Simple Charcuterie Board, A Step by Step How To!

My love for Charcuterie Boards started recently.  When I took my daughter to Paris in 2019, every restaurant had one type or another of Charcuterie board.  And it was LOVE at first sight and taste!  But alas, all good things most come to an end, right?  Absolutely not!  I have been “perfecting” my Simple Charcuterie Board ever since!  So lets get started on our step by step instructions!

What is the KEY to a GREAT Charcuterie Board?

In my humble opinion a great meat and cheese board has lots of variety AND color!  So that means meats, cheeses (both hard and soft) maybe some hummus, fig spread, peppered jam, gherkin pickles, grapes, etc.  You get the picture?  Lots of different and yummy choices!

Here is an outline of a variety of different items you can add to your Charcuterie Board:

• Nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts.  Plain or seasoned)
• Fruits, can be seasonal but red and green seedless grapes are always a good choice.  Orange wedges, figs and berries add a lovely touch of color too.
• Gherkin pickles and olives. Honestly, I am not a big fan of either, however, they are staples of a Charcuterie Board.
• Hummus, peppered jelly, mustards, fig spread, honey or other dips.
• Cheeses.  Both soft and hard.  Cheddar, brie, blue cheese, gouda, goat cheese, etc.
• Meats.  Classic meats are prosciutto, cappacola, salami, even smoked salmon can be added
• Dried Fruits.  Dried apricots are a classic dried fruit, and they also have amazing color!
• Crackers and pretzels sticks

How to, Step By Step

Step 1

I started by getting all my ingredients out and organized on my kitchen island.  All the cheeses were together, all the meats, nuts, etc.

Then I made sure I had my board and all the ramekins or small bowls out.  You can use just about anything for a board.  There are slate, wood and marble boards.  It is entirely your preference!

Place the ramekins on your board to start.  Make sure they are spread out and not “lumped” together in one area.  I have a small board, so I only used 2 ramekins.

Step 2

Slice or roll your meats as needed.  Also cube or slice your cheese variety.  You can use slices, cubes and soft cheese spreads can be put in ramekins or small bowls.  The larger the variety, the better in my opinion!

Step 3

Place your meats on the board with your ramekins.

Step 4

Add fruits and veggies. Fill in any gaps with dried fruit, berries or nuts.  I had cards identifying some of the items.  Keep any toothpicks or utensils close by.

 

Flavor Combination Suggestions

Some of my favorite combinations is sharp white cheddar with peppered jam on a cracker.  Delicious!

Another is fig spread on sour dough with sharp white cheddar cheese and prosciutto!  This is heavenly!

And have you ever had bleu cheese with honey on a cracker?  I used a fig and thyme cracker.  But I am sure it would taste fantastic with any type of cracker!

Easy Charcuterie Boards

Now don’t think the only type of Charcuterie Board is meat and cheese!  There are pancake and waffle boards, hot chocolate boards and so much more!  The ideas and options are endless! So have fun and be creative.  Life is too short to not have a creative and colorful Charcuterie Board!

Christmas Charcuterie Board Wreath

I went to a class on how to make a Christmas Charcuterie Board Wreath, and it turned out amazing!  We used A LOT of Rosemary sprigs to crewmate the “wreath” on a decorative platter then placed out items around the edge!  It turned out so cute and was extremely simple to create! Try one for yourself this holiday season!

 

Grazing TABLE Ideas!

Check out Good Housekeepings’s article on “Grazing Tables”!  This takes Charcuterie Boards to a whole new level!

 

Products I Love!

This is an amazing value!  Purchase HERE from AMAZON!

Here is a beautiful board with a slate insert!  Purchase HERE from AMAZON!

More importantly, thank you for spending your time here at Colorado Kelly!  I love having you here and appreciate everyone that comes to visit and look forward to having you come back soon!

*This post may contain affiliate links! That means; I may get a commission at no additional cost to you!  I do not recommend any products/services that I don’t use and love myself!

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