It happens all the time. You’re hosting people, or heading over to someone’s house, and you have no idea what dish to bring. A lot of times, people assume the best presentation is something that shows an effort. That might mean making a dip, baking some sort of casserole, or an entire entree altogether. Honestly, save yourself the work. Sure, you want to make a great impression, but there is a tried and true shareable that everyone loves: charcuterie boards. If you’re looking for an impressive appetizer to serve at a party or something great to take to a friend’s place, look no further. Make sure to include these three keys to create a great charcuterie board that no one can say no to!
Fruits Should Always Be Seasonal
Make sure whenever you’re preparing the charcuterie board, you’re using fresh, in-season fruits. These are going to taste the best and make sure everything on your board tastes as great as it’s going to look.
Keep Color in Mind
Fruits are a great way to bring color into the picture. With slices of bread, meats, and cheeses all in the same bland sort of color palette, fruit pops. Be sure to utilize reds, greens, and blues to break up the same boring colors!
Pair Meats and Cheeses Creatively
A lot of rushed charcuterie might look like something you’d throw out while watching a football game, but choosing meats and cheeses is more meaningful when you’re doing it creatively. Genoa salami and pancetta are wonderfully paired with gruyere and English blue cheese. The goal is to create flavors that would make someone feel satisfied without filling up. That means cheeses should be bold to hit every sense of the taste buds, but meats should be filling and flavorful as well.
Presentation is Huge
There are few things that make a well-equipped charcuterie fall flat than poor presentation. The key is to always sort things well, including a good buffer visually between lighter foods like fruit and the denser features like bread. Once they try it, the flavors do the work for you.
Keep Flow in Mind
If you’re setting up your board in a buffet style food lineup, be sure to keep the flow of traffic in mind. With charcuterie, you want the presentation to entice everyone into grabbing some for their plate. Featuring bread on one side with meats and fruits on the end allows for seamless grab and go style plate filling. Making it look good is a big part of the experience.
Need a trusty appetizer? Follow these three keys to a great charcuterie board for your next get together or dinner party!
FAQs
Here's an easy, step-by-step guide.
- Choose your board, platter, or plate.
- Lay out your soft and moist ingredients first.
- Place your dips and spreads around the board.
- Lay out your dry ingredients, like meats, nuts, and hard cheeses.
- Top with your choice of garnishings.
After all that meat and cheese, you're going to need something to balance those rich flavors. Cairo suggests accenting the board with acidic pickles, crunchy nuts, whole grain mustard (Maille is his favorite brand), tinned fish, and something sweet like quince jam or a drizzle of honey.
What are 5 things to avoid on a charcuterie board? ›
CHARCUTERIE // Stop Adding These 10 Ingredients To Your Charcuterie Boards!
- STINKY CHEESES. The cheese section at the grocery store can be overwhelming and intimidating. ...
- FRUITS THAT GO BROWN. ...
- SPICY FOODS. ...
- CRACKERS & BREAD. ...
- Veggies. ...
- Allergens and Sensitivities. ...
- Dips, Sauces and Jams. ...
- Boring and Bland Foods.
The most important elements of a charcuterie board are meats, cheeses, savory accompaniments, sweet accompaniments, and crackers.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie board? ›
The 3333 rule applies to the number of foods to create the perfect board. To follow the 3,3,3,3 rule, stick to three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accoutrements.
What does every charcuterie board need? ›
Note: these are suggested ingredients and you should feel free to tweak them however you see fit!
- Cured meat. Use a selection of 3-4 different cured meats for your charcuterie board. ...
- Cheese. ...
- Bread and crackers. ...
- Nuts and chocolate. ...
- Condiments and jams. ...
- Fruit. ...
- Garnish.
Here are the best cheeses for your charcuterie board
- Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago.
- Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar.
- Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster.
- Soft cheese: burrata, mascarpone, stracchino.
- Blue cheese: gorgonzola, dunbarton blue, marbled blue jack.
Charcuterie Board Styling Tips & Tricks
- Consult the guest list. ...
- Work with uneven numbers. ...
- Keep organized. ...
- Start with your bowls or round shapes. ...
- Next, move on to your biggest pieces and arrange by category. ...
- Avoid same category items touching. ...
- Move and adjust as you go. ...
- Fill final empty spaces with nuts.
Arrange the items on the board – Once you've selected your meats, cheeses, and accompaniments, it's time to start arranging them on the board. Start by placing the larger items, like meats and cheeses, on the board first. Then, fill in the gaps with the smaller accompaniments.
What are the do's and don'ts of charcuterie? ›
However, some general tips for creating and enjoying a charcuterie plate might include choosing a variety of meats and cheeses, avoiding overpowering flavors, and allowing each person to build their own plate according to their preferences.
The red things on a charcuterie board typically include red meats like cured sausages or prosciutto, red-colored cheeses, and fruits such as red grapes or berries. These items contribute to the visual appeal and flavor diversity of the charcuterie presentation.
What is something special for a charcuterie board? ›
Our traditional charcuterie board includes charcuterie board meats like prosciutto and soppressata and popular cheeses for charcuterie boards like smoked Gouda and blue cheese, plus assorted crackers and spreads to go along with them.
What are the 5 ingredient charcuterie? ›
Often, chocolate or sweets are included, too. However, the simplest board will always have five key ingredients: fruit, nuts or olives, cheese, meat, and a carb like toasted bread or crackers.
What is the secret to charcuterie? ›
In addition to balancing flavors (sweet, salty, sour), you also want to balance textures. For cheese, you'll want something hard, medium and soft. For meat, pair a thinly sliced meat (like prosciutto) with something a bit denser (like a salami) and something more spreadable (like a pate).
What are some characteristics of a nice charcuterie board? ›
To make a really impressive (and delicious) completed board, include a good assortment of meats, cheeses, bread, crackers, dips, olives, fresh and dried fruits, berries, nuts, and preserves.
What are some tips or suggestions for arranging charcuterie boards? ›
Try having different shapes for each cheese to enhance the visual aspect of the platter. It is great to use local and seasonal garnishes such as fresh herbs, edible flowers, jams, nuts, honey, dried fruit and fresh colorful fruit. I like using rosemary and thyme; I love the color contrast they create with the cheese.
What are the rules for making a charcuterie board? ›
When making a charcuterie board, try following the 3-3-3-3 rule:
- 3 meats.
- 3 cheeses.
- 3 starches.
- 3 accompaniments.
Divide your board into quadrants, and place one type of meat in the middle of each quadrant. There are different ways to place the charcuterie: You can shape slices into a rose-like shape, by rolling them like a cinnamon roll. Little clumps and swirls of cured hams are easy and fun.
