Holiday Charcuterie Board Necessities

You can never go wrong with a breathtaking platter of various kinds of cheese, jam, meats, and crackers. Charcuterie boards are not only flavorful but delightfully creative. There are so many different pairings that you can use for a charcuterie board; you may never make the same board twice. If you happen to be overwhelmed at even the thought of creating a charcuterie board, take a deep breath and keep reading because you are about to find out the basics of what you need to know so you can make your charcuterie board with confidence.  

What Is a Charcuterie Board? 

            The word “charcuterie” was originally in reference to curated meats such as prosciutto or salami. When you use the word charcuterie now, most minds go to a large board covered in cheeses, cured meats, jams, and so many other mouthwatering things.  

            While you can make a charcuterie board for just yourself, these are usually used as grazing boards for large parties. This way guests may mix and match whatever they please and snack a little before dinner. This makes charcuterie boards the perfect platter for before your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. Not only are charcuterie boards simple and fun to make, but they can also be a lovely table piece to catch your guest's eye before your Christmas dinner begins.  

What Comes on a Charcuterie Board?  

            The best part of a charcuterie board is that you can mix and match it to your personal palette. So, if you're still curious about everything that can go on your pre-Thanksgiving dinner charcuterie board? Let’s get started.  

Cheese — the best strategy for choosing which cheeses should go on your board is to choose one soft cheese, one hard cheese, one neutral-flavored cheese, and one strong-tasting cheese. This way there are multiple cheese choices for your guests to pick from.  

(Ex. Manchego, sharp cheddar, Brie, goat cheese)  

Crackers — whatever crackers you love to snack on are the ones you want to choose for your board. (This is perfect if you are gluten-free.) 

Fruit — the classic pairing of cheese and grapes is undeniably mouthwatering, but that is not the only fruit that you can put on your charcuterie board. Try putting some fresh-cut figs, Mandarin oranges, pears, or even some apple slices to sweeten up your cheese board.  

Dried Fruits and Nuts —Dried fruit is also a wonderful alternative for a charcuterie board. Add a scoop of dried apricots, dates, or a handful of cranberries. If you’re adding dried fruit to your board, don’t forget to add a couple of scoops of almonds, walnuts, or pecans as well.  

Cured meats — there are plenty of different meat options that you can use for your board; anything from prosciutto, calabrese salami, soppressata, or even French Salami.

(If you are vegetarian just skip this step when making your board.)  

Jams and Preserves — Fruit preserves, French jams, and even your favorite jelly can be added in dollops to your charcuterie board for a delightful texture to add to any cheese and cracker. 

Olives and pickles — if you like things more on the savory side, add some pickles or olives to your board to add some extra zest for the harder cheeses.   

You don’t need any culinary skills whatsoever to make a decadent and eye-catching board. All you have to do is enjoy the creative process, do some taste testing along the way, and have fun making a culinary work of art for the holidays. 

Before you leave check out myPanier collections of gourmet foods, it will for sure inspire you for your next charcuterie board!