How to Make a Perfect Charcuterie Board
by Alina Orozco
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I love to put together a charcuterie board, or even a table. It’s a great way to have people serve themselves and be able to graze throughout the day. Here is how to make a perfect charcuterie board.
I believe that people eat with their eyes first, so to me it really isn’t about buying the most expensive cheese or meat, but about providing a variety and a visually stunning spread.
Selecting the Cheese for Your Charcuterie Board
Typically I choose three cheeses and three types of meat—
for this particular plate the meats came from Whole Foods, and everything else was from Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s does a great job of curating reasonably priced, and delicious cheeses.
My new go-to is the Toscano cheese with black pepper by Trader Joe’s.
Its mild and slightly nutty flavor pairs really well with the raisin rosemary crisps—to be totally honest, those crisps would pair well with rubber—they’re that good, and always a must for the cheese plate.
Other favorites include parmesan gouda and the New Zealand, grass-fed sharp cheddar at Trader Joe’s.
Shop My Favorite Serving Boards
Charcuterie Cheese Board and Platter Set
Acacia Wood Cutting Board
Large Charcuterie Serving Board
How to Select Meats for Your Meat and Cheese Board
For the meats, I typically get a few varieties of salami and prosciutto.
In the summer, wrapping prosciutto in slice of honeydew is pure magic.
In the winter, I like to wrap individual slices of prosciutto around a breadstick.
Other Great Additions to Your Easy Charcuterie Boar
- Salty additions: olives, pickles and grape leaves—are a great option, or all three!
- Crunchy additions: almonds, fresh veggies like peppers and cucumbers are great fresh elements for that necessary crunch for any charcuterie board.
- Sweet: I like mixing in fresh and dried fruit, blueberries and dried apricots, slides apples are a great way to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Pro tip: I have a few vegetarian friends, so I typically like to make sure my meats and cheeses are separated, so that everyone can enjoy the plate.