super cheap deli cuts for the skull and the nicer cuts for the actual platter.
I also found an amazing skull from amazon, it’s even dishwasher safe!
I love this recipe, thanks for posting it!!!

[wold630]

You should enter this in the 2016 Halloween Food contest!

[Tye Rannosaurus]

Thank you for the reminder!!

[Zaacharia]

Finding parts to work with is improved if you search for "Day of the Dead" molds. The Mexican (and most Hispanic cultures) treat DotD as joyous celebration and often have a picnic on the grave of a loved one on the day after Halloween (all Hallows evening) aka All Saints Day. I have been using molds for making sugar skulls for my glass castings for a year or so (I picked up the discounted molds at a Dollar store I think years ago and only recently found a use for them)

[voodoogoddess]

Now if you could happen to find a skull dip bowl with the top half of the skull removed, you could put a brain looking cheese ball under the top layer of prosciutto.

[DonN35]

I actually have one exactly like that, came as part of a "bag of bones" I ordered years ago, miscellaneous bones including a skull with a removable top piece, easily fillable with an edible brain, and all dishwasher safe, try searching online, I bet they still sell them!

[Tye Rannosaurus]

My only complaint is it is only May and Halloween is too far away. Stores really should stock these sorts of things year round.

[NicoleT56]

It is for this exact reason that I've made it a point to throw creepy horror themed parties whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Because Halloween isn't a holiday, it's a state of mind.

[voodoogoddess]

I would love to see it and know where you purchased it!

[DonN35]

Not sure exactly where I got it, as it was about 10-12 years ago, but looks like Amazon has one that would work well.... https://www.amazon.com/Anatomical-Chart-Company-cs20-Life-Size/dp/B000VKSDYE?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

[Tye Rannosaurus]

Excellent idea!! Working on that!

[JenP27]

Where did you find that skeleton platter? :)

[Tye Rannosaurus]

Home Goods about 2 years ago. They pop up on Ebay every once in a while.

[JenP27]

thanks!

[syates3]

You can always get your hands on a 3d printed human skull as well, and they can be printed in just about anything (wood not joking there, plastic, metal while new and expensive metal impregnated plastic is an option) while it might not be as smooth as bone. Don't have a 3d printer? There are places that will print it for you and ship it out.

http://www.thingiverse.com/search/page:7?q=skull&s...

[deswiger]

Ah, come on. Why does everyone have to rush things? I'm 61 today, at this rate I'll be 70 tomorrow and 85 next week. Can't we just have a picnic or two and keep fighting off the bugs for a little while longer? Semper Fi ;)

[BobS135]

Where did you get that skull? I can never seem to find good looking plastic skulls for Halloween. All the ones I find are either the expensive medical school ones, really cheesy soft plastic ones, over-priced Styrofoam ones ($7 for an undersized one!) or plaster ones.

BTW, have you ever tried putting olives in the eye sockets to simulate rotting eyeballs?

[NaffS]

I would've added boiled eggs for the eyes ?

[Laral]

How appetizing. It looks like something that Ramsay Bolton would love to serve his guests, especially to relatives of the deceased who 'donated' the head. LOL

[John T MacF Mood]

Not to be critical, VERY good work but,
Retired cop here, and your CSI set cop friend was right. I won't give you the details of what I've
seen, but this is too sick. (Not in the slang "sick" good sense...)
After as long as I spent on the job, I don't do Halloween stuff any
more. You guys have fun, I think I'll pass on this one. I think I'll
pass on breakfast too.

"Doctor, my eyes, did I keep them open for too long?" - Jackson Browne