Charcuterie Board

Added: Sep 24, 2022

From the French chair for meat and cuit for cooked, charcuterie is simply the art of preserving meat. Charcuterie (pronounced shar-KOO-tuh-ree) has been around for centuries and, much like cheese, became popular because it kept food around for longer — the heart of charcuterie is frugality.

Ingredients

Chedar
Brie
Blue cheese
Boursin (Soft cheese)
Feta
Grapes
Apples
Crackers
Bread sticks
Baguette
Fig jam
Olives
Pickles
Prosciutto
Salami

Directions

Charcuterie - Charcuterie is a broad term given to prepared meats. Bacon, cured meat, sausages, pâtés, ham, etc. Salami is a must and as there is such a variety out there, you can include a few different types. Whole chorizo sliced into coins. Parma ham/Prosciutto is also a great addition. Chicken liver pâté, Coppa, Jamón, Gypsy ham, etc. are all good options too. A balanced charcuterie board will have between 3 and 5 types of meats, depending on the amount of people it needs to serve.

Fruit - Fresh as well as preserved/dried fruit. Cherries, berries and grapes are some of my favorites and, preserved figs. Melon is a great idea if you’re serving Parma ham or Prosciutto. Fruit goes well with the salty meat and it’s good to have a fresh element on the board.

Olives - The saltiness is essential for a good charcuterie

Pickles and preserves - The acidity of pickles is very welcome amidst all the richness of the cheese and meat. Similarly, preserves add great sweetness to the board and works incredibly well with both the cured meat and cheeses.

Cheese - A strong blue cheese, a soft cheese (like Brie or Camembert) and a firmer cheese. Gruyere, Havarti, Appenzeller, Raclette, Cheddar and Parmesan are all good options.

Crackers/bread - Sliced baguette, breadsticks and crackers of all kinds are welcome on a sharing board like this. You need a vehicle for the meat and cheese.