Learn How to Create the Perfect Summer Charcuterie Board for your next gathering with my favorite tips and ingredient suggestions!
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Being able to have friends and family over to our home again brings me so much joy. Entertaining has always been one of my favorite things, and summer gatherings are especially fun for me. It gets pretty hot down here during the summer months which is why charcuterie or grazing boards are my go-to appetizer for summer get-togethers!
What Is A Charcuterie Board?
Charcuterie by definition means cured meats and a typical charcuterie board is filled with cured meats, cheeses, crackers or bread, fruit, nuts, and more! When it comes to making a charcuterie board, there's no right or wrong way. Focus on creating interesting flavor combinations and providing your guests with a memorable dining experience.
You can experiment with your charcuterie boards by using new and interesting pairings of meats with different types of cheeses. You want to incorporate different textures and flavors with your cheeses and/or cured meats like creamy, firm, smoky, mild, or tangy to add interest.
Fresh or dried fruits act as palate cleansers between bites of charcuterie. I choose my fruit according to the season and in the summer months, my favorites are stone fruit such as cherries, peaches, apricots, and plums along with grapes or berries.
What Elements Make Up A Charcuterie Board?
- Sart by picking a food-safe foundation for your charcuterie, such as a nice wooden cutting board, slate board, serving platter, tray, or sheet pan. Keep in mind the number of guests you are serving as well as the budget. The larger the board, the more guests you can serve and the more it will costs to fill it up.
- Small dishes create structure on the board and help contain different ingredients. Use little bowls and cups to help contain loose items like spreads, dips, nuts, and olives. You don't have to go out and purchase cute little matching sets - use containers, ramekins, or candy dishes you already have on hand. Mismatched items add character and interest!
- If your budget allows, go to a cheese shop and purchase high-quality cheeses. I like to include at least three different types all of different textures and flavors. Try to include a soft, creamy cheese, a firm aged or smoky cheese, and a milder, semi-soft cheese. Here are some of my favorites:
- Soft: Brie, blue cheese, goat cheese, camembert, or ricotta
- Firm: Aged gouda, cheddar, comte, manchego, or gruyere
- Semi-soft: young (not aged) gouda, munster, butterkäse or havarti
- Include a few varieties of thinly sliced cured meats. Lay them flat or arrange them in loose rolls so they're easy for guests to pick up and nibble on. You can also include harder meats that guests can cut themselves, like smoked sausages and salamis. Some popular charcuterie meats include guanciale, pancetta, hard salami, prosciutto, and mortadella. You can also include cured turkey, pastrami, roast beef, or other cured meats commonly used in sandwiches.
- Include a few starchy additions like crackers or bread, especially if you are servings dips or spreads. The type you choose to include is totally up to you. I commonly serve 2-3 types of crackers and sometimes petite toasts or breadsticks. Consider serving a gluten-free option such as nut or seed-based crackers for guests who may have food sensitivities.
- Fruits and veggies add color and freshness to a charcuterie or meat and cheese board. They're also a refreshing contrast to the salty meats and cheeses. Consider fruits and veggies that can be served whole or cut into bites or slices. Include produce that is in season for a consistent theme and to save on your grocery bill.
How to Build Your Charcuterie Board
This is where you let your creativity run wild! Assemble your board however you want in a way that is visually appealing.
- I typically start by adding elements that anchor the board like the small dishes and the cheeses. Make sure cheeses are cut into small bite-sized slices or pieces.
- Add fruit, veggies, and meats around the cheeses. I created little pockets of sliced peaches along with cherries and grapes removed from the vines and arranged the sliced meat in little stacks.
- Fill in with your crackers, arranging them so they are easy for guests to grab.
- Add spreads or dips to your containers.
- Fill in any gaps with fresh herbs and/or loose fruit pieces. I used fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage along with loos cherries as fillers.
- Add small utensils, such as mini forks, spoons, tongs, and spreaders for cheeses, meats, and spreads or dips.
And there you have it - the perfect summer charcuterie board perfect for grazing throughout the duration of your party.
Important tip: Most charcuterie meats and cheeses are tastiest when served at room temperature. Perishable items should not sit out for more than two hours. Keep a small selection of refill items, like sliced meats and cheeses, in the fridge so they're ready to go when the board needs restocking. I like to keep items stored separately in zippered bags.
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📖 Recipe
How to Create the Perfect Summer Charcuterie Board
Equipment
- Wooden cutting board, slate board, serving platter, tray, or sheet pan for serving
- Small dishes such as cups, ramekins, or candy dishes
- Mini utensils including forks, spoons, tongs and spreaders
Ingredients
- 2 oz cheese per person, at least three varieties of different texture, cut into small slices or cubes - Brie, smoked Gouda, and Colby jack used for this board
- 1-2 oz meat per person, cut into small slices - cured turkey and roast beef used for this board
- 1.5 lbs grapes, washed and removed from stem - white grapes used for this board
- 1.5 lbs fresh cherries - sweet red cherries used for this board
- 4 peaches - rinsed, pitted, and sliced
- 2 types of fruit spread or marmalade - lemon marmalade and fig spread used for this board
- 2 types of crackers - rosemary and sesame oat crackers used for this board
- fresh herbs - for garnish and filling gaps, rosemary, sage and thyme used for this board
Instructions
- Start by adding elements that anchor the board like the small dishes and the cheeses. Make sure cheeses are cut into small bite-sized slices or pieces.
- Add fruit, veggies, and meats around the cheeses. I created little pockets of sliced peaches along with cherries and grapes removed from the vines and arranged the sliced meat in little stacks.
- Fill in with your crackers, arranging them so they are easy for guests to grab.
- Add spreads or dips to your containers.
- Fill in any gaps with fresh herbs and/or loose fruit pieces. I used fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage along with loose cherries as fillers.
- Add small utensils, such as mini forks, spoons, tongs, and spreaders for cheeses, meats, and spreads or dips.
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