How to Build a Charcuterie Board

Developing a beautiful charcuterie board is certainly an art sort. Thick wedges of cheese mingle with salami shaped like a rose. They are intertwined with sweet and savory pairings this sort of as cornichons, apple butter, and fresh fruit, and are garnished with clean herbs and edible flowers. I started out making charcuterie boards (or as I phone them, cheese plates, since charcuterie only truly refers to a board with remedied meat) in 2014. The world-wide-web was a lot unique again then, and you could genuinely only discover inspiration for cheese and charcuterie boards by hunting Pinterest for several hours. Each individual plate I found was so fantastically crafted—just by glancing at the element produced me speculate if I could at any time replicate that myself at house. With a whole lot of practice and some helpful recommendations, I was ready to produce my possess distinct fashion of charcuterie boards with a approach to crack down every move in the procedure. I contact this, Cheese By Numbers. 

Cheese By Figures is a equivalent strategy to the fun paint-by-quantities maps you could have witnessed as a child. Right here, just about every portion of the charcuterie board is related with a quantity. Arranging these sections into actions will make it a great deal much easier to see the creation arrive to lifetime. But let us start out with a sound foundation to establish upon! 

Base & Bowls

I normally like working with a flat surface to make my charcuterie board. No matter if which is a picket board, a porcelain plate, or even an overall kitchen area island, you can operate with any surface area you want. Individually, I like employing plates with a small lip around the edge these kinds of as these, so goods don’t roll off in transit. You also want to pick out a few ramekins or bowls for any dips, jams, or merchandise in brine, these kinds of as pickled greens.

To figure out the board dimensions, consider the variety of gathering using place. Are you web hosting or attending a wine and cheese soiree wherever the charcuterie board is the only foodstuff offered? Or is this just a small appetizer before a big dinner? In my first cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Transform Your Lifetime, I created a handy guide to identifying the very best board dimension based mostly on the quantity of persons staying served. Maintain in brain that these figures are primarily based on the plan that the cheese board is the major attraction, so scale down as wanted:

• 8” in diameter – 2 to 4 folks
• 10” in diameter – 4 to 6 men and women
• 12″ in diameter – 6 to 8 folks
• 15” in diameter – 8 to 12 persons

I also like to choose a shallow bowl or plate for crackers or bread. We’ll place a couple crunchy goods on the plate to get the attendees commenced, but the relaxation can be served on the aspect for easy accessibility.

The Cheese By Figures method consists of 6 ways and sections. Cheese, meat, deliver, crunch, dip and garnish. This handles all of the products that really should belong on a charcuterie board. Create your board in this purchase and your plate will occur collectively wonderfully!

Phase 1: Cheese

Decide 3 to 5 sorts of cheese. You want a wide variety of milks (cow’s, sheep, goat) and textures (tough, delicate, bloomy, blue) on the board. You can also get imaginative with it, and add a tacky dip like my Heat Blue Cheese Dip or start decadent with Baked Camembert with Balsamic Roasted Grapes. Make positive every single cheese you choose has thoughtful accompaniments on the board as we go into the following measures.

That Cheese Tip: I usually like to pre-reduce my challenging cheese although leaving tender cheeses these types of as Brie total. This way, it’s effortless for the attendees to graze versus acquiring to break aside a big wedge of cheddar. Pull the cheese from the refrigerator 45 minutes right before serving so it can get to home temperature—this delivers out the optimum taste and texture of just about every.

Move 2: Meat

“Charcuterie” is a French phrase for fixed or aged pork solutions. In modern a long time, this expression has develop into synonymous with all varieties of salumi and deli meats alike. I like to select 1 to 2 meats for my board. For one thing on the mild side, I like genoa salami, sweet soppressata and prosciutto. For a little bit of a kick, I adore making use of salami calabrese or chorizo. Look at the form of cheese on the plate and pair identical intensities. For illustration, prosciutto has a delicate texture and a little sweet taste, which would pair nicely with new mozzarella cheese. However, it’s not all about reverse attraction. Prosciutto is considerably salty, just like an aged Parmigiano Reggiano— a wonderful match! Salami can be salty, herbaceous, moderate, solid, and spicy. I like pairing a spicy salami these kinds of as chorizo or calabrese with a thing that can hold up to the heat, like a sharp cheddar or a smoky aged gouda. You can also include things like sautéed rooster sausage, roasted turkey, or smoked salmon.

That Cheese Tip: Fold your meat! I coined the time period “salami river,” which refers to a meals styling technique I really like to use. Choose every single slice of salami and fold it into quarters. Stack them to generate a line that spans the overall cheese board. Include a little bit of a curve to make it into a “river”. Not only is this a enjoyment element on the plate, it also serves a reason. Many packaged meats come stuck jointly, so by folding each and every particular person slice, it is simpler for the guests to serve them selves.

Move 3: Make

This is in which we incorporate shade and flavor pairings to the board! Generate addresses every thing from refreshing fruits and greens to dried fruits to pickled and grilled greens. The colors of fruits and vegetables truly make the plate pop, so “paint with your produce”. Just like pairing meat and cheese, consider what kinds of cheese are on your board prior to deciding on your generate. Juicy fruits like berries pair fantastic with fresh new goat cheese, whilst cornichons and olives stand up to sharper and additional pungent cheeses these kinds of as French blues. Include new cucumber slices to your cheese board to supply a refreshing palate cleanser amongst bites.

That Cheese Tip: Generate “produce ponds” though setting up your charcuterie board by making little mounds of fruits and vegetables all over the plate and fill up about 75 % of the blank spaces. I generally like to arrange the deliver pairing upcoming to the cheese it will style the most effective with.

Stage 4: Crunch

Crunch covers all the things from crackers and bread to candied nuts and dark chocolate. Fill in the relaxation of the gaps on the cheese board with crunchy snacks to make the board look comprehensive and plentiful.

That Cheese Tip: Stick with delicate crackers, like sourdough, water crackers or flatbread. Powerful garlic or rosemary crackers can overpower the nuances in the cheese and meats.

Phase 5: Dips & Jams

This is an essential action to highlight various cheese pairings—the taste profiles of jams, chutneys, and mustards can produce an completely new taste relying on the cheese it’s loved with. I like to use a sweet fig jam with a pungent blue, or a mild honey with a buttery camembert. In this circumstance opposites do bring in, so pair sweet and salty side-by-aspect.

That Cheese Suggestion: Check out building our have jam, like a rosemary and caramelized onion fig jam!

Step 6: Garnish

Convert your very simple appetizer into a work of artwork! I adore to insert fresh herbs to the plate, like major sprigs of fresh new rosemary and thyme these aromas remind me of a warm getaway supper and insert a pop of greenery.

That Cheese Tip: I also like to insert edible flowers. Some of my favorites involve violas, zinnias, rose petals, cornflowers and flowering herbs. You can find these at farmers’ markets or even on line, like Connoisseur Sweet Botanicals.

Now that you’ve designed your charcuterie board, it’s time to serve it! Grab a superior established of cheese knives for reducing and spreading:

• The Spreader: This seems to be like a compact butter knife. It is ideal for spreading brie or soft goat cheese.
• The Fork-Tipped Spear: I like to use this knife to slice semi-hard cheese like gruyere or fontina. You can use the fork tip to quickly decide on up the slices, far too!
• The Spade: This is a tiny, sharp knife excellent for slicing difficult cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano.

Include things like a pair of tongs, spoons for the dips, tiny plates, and napkins for serving, way too.. In my new guide, That Cheese Plate Desires To Get together (out April 11, 2023), I dive deep into tablescape options. My selection just one tip? Match the plate to the table to tie the scene with each other. Does your plate have hues of red, eco-friendly, and yellow? Acquire a bouquet of bouquets with all those exact hues, or even match your linens to build a cohesive topic.

Final but not the very least, queue up a pleasurable playlist to established the temper. I enjoy matching my playlist vibe to the cheese plate itself. Acquiring a accumulating in a dimly lit room with candles? Put on some comforting jazz or a music that can make you sense heat inside of.

Now, it is time to get pleasure from your stunning generation with your loved ones! Charcuterie boards are the ideal way to carry every person jointly by way of mouth watering foodstuff and creative touches.