A charcuterie board is great for entertaining and works year-round! Most people love a great charcuterie board. The word, pronounced “shar-cute-er-ree,” describes any kind of cured meat, but is typically associated with specialty and gourmet meats that are prepared using artisanal processes.
The concept of charcuterie dates back hundreds of years. Curing and preserving is a cooking method that can be traced back to the earliest civilization. Charcuterie shops, which originated in France, date back to about the 15th century. The charcuteries sold cured meats to villagers to supplement the supply of fresh food available throughout the year.
Besides being visually appealing with colors, textures, and choices, the best part about a charcuterie board is its versatility. While there’s no real right or wrong way to create and present charcuterie, here are some suggestions and tips. The sky is the limit!
• Find the right board or platter that works best for the number of people you are serving. Large cutting boards, marble slabs, slate boards, chalkboards, or large simple platters all work well. You may be surprised to find that you may already have something you can use at home!
• When deciding how much to buy, you can typically allot 2 ounces of cheese and charcuterie per person.
• Try to include bright colors, strike a good balance of flavors and textures, and have enough choices that any guest will be enticed to sample something.
• Make sure the board is approachable. No guest wants to be “that person” that “messes up the masterpiece.” Remember to slice some meats and cheeses ahead of time if possible, though leave some items guests can slice themselves as well.
• Keep it casual and simple, though have a full board so guests do not feel self-conscious for taking more than one item. Start placing ingredients in the center first. Then, place large pieces around the sides and fill in the blank spaces.
• Even if you don’t have a huge bank of knowledge on various meat and cheese pairings, selecting several quality meats and cheeses is key to a fun board. You can switch up variations every time.
• Serve the platter at room temperature for maximum enjoyment in flavor and texture.
• Wine and beer pair excellently with meat and cheese and can enhance the flavor experience.
Items to include:
Cured Meat – The Heart of the Board
Provide 3 different types of meats. Consider soppressata, salami, prosciutto, bresaola, and pepperoni. If you have larger pieces, roll the meats for better spacing and to make it easier for guests to grab.
Cheese
Due to guests having different preferences, be sure you have options for both mild and bold flavors, as well as middle-of-the-road options. (Think mild, medium, and sharp.) Create a combination of aged, firm, soft, crumbly and creamy cheeses. Get creative with shapes and keep the soft, ripe cheeses intact. Slice the other firmer cheeses in triangles, chunks, natural crumbles, or squares. Consider goat chevre, brie, Parmigiano-Reggiano, gruyere, and English blue cheese.
Spreads or Dips
Consider herbed spreadable cheese, local honey, hummus, olive tapenade, marinated artichoke spread, good quality grainy mustard, or some roasted red pepper dip.
Garnish
Select items that create a color contrast with the cheese. Consider cured mixed olives, peperoncinos, sweet red peppers, caper berries, or cornichons. You can even add festive holiday touches such as rosemary, pomegranate seeds, pears, and cranberries.
Crackers or Breads
These items can be great for pairing a variety of ingredients for providing stability to the bite. Consider sea salt bagel crisps, sliced French bread, or pretzel chips.
Fruit
Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and any kind of grapes are all great summer fruit options. For winter, dried fruits work great as well as apples, pears, figs, and dates.
Nuts or Seeds
Consider pistachios, almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Grab small bowls to place around your board to place your nuts in or scatter them around.
Serving Tools
Quality cheese knives, small dishes or bowls, and spoons are essential in order to contain some items and so flavors don’t accidentally mingle. They also give the platter another eye-catching dimension. Be sure to have enough knives so guests do not have to wait to serve themselves. You can even provide labels!