How To Make A Simple Charcuterie Board

In the past few years, charcuterie boards have not only made their way onto our tables and social media feeds more and more, but they have also made their way into our hearts. To tell you the truth, I don’t see this stopping any time soon. Personally, I have no problem with that at all. I’m sure many of my fellow charcuterie fans can agree with me on that. But if not, no worries. We’ll make sure you see why charcuterie boards deserve all the hype they’ve been getting. It’s all about the experience and appearance!

Every charcuterie board is like a work of art. The DIY nature of building a charcuterie board allows for an endless amount of possibilities. There’s no right or wrong way to make one, you just have to start somewhere and let the rest fall into place.

This post is all about how to create your very own simple charcuterie board. Whether you’re a beginner or have done this many times, there’s always something new to learn and try the next time you make one.

What The Heck Is A Charcuterie Board?

Simply put, “charcuterie” is the art of arranging a variety of meats together which may include ham, prosciutto, salami, sausage, confit, among others. These meats are typically arranged on a wooden board of some sort and can be accompanied with other bite sized delicates including cheese, crackers, spreads, olives, and jam. Charcuterie is a traditional culinary art that has made a come back. Like many old traditions, the old has become the new. Personally, I am on board with this old tradition staying new for a while.

Many restaurants are putting their best charcuterie foot forward with an arrangement of the most delicate artisan cheeses, meats, dried fruit, nuts, jams, olives and more. Generally these boards are presented as an appetizer alongside an array of fine wines. Afterall, cheese and wine are meant to go together and only bring out the best flavors in each other.

The Necessities Of A Charcuterie Board

If there is one thing you should know about making a charcuterie board, it’s that there is no right or wrong way to make one! The possibilities are endless. Not every charcuterie board needs to be filled with top dollar meats and cheeses. Heck, you don’t even have to include meats or cheeses if you don’t want to.

If you’re looking for a traditional charcutierie board, here are the basics that you will want to start with. From there, take it and really make it your own!

• Grab a board. Typically a wooden paddle or serving board is best.
• Small utensils. You’ll want a knife for any cheeses, a spoon for any spreads, and a fork for any meats. You can find super affordable and cute charcuterie board utensil sets on amazon. This 8 piece set and includes everything you will need for under $10! 8 Piece Set Cheese Knives with Acacia Wood Handles
• A variety of bite sized snacks! This one is vague but that’s on purpose. It really is up to you and what you and your tablemates like.

Did Someone Say Cheese?

For a classic charcuterie board, I have a few tips when it comes to cheese selections. Achieving a combination of hard, firm, semi-soft, and soft cheeses is key. The reason being is texture. Texture is everything when it comes to a charcuterie board. Having a variety of grains and consistencies with different flavors really adds interest and keeps the palate balanced. Varieties of cheese really elevates the charcuterie experience here!

• Hard cheeses: asiago, parmesan, romano
• Firm cheeses: cheddar, colby jack, gruyere
• Semi-firm cheeses: muenster, havarti
• Soft cheeses: brie, goat cheese, burrata

How To Make It Your Own

In case you needed yet another reason to love charcuterie boards, have you seen how versatile they are? You can turn just about any meal or food group into a charcuterie board. You can make them for a holiday party, as an appetizer, as a meal, or even use it to serve dessert! Charcuterie boards are not restricted to only appetizers! If you ask me, that’s the true beauty in them.

Holiday Charcuterie Boards: Having a charcuterie board for a holiday party is a fun way to play on the colors, tastes, and seasonal favorites associated with that holiday.

Appetizer Charcuterie Boards: Leaning towards the classic charcuterie board, an appetizer charcuterie board is usually made with meats, cheeses, crackers, spreads, fruits, and a few sweet and salty combos. Having a charcuterie board with meats and cheeses is the perfect way to keep guests gathered around the table and satisfied until the main meal is ready. My favorite way to enjoy an appetizer charcuterie board is at a restaurant with friends or family when we’re not looking to grab a heavy meal but rather some drinks and shareables.

Otherwise, an appetizer charcuterie board is great for a date night in or out with your person! I can’t deny the romantic vibe that’s created from the pairing of a charcuterie board and a drink with your s/o. You simply can’t go wrong with this combination when you’re looking for some quality time together.

Meal Charcuterie Boards: Yes, you can absolutely make a whole meal out of one charcuterie board! Take your favorite meal and include the necessary ingredients to make it a build-your-own meal. A fun meal-worthy summer charcuterie board could take place on burger night. Have you patties, cheese, condiments, and toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, etc) arranged on one giant board for a build-your-own burger experience. This idea can be applied to any meal of the day.

• Brunch Charcuterie Boards:
  • Waffles (or french toast or mini pancakes) with fruit and all the toppings
  • Yogurt parfait
  • Pastries – load it up with cinnamon rolls, danishes, muffins, and every other sugary sweet breakfast goodness!
  • Build your own bagel with different bagel flavors, cream cheeses and toppings

• Lunch Charcuterie Boards:
  • Tacos – hard and soft shells with a variety of meats, toppings, sauces and salsas!
  • Sandwiches – premade mini sandwiches of different varieties served with veggies, fruits and chips!

Dessert Charcuterie Boards: A board full of sweets is the visual definition of comfort. You cannot go wrong with serving a dessert in a way as fun as a charcuterie board. My favorite dessert boards include s’mores, fondue style boards with melted chocolate and fruits/treats for dipping, cookie boards, candy boards, chocolate lovers dream boards (including any and all things chocolate), and parfait style boards with either ice cream, pudding, or fruit!

What My Simple Charcuterie Board Is All About

The charcuterie board pictured below was one I made as a meal for my family one night. I used a ginormous wood board and had every intention of filling it from one end to the other. I thought a charcuterie board for dinner would be a fun family experience and something new to try over a weekend. Yet when it comes to feeding 5 people on one board, it feels like you absolutely need to fill every last inch of it.

When I began planning for this charcuterie board dinner there were a few things I had to keep in mind. The first being my family’s personal preferences and the second being food allergies. Since my little sister has a gluten allergy, I strategically places gluten-filled foods in either their own bowl or off to one corner so that cross contamination was limited.

My family has quite the sweet tooth so I knew I had to include both salty and sweet on this board in order to truly satisfy all of our cravings. It also happened to be shark week so naturally I had to include gummy sharks in the mix. We like to have fun in this house so I knew I wouldn’t lose points for adding a silly treat to the otherwise aesthetically pleasing arrangement.

Here is everything we used in this ginormous yet simple board:

Cheese:

1. Mild cheddar
2. White cheddar
3. Parmesan
4. Herbed goat cheese
5. Truffle cheddar cheese

Meat:

1. Salami
2. Prosciutto
3. Honey ham

Bread/Crackers:

1. Irish soda bread
2. Breadstick thins

Spreads:

1. Mango salsa
2. Apricot jam
3. Mixed berry jam

Sweets:

1. Cherries
2. Blackberries
3. Raspberries
4. Green grapes
5. Dried apricots
6. Dried pineapple
7. Chocolate covered pretzels
8. Shark gummies

Misc:

1. Mixed nuts

And there you have it! I took all of our favorite snacks and brought them together on to one giant board. There really isn’t a solid formula to making the perfect charcuterie board because it all comes down to personal taste!

If you enjoyed reading about my family sized charcuterie board, I want to hear about your favorite charcuterie board experience! Share with us in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!