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    In the Kitch » Recipes » Tutorials

    Updated: Jun 12, 2024 · Published: May 5, 2021 by Joss Dyckson · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    How to Make a Charcuterie Board

    Jump to Recipe
    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.
    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.

    Learning how to make a charcuterie board at home will make you want to explore this culinary masterpiece. Elegantly simple, yet culinarily sophisticated. Filled with meat, bread, spreads, fruit, and other components, a charcuterie board offers you the opportunity to be creative in your choice of ingredients as well as with presentation.

    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.
    Jump to:
    • What is a Charcuterie Board?
    • Choose the Ingredients
    • Assemble it
    • Joss' Tips
    • Drink Pairing
    • Storage
    • More Pro Cooking Tutorials to Consider
    • 📋Recipe

    What is a Charcuterie Board?

    A charcuterie board is a platter filled with a variety of food items. The term charcuterie is a French term for a shop that sells preserved pork products. That is the main reason why cured meats, like salami, chorizo, and prosciutto, are a central part of the modern presentation.

    Often served as an appetizer or as a light meal for a casual gathering, a charcuterie board begins with selecting a range of ingredients for snacking on.

    What takes a charcuterie board to the next level are the additional components that expand the texture and flavor options. Think sweet, briny, spreadable, fresh. Each component adds another possible combination, texture, or flavor to the mix.

    Choose the Ingredients

    In this tutorial, I will teach you how to put together an expert charcuterie board yourself as well as show you all of the products we selected with the help of a restaurant that specializes in boards, called 'La Tabla'. The ingredients might look like they're just thrown together but all of the components are actually carefully selected and arranged.

    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.

    Step 1. Pick a Few Cheeses

    Cheese is a natural accompaniment to the salty, savory taste of cured meats and adds sophistication to the board.

    Mix up soft and hard varieties. You can go with a hard option like manchego or cheddar and add a soft, spreadable choice like brie or cream cheese.

    Soft ones give a silky creamy note while hard ones bring sharper flavors and textures. Think Brie, Havarti, Provolone, Mozzarella, Gouda, and Feta for starters.

    Brie cheese on wooden board.

    Brie cheese: soft and sweet.

    Goat cheese on wooden board.

    Goat cheese: strong flavor, mixed texture.

    Manchego cheese on wooden board.

    Manchego cheese: strong flavor, hard texture.​

    Step 2. Breadsticks & Crackers

    Breadsticks on wooden board.

    Crackers are a key element of the board, as they are the vehicle for all of the delicious spreads and toppings.

    You can include several different types like mini breadsticks and a variety of crackers: whole grain, garden vegetable, water crackers, ritz, pretzels, etc. You can also include breads like skillet cornbread, focaccia, French bread and sourdough.

    Step 3. Something Acidic

    Black olives on wooden board.

    Go wild with your accompaniments. Olives are addictive for some, and will offer an acidic flavor that is hard to find on the board otherwise.

    Besides gourmet olives, feel free to pick a few more briny elements that add flavor and variety like pickled eggs, canned mussels, sliced dill pickles and capers. There are many more pickled items that you can choose from: asparagus, beans, pickled sausage, beets, anything pickled really.

    If you are adding focaccia to your board, you might want to include a high quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dipping.

    Step 4. Nuts

    Walnuts on wooden board.

    Nuts are especially good for holiday parties. They add some crunch, saltiness and blend well with the cheese. We used walnuts but you can go with almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, etc.

    Add a sweet touch with some candied nuts, which are especially great for holiday boards.

    Step 5. Something Sweet

    Apricots on wooden board.

    There is nothing better than dried apricots to bring a little sweetness to the board. Try picking a few sweet items: fresh grapes, berries, chutneys, marmalades and/or jams are more great options. If you're making a holiday board you could go with dried cranberries or oven-baked apple chips.

    Step 6. Charcuterie (Cold Cooked Meats)

    Think of meat as the heart of your board. Sliced meats like prosciutto and capicola are traditional as are cured meats like salami, pepperoni, and mortadella. Non-traditional options include smoked sausage, chorizo, souse, and summer sausage.

    Chorizo on wooden board.

    Chorizo (pork sausage): strong flavor

    Salami on wooden board.

    Salami: soft or medium flavor

    Prosciutto on wooden board.

    Prosciutto: salty and medium flavor

    Step 7. Savory Spreads

    Basil hummus with pine nuts in blue bowl, toast points on the side..

    Besides cheese, you will want to provide your guests with more options for spreading. Add spreads like pate, basil hummus or pumpkin dessert hummus, tapenade and stone ground mustard.

    Assemble it

    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.

    When assembling the board, start from the center. This will help you create a beautiful structure. Add containers for some of the elements; this will create additional shapes and separation between components.

    Joss' Tips

    Joss Dyckson holding charcuterie board.
    • There are no rules! Don’t stress too much about your picks and placements--there are no rules when it comes to charcuterie boards!
    • Determine the size of board you will need for the amount of guests you are feeding. You can use several boards if needed.
    • When selecting your favorite ingredients, always remember to look for a balance in flavor. You can reach this balance by incorporating bitter ingredients (such as some of the charcuterie and cheeses) and sweet ingredients (such as fruits, jellies or chutneys).
    • Also look for a balance in textures: include hard cheeses and soft cheeses, crispy crackers and soft bread, etc.
    • Remember to add at least one knife for each type of cheese. Your guests will need something to spread their cheeses and jams with, so this is a crucial component.
    • Also provide your guests with forks and/or toothpicks so that they can easily grab items without getting their hands in there.
    • Be creative with your choices. Change it up for different holidays, choosing ingredients that will match the holiday, in terms of color and taste. Here I make a 4th of July themed charcuterie board. Add seasonal decorations for Christmas such as rosemary and cinnamon sticks tied together with twine or dehydrated orange slices.
    • Make flowers out of meat: salami and prosciutto work well for this. You can also roll the meat into a log shape or fold it in half twice for an accordion effect.
    • Think of your guests. If you're serving to kids, be sure to include some kid-friendly options. Charcuterie is more about the company - eating is social!
    • Make it look full. After all, we eat with our eyes. You can stagger the cheese slices to add height, depth and spread them out a little.
    • Charcuterie on a budget: Buy bulk cheeses plus one special cheese. Bread and crackers are fairly inexpensive and you can even make your own. Use lots of fruits and vegetables as a filler. You can find inexpensive charcuterie meat packs to save money.

    Drink Pairing

    The beverages you serve with your charcuterie board add additional flavor and complexity. You can bring out a rich red wine like a Shiraz or go with a lighter white like Alsace Riesling.

    Offer a variety of craft beers ranging from a pale ale to a rich lager. Add non-alcoholic options like cider, herbal tea, hot chocolate, or lemonade (I have a great recipe tutorial for how to make delicious lemonade).

    Storage

    The amount of time you can store the charcuterie board ingredients in the fridge will depend on the ingredients used but we recommend no longer than 2 days. It is best to store each ingredient in separate containers. Breadsticks and dried fruit do not need to be refrigerated.

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    Are you ready to start creating a tasty charcuterie platter? If you tried this 📋 recipe tutorial for How to Make a Charcuterie Board or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!

    📋Recipe

    Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.

    How to Make a Charcuterie Board

    Joss Dyckson
    In this tutorial I will show you how to make an expertly curated charcuterie board at home. Filled with meat, bread, spreads, fruit, and other components, a charcuterie board offers you the opportunity to be creative in your choice of ingredients as well as with presentation.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine French
    Servings 1
    Calories 340 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • cheese - brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Manchego, cheddar, Havarti, Provolone, mozzarella, Gouda, etc.
    • breadsticks
    • crackers - whole wheat, ritz, water crackers, pretzels, flavored crackers, etc.
    • bread - cornbread, focaccia, sourdough, French, etc.
    • olives
    • nuts - walnuts, pecans, macadamia, cashews, almonds, peanuts etc.
    • dried fruit
    • spreads - hummus, pate, tapenade, stone ground mustard, jam, chutney, marmalade, etc.
    • grapes - or other fresh fruits and berries
    • pickles - dill pickles, pickled asparagus, beans, eggs, beets, etc.
    • charcuterie - chorizo, salami, prosciutto, ham, pepperoni, capicola, mortadella, souse, etc.

    Instructions
     

    • Cheese: Look for a balance in textures: include a variety of hard cheeses and soft cheeses. Brie cheese - soft and sweet. Goat cheese - strong flavor, mixed texture. Manchego cheese - strong flavor, hard texture.
      Manchego cheese on wooden board.
    • Breadsticks and crackers: Always remember to add bread or crackers to have with the cheeses and charcuterie. You can include several different types like mini breadsticks and a variety of crackers: whole grain, garden vegetable, water crackers, ritz, pretzels, etc. You can also include breads like Cornbread, focaccia, French bread and sourdough.
      Breadsticks on wooden board.
    • Acidic and pickled items: Olives, pickles, capers, pickled vegetables, canned mussels etc. will offer an acidic flavor that is hard to find on the board otherwise.
      Black olives on wooden board.
    • Nuts: Nuts are especially good for holiday parties. They add some crunch, saltiness and blend well with the cheese. We used walnuts but you can go with peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, etc. Add a sweet touch with some candied nuts, which are especially great for holiday boards.
      Walnuts on wooden board.
    • Something Sweet: There is nothing better than dried apricots to bring a little sweetness to the board. Try picking a few sweet items: fresh grapes, chutneys, marmalades and/or jams are more great options. If you're making a holiday board you could go with dried cranberries.
      Apricots on wooden board.
    • Charcuterie: Remember to include a variety of flavors: We used chorizo (pork sausage) for a strong flavor, salami for a soft or medium flavor, and Prosciutto for a salty and medium flavor.
      Prosciutto on wooden board.
    • Spreads: You can also add spreads such as hummus, tapenade, pate, stone ground mustard, etc. Mix it up and get creative with it!
      Basil hummus with pine nuts in blue bowl, toast points on the side..
    • Assemble: When assembling the board, start from the center. This will help you create a beautiful structure. Add containers for some of the elements; this will create additional shapes.
      Circular charcuterie board with meat, cheese, breadsticks, nuts, apricots and olives.

    Equipment

    • Cheese board

    Notes

    • Determine the size of board you will need for the amount of guests you are feeding. You can use several boards if needed.
    • Remember to add at least one knife for each type of cheese. Your guests will need something to spread their cheeses and jams with, so this is a crucial component.
    • Also provide your guests with forks and/or toothpicks so that they can easily grab items without getting their hands in there.
    • Think of your guests. If you're serving to kids, be sure to include some kid-friendly options. Charcuterie is more about the company - eating is social!
    • Make it look full. After all, we eat with our eyes. You can stagger the cheese slices to add height, depth and spread them out a little.
    • Charcuterie on a budget: buy bulk cheeses plus one special cheese, bread and crackers are fairly inexpensive and you can even make your own, use lots of fruits and vegetables as a filler, you can find inexpensive charcuterie meat packs to save money.
    • Drink Pairing: The beverages you serve with your charcuterie board add additional flavor and complexity. You can bring out a rich red wine like a Shiraz or go with a lighter white like Alsace Riesling. Offer a variety of craft beers ranging from a pale ale to a rich lager. Add non-alcoholic options like cider, herbal tea, hot chocolate, or lemonade.
    • Storage: The amount of time you can store the charcuterie board ingredients in the fridge will depend on the ingredients used but we recommend no longer than 2 days. It is best to store each ingredient in separate containers. Breadsticks and dried fruit do not need to be refrigerated.
       

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 12.3gProtein: 8.5gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11.1gCholesterol: 51.5mgSodium: 1114.4mgPotassium: 110.3mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 1.6gVitamin A: 611.6IUCalcium: 155.3mgIron: 1.2mg

    Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

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    1. Terri says

      September 23, 2019 at 6:24 am

      This a very helpful post because I really wouldn't know how to put one of these together and have always wanted to! Thanks for the information - now I have somewhere to refer back to.

      Reply
      • Joss D says

        September 23, 2019 at 10:26 am

        I'm so glad we could help, thank you Terri. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Colleen says

      September 17, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      We are charcuterie fans in my family. There is always one at every gathering, and sometimes it's the whole meal. Nice step by step!

      Reply
      • Joss D says

        September 17, 2019 at 1:15 pm

        Thank you Colleen. We sometimes eat it as a meal as well, why not?!

        Reply
    3. Nick says

      February 21, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      You have no idea how helpful this is! I love entertaining with food, and getting the main course nailed is easy, but I struggle with serving the correct appetizers. I love charcuterie boards, but the process of setting one up properly has always intimidated me... You did a great job of laying it all out for us. Thank you! So glad I found this.

      Reply
      • Joss D says

        February 21, 2019 at 1:27 pm

        Thank you Nick! That was definitely my goal so I'm so glad you found this helpful!

        Reply

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