How To Make Your Own Charcuterie Board
What is a Charcuterie Board?
Charcuterie boards are a great addition to any gathering with family or friends – or even to change up your afternoon snack during a day at home! Originating from France, Charcuterie boards usually include cheeses, breads, fruits, nuts, and cured meats served on a board of wood. They are now staples in restaurants and homes in the U.S. today. A charcuterie board can be an assortment of any category of food, which is what makes charcuterie boards so fun and delicious!
Types of Charcuterie Boards
Charcuterie boards can be changed to fit any theme or preference. Here are some common types:
- Classic Charcuterie Board: Includes cured meats (like prosciutto, salami, and chorizo), cheeses (such as brie, cheddar, and gouda), crackers or bread, fruits, nuts, and condiments.
- Sweet Board: A dessert version with a selection of chocolates, cookies, fruits, nuts, and sweet spreads like Nutella or caramel sauce.
- Cheese Board: A selection of cheeses, with bread, crackers, fruits, nuts, and condiments like honey or jam.
- Mediterranean Board: Features hummus, olives, feta cheese, pita bread, roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, and tzatziki.
- Vegetarian Board: Includes a variety of cheeses, vegetables (both raw and pickled), dips like hummus or tzatziki, nuts, fruits, and crackers or bread.
How to Make a Classic Charcuterie Board
Ingredients You’ll Need!
1. Cured Meats:
2. Cheeses:
3. Nuts
Arranging the Classic Charcuterie Board:
- Place small bowls for condiments, dips, or olives on the board first.
- Arrange cheeses in different parts of the board, spacing them out. Cut a few slices or chunks from each cheese to make it easier for guests to serve themselves.
- Fold or roll slices of meat and place them around the cheeses and bowls. Arrange them in small piles or fanned out.
- Fill in gaps with crackers and slices of bread, stacking them or fanning them out.
- Add fresh and dried fruits next, placing them near items they pair well with, like cheese. Scatter nuts in small clusters around the board.
- Distribute pickles and olives around the board, preferably near the meats.
How To Make a Sweet Charcuterie Board
Ingredients You’ll Need!
1. Cookies & Cake
2. Candy & Chocolate
3. Pretzels & Popcorn
How To Arrange Your Sweet Charcuterie Board
- Choose a large wooden cutting board, marble slab, or a festive platter.
- Place small bowls on the board for dips and spreads (Nutella, caramel sauce, whipped cream, fruit jam).
- Arrange cookies and brownie bites around the bowls, creating small clusters.
- Add fresh fruits next, placing them evenly around the board. Keep grapes on the vine for visual appeal.
- Scatter dried fruits in the gaps.
- Place chocolate pieces, cookies, and other candies around the board.
- Add pretzels and popcorn to fill any remaining spaces.
