Tips for Creating the Perfect Charcuterie Board

Over the weekend, Lynette and I had the pleasure of hosting a small dinner party. It was a great opportunity to enjoy the nice weather we’ve been having and to catch up with a small group of friends over drinks and delicious foods. I’ll share some of the recipes for the Asian cuisine menu I served, later this week. For now, I thought it would be a great idea to discuss tips for creating a charcuterie board. Everyone loves and needs a good charcuterie board at a dinner party. It allows you more time to complete cooking the meal, and it gives guests the chance to casually catch up and mingle without a growling stomach.

Here are my tips for creating the perfect charcuterie board:

Charcuterie Board: Something Sweet

Depending on how many people you’re serving and how large a board you’re serving on, don’t forget to add a few sweet items on your board. In the photograph above, you’ll see I opted for dried peaches, truffle honey, and membrillo (made from quince). Other options include dates, a chunky fruit jam or preserve, or fresh fruit such as grapes or cherries. The great thing is that your pantry and refrigerator probably have a few great items that you’ve been holding onto that make your charcuterie board that much more tasty and presentable. Your crackers are another area where you can incorporate a little sweet. I tend to offer one plain type of cracker and one with some dried fruits and nuts.

Charcuterie Board: Something Salty

While your meats and cheeses will generally have a salty side to them, add some other salty elements that will compliment. I opted for dried cured olives, other ideas include brined olives, cornichon, mixed nuts, or even potato crisps. Again, because the salty element is already present on your board just include an additional option or two.

Charcuterie Board: Cheeses

In my opinion, cheese on your charcuterie board is a must have. There are so many wonderful cheese options that it can feel overwhelming narrowing your chooses down. One way to really reel it in is to limit yourself to two cheeses and select one hard and one soft. Here I went for a brie for the soft and aged gouda for the hard. You could also narrow your options by selecting one cow cheese and for more advanced “cheese snobs” a goat cheese. Now, if you want to serve more types by all means go to town. It’s wonderful to have a variety of options. But there’s no need to over cheese your board.

Must Do: Crudités

It’s a great idea to offer crudités in addition to your meat and cheese board. It accounts for vegan and vegetarian dietary restrictions, gives an option for dieters in your group, and tastes great. The bright vegetables make a beautiful presentation and it’s easy to put together. Know your guests. I served a 2% fat yogurt, lemon, and dill dip because I did not have any vegan guests coming over. If you’re not sure, go with a vinaigrette dip or at least have it out as an option.

Hopefully these tips for the perfect charcuterie board will help take some of the guess work out when you’re hosting your next gathering. I’d love to see your take on the perfect charcuterie board. Tag me on social media @chefseis to share.