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Charcuterie is a display of different varieties of cured meat. Now, you might think making a charcuterie board is difficult, but it is easier than it seems. If you’re wondering about what to put on a charcuterie board, I’ve got some nice recommendations for you.
Think of savoury accompanies, cheese, meat, sweet accompanies, and crackers. These are some of the things you can put on a charcuterie board.
Charcuterie has gained a lot of popularity over the years, and now, the board is usually filled with many lumps of meat, cheeses, fruits, olives, nuts, spreads, etc… When people hear the name charcuterie board, it is often referred to as a cheeseboard.
The fantastic thing about this board is that you do not need fancy equipment to make a gorgeous spread; you can also serve them directly from a kitchen counter, that is, after you have made sure that it is clean.
What to Put on a Charcuterie Board
For the board you will use, we suggest you get any board containing all the food and meat you will be putting on it, and another essential factor is that it should also be a cutting board, but a rimmed baking sheet or a large serving platter also works.
1. Cheese
Depending on your taste, you can choose your cheese, either hard or soft cheeses made from any animal of your choice. If you are expecting a guest, you should always go for cheeses that your guests will like so that they can feel at home.
Some excellent complex cheese options are Gouda, Manchego, gruyere, parmesan, and Swiss. For soft cheeses, you can use brie, triple cream, Havarti, burrata, and goat cheese.
2. Meat
You can use meat cuts like ham, capicola, summer sausage, soppressata, salami, and cured chorizo.
3. Savoury Accompanies
You should make sure that you include a few savoury ingredients like the nuts, almonds, cashew nuts, and macadamia nuts and salty, pickled, or marinated foods like the cocktail onions, dill pickles, cornichons, and pepperoncini.
Some savoury dips and sauces such as the mustards would look very good on your board, and you can add a bit of veggies if you wish to, but ensure that it is cold cut.
4. Sweet Accompanies
Some sweet fruits would complement the taste of every other food on the table — fruits like berries, grapes, apples, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. You can also use dried fruits like pineapples, mangoes, and figs.
Another fantastic thing about charcuterie is that you can also bring in some chocolates like dark chocolates or coconut chocolate, depending on your preference.
5. Crackers
You can also use your crackers in different shapes, flavours and sizes.
How Can I Arrange My Charcuterie Board?
The first step is to choose your board. The number of people you will be serving is a factor to consider when selecting the size of the board you will be using.
If you are hosting many people or want an entire board, you can always use multiple boards or an extensive board. You can use any board you have available.
After setting up the board, you should first start with setting up your cheese. Starting with your cheese is the best option as it helps anchor the board. It is best to arrange your sliced cheese in odd numbers, either 3, 5 or 7, depending on your preference.
Your cheese has been set up nicely around the board, and now you should fold and add your meat. You can get creative with arranging your heart as it is your design choice.
Most people prefer to fold them halfway and place them like a deck of cards, and you can fold them twice, making them very easy to grab and chew on.
Your savoury and sweet accompaniments can start coming in now. There should be a few gaps left, and this is where the sweets, chocolate, and other accompaniments come in.
While doing this, you should separate the colours so that the brightly coloured fruits stand out and occupy significant areas.
If there are still a few extra spaces left, you can cover this all up with crackers, small nuts, and a bit more fruits, and it is that simple!
When arranging your food on your charcuterie board, always make sure that you keep it simple, do not overdo things.
Fill it with fruits that are more colourful and cheese that the people you would be serving will be familiar with as there is no need for fancy cheeses, expensive nuts, and crackers that the people you may be doing may not care for.
Frequently asked questions
What is typical on a charcuterie board?
You would find cheeses, nuts, fruits, cured meats, and crackers on a typical charcuterie board, but if you wish to add more food, you can go for it, as the charcuterie board does not have limitations.
What meats do you put on a charcuterie board?
You can use any meat of your choice on the board, but most times. The hearts used includes cured meats, fresh or smoked sausages, sausage meats, hams, galantines, and you can add your already cooked meats on your board as well.
Is charcuterie an appetizer?
Charcuterie is usually served as an appetizer in restaurants before the main meal.
What is a charcuterie without meat called?
Charcuterie made without meat is known as the vegan charcuterie board or vegan snack board.
Does a charcuterie board have to have meat?
Meat is not a condiment you must have on a charcuterie board. For vegans or people allergic to meat, you can always swap it with either fruits or vegetables. You should know that you could only arrange the charcuterie board, and there are no rules that state how you should put the board.
What veggies can you use on your charcuterie board?
Vegetables like celery, carrots, cucumbers, apples, pineapple, sweet mini peppers, as I said earlier. You should handle your charcuterie board just the way you left it.
After this must have been done, you can now make your charcuterie board and enjoy it either all by yourself or with friends and family.
