What is charcuterie?

Those pretty meat and cheese boards you see all over social media are a trend that actually originated with meat spreads in 15th-century France. The definition of charcuterie is "the culinary art of preparing meat products," according to The Organic Kitchen. Charcuterie was actually developed out of necessity — it's the way meats were preserved long earlier refrigeration came about.

How is charcuterie pronounced?

Pronounced shahr-ku-tuh-ree, the word "charcuterie" is French for "pork butcher store." The more you know!

What tools do I demand to make a charcuterie board?

Serving Board

Greener Chef Serving Board

Every charcuterie board has to kickoff with the actual board, of course. You can buy charcuterie boards online, but whatever big rimmed cutting board or serving platter volition work, as well.

Serving Utensils

Williams Sonoma Serving Utensils

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Cheese serving knives, small-scale forks and spoons, and mini tongs may come in handy for serving, depending on what you programme to include.

Honey Mixing Stirrer

DESIOLE Honey Mixing Stirrer

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If you're serving honey, a drizzling utensil is a nice bear on.

Ramekins

Bellemain Ramekins

For spreads, beloved, and jams, as well as messier accompaniments similar olives and pickles, ramekins (or any small dishes) are a must.

Political party trick: For a more intimate gathering, consider putting an individual, mini charcuterie board at each place setting. Particularly among the pandemic, this is also a safer fashion to serve your guests.

What should be on a charcuterie platter?

Forth with the traditional cured meat, the add-on of paired cheeses and accompaniments similar fruit, nuts, olives, and spreads are common in restaurants that serve charcuterie boards. Here's what you'll find on a traditional charcuterie board:

  • Cured meat
  • Cheeses
  • Olives
  • Basics
  • Fruits and Veggies
  • Crackers
  • Jellies and jams

Pro tip: Using a agglomeration of smaller boards instead of one large 1 means you can motion servings around to feed a crowd.

How to build a simple charcuterie lath

Building a charcuterie board is about taste, of course, but it'due south important to not only include a variety of flavors (sugariness, savory, salty), merely different textures as well.

✔️ Use the Best Cured Meats

For traditional charcuterie, cured meats like mortadella, salami, prosciutto, and bresaola are staples. Charcuterie is all almost presentation, meaning there are enough of styling techniques to endeavour.

✔️ Apply the Best Cheeses

Try to mix information technology up when it comes to cheese: Pick at to the lowest degree one spreadable, one difficult, and one soft cheese. Make or buy labels for your cheeses so guests tin can easily choose the ones they like.

✔️ Add Dried or Fresh Fruit, Plus Vegetables

Stale mangoes, cherries, plums, and peaches offset saltier meats and cheeses. Equally for fresh fruit, if you don't want to spend time slicing, grapes are a solid option. Choose Concord grapes for their distinctive blue hue and Champagne varieties for their decorative tight clusters. Fresh veggies add crunch and provide a healthier option on your board.

✔️ Fill in Spaces With Breads, Crackers, Nuts, and Seeds

Arrange breads, crackers, nuts, and seeds in different shapes and sizes to fill holes effectually your meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies. For a sweet add-on, include squares of dark chocolate.

✔️ Garnish with Spreads and Dips

Nestle in ramekins filled with sweet spreads like honey and fig jam, and identify them near cheeses that pair well.


More charcuterie board ideas to try

When it comes to making your own charcuterie, zippo is off limits. At that place are truly no rules, which means you can become as creative (or proceed information technology as elementary) as yous wish! While a search for "charcuterie" on Instagram yields more one meg results, hither are some of our favorite ballsy spreads for inspiration.

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Brunch Charcuterie Lath

charcuterie board ideas breakfast or brunch charcuterie board

Mike Garten. Nutrient Styling: Christine Albano. Prop Styling Alex Mata

Go on the political party going in the morn with a next-level brunch! Arrange mini pancakes and waffles, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, sliced avocado, sausage, and fruit on a platter; blueberry sauce and cinnamon maple butter spread (combine i stick unsalted butter at room temp with 3 Tbsp maple syrup and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon) round out the tray.

Pro tip: Greek yogurt + beloved drizzle = instant breakfast board topping.

Thanksgiving Dinner Charcuterie Board

charcuterie board ideas thanksgiving charcuterie board

Mike Garten. Food Styling: Christine Albano. Prop Styling Alex Mata

Everyone's favorite Thanksgiving flavors in ane spread means less dishes and more than fun, festive combos.

Time-saving tip: Ask for thick-cut turkey and ham slices at the deli counter if yous don't want to roast your own meat.

Dessert Charcuterie Board

charcuterie board ideas thanksgiving dessert board

Mike Garten. Food Styling: Christine Albano. Prop Styling Alex Mata

Room for dessert? We transformed classic holiday pie fillings into self-serve dips with crust-inspired cookies for dipping, plus thinly sliced apples and plenty of berries to balance out the sweet treats. We included Chocolate Mousse Dip, Salted Caramel Pecan Dip (combine dulche de leche, roasted pecans, and flaky salt to taste), and this No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip recipe (makes 2 cups):

  • half dozen oz cream cheese, at room temp
  • 3 Tbsp confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cup common cold heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
  1. In medium bowl, using electric mixer on medium, beat foam cheese, sugar, and pie spice until smooth.
  2. Reduce mixer speed to depression; gradually add together heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until thickened and soft peaks have formed, nigh ii min.
  3. Fold in pumpkin puree until blended.

WD Exam Kitchen Tip: Our flossy dip is light on sugar to complement cookies for dipping — add a little more if you prefer it sweeter.

Thanksgiving Turkey Charcuterie Lath

charcuterie board ideas thanksgiving charcuterie board

Mike Garten. Food Styling: Christine Albano. Prop Styling Alex Mata.

Fresh fruit and veggies, cured meats, and cheeses grade the feathers of this pear turkey. Apply endive leaves to create niggling "boats" for scooping upward French Onion dip.


Christmas Wreath Salad Board

charcuterie board ideas salad wreath

Mike Garten. Food Styling: Christine Albano. Prop Styling Alex Mata

Family unit-style greens layered with blue cheese, salary, vibrant peppers, and a rich Mustard Vinaigrette dressing — it has a prissy ring to it!

Become the Spinach Salad with Pickled Shallots and Mustard Vinaigrette recipe.


Snowman Cheese Board

christmas snacks snowman cheese board

Mike Garten. Food Stylist Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist Lis Engelhart

Hither's what you'll need for this adorable snowman appetizer: Iii cheese wheels, a prosciutto scarf, sugared cranberry buttons, raisin eyes, and a chili pepper nose.


Ice Cream Sundae Dessert Board

charcuterie board ideas dessert board

@charcu_inthelou

This sweetness sundae dessert board from Charcu in The Lou is sure to please water ice cream lovers of all ages on Valentine's Day. It's also a cracking birthday party idea — but add your favorite flavor of water ice cream and take hold of a scoop.


Fresh Fruit Charcuterie Board

charcuterie board ideas fruit board

Courtesy of Tavola

This colorful fruit board from Tavola Charcuterie volition satisfy your sweet tooth, simply without tons of saccharide.


Mini Charcuterie Lath for two

Choose a smaller plate and lower the portion size for a romantic date-nighttime board for two. Equally a bonus, you tin can shop for ingredients and create your charcuterie together, too.


Christmas Charcuterie Wreath

Created by @tavola_char, New Jersey'due south finest husband-and-wife team, this vacation party-ready charcuterie platter features sugar-coated fruit, rosemary, sage, and salami roses.


Traditional Charcuterie Platter

charcuterie board ideas  wegrazedallas

@wegrazedallas

This platter past Gather + Graze Dallas (@wegrazedallas) is droolworthy.


Beautiful Winter Charcuterie Board

St. Louis nutrient stylists @charcu_inthelou offering classes, so you can easily recreate fun boards like this one featuring pancakes, pastries, fruit, and more than.


Large Charcuterie Board

Marissa Mullen, founder of That Cheese Plate (@thatcheeseplate) and author of That Cheese Plate Will Modify Your Life, shares creative cheese plates and recipes like this ane with 332k followers. Oh and she coined the term "salami river" — no large deal.


Elementary Charcuterie Board

Need a simpler arroyo to putting together a platter? Caput to @cheesebynumbers for Marissa Mullen'south footstep-by-step tutorials and illustrated maps, a.grand.a. her Cheese by Numbers method.

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