The Making of a Charcuterie Platter
How to Make a Charcuterie Platter with cured meats, a variety of cheeses, nuts, and fruits that will please every palate. There’s nothing better than noshing on a cheese board before a meal.
This Meat and Cheese Board is highly adaptable. If your meal is French, choose French cheeses. If it’s fall, pick autumnal fruit like apples and pears. Every board will be unique.
Why You’ll Love this Charcuterie Platter
- You can customize it with your favorite meats, cheeses, crackers, and snacks.
- It can be made to coordinate with the theme of your meal or holiday.
- A cheese tray like this can easily be expanded for a crowd, so it’s perfect for holiday entertaining. Instead of the tedious chore of making three different appetizers, deck out a large cutting board with an irresistible combination of meats and cheeses.
- There’s something for everyone on a cheese board!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Charcuterie Mean?
The word Charcuterie can be traced back to 15th century France and translates to “the products of a fancy pork butcher.”
How Do You Pronounce Charcuterie?
Charcuterie is pronounced shar-KOO-tuhr-ee.
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
- Start with choosing the Cheese, then Meats and Accompaniments.
- Pick out an odd number of cheeses for your charcuterie platter: You may want to try one firm cheese like cheddar or swiss, one soft like a Brie or Camembert, and one fragrant like blue cheese. Or add just one crowd-pleaser like this Kerrygold Dubliner with Irish Stout as I did here for our family.
- Next select three varieties of cured meats; well, truthfully, I had the experts at Goose the Market pair a few with my cheese. I brought home sliced Italian Toscano salami with a kick; capicola, another pork salami that hails from Calabria; and finally smoked duck breast slices.
- The odds and ends were purchased on a recent trip to Zimmerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I added some honeyed pecans, roasted Marcona almonds, and Sardinian flatbread along with fresh blackberries and dried apricots.
- Use the experts at your favorite market, deli, or specialty shop to help you select a variety of ingredients that will delight your guests. They are typically delighted to provide samples for you to taste test. You may even find a new favorite!
Amounts Needed for Your Board
These recommendations are from America’s Test Kitchen. The amounts will vary depending on whether this is an appetizer before a big meal or whether this actually the meal.
- Cheeses: 2 to 3 ounces per person
- Meats: 2 to 3 ounces per person
- Nuts: 2 to 3 tablespoons per person
- Crackers, toasts, or bread: 4 to 6 ounces per person
- Vegetables: 4 to 8 ounces per person
- Dips: ½ cup per person
More Tips for Making A Charcuterie Platter
- Let the meats and cheeses shine. Serve plain bread and crackers.
- Fresh fruits like apples, pears, figs, and grapes pair wonderfully with cheeses. I love adding dried fruits, too, for a variety of textures.
- Add nuts for some crunch. Jams, jellies, and fruit pastes pair deliciously with cheeses.
- Vary shapes and colors for a more visually appealing platter.
- Let your cheeses rest at room temperature for an hour before serving.
- As mentioned above, try to add a variety of textures from hard to soft, brittle to buttery. A bold-flavored blue or spiced cheese is a lovely touch. Add a goat’s milk or sheep’s milk cheese to your cow’s milk selection.
- Take a little time to artfully arrange your charcuterie platter. You’ll be delighted with the results.
Helpful Tools:
Utility Knife (affiliate links)
Cutting Board
19 Comments on “The Making of a Charcuterie Platter”
Ann Arbor is only an hour away from me so I’ll have to take a trip to Zimmerman’s. This platter is perfect for this time of year when there is so much to be done.
A great post Liz! I love putting fingerfood platters together. thanks for all of the great tips and idea!
Fancy name for a platter! 😉 Looks good!
What a perfect idea for the upcoming holiday parties 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Lizzy,
This looks similar to an antipasto platter. Though I might be partial to that view because of my heritage. Either way its a lovely appetizer for any meal.
Annamaria
Perfect for Christmas Eve, Liz.
I have utilized/stolen several of your ideas!!! xxx
Totally craving this platter right now – definitely something I will be making for the holidays!
Great tips, photos and cocktail food, Liz!…Wish I lived closer and crash one of your parities =) Tee hee!
You are the master of presentation! This looks amazing!
Thanks for this Post. I’ve never successfully put together a charcuterie platter. With your instructions and tips, it looks easy.
Gorgeous platter and your tips are spot on!
Great tips Liz, love all the different types of flavors and textures that you chose here, very nice!
This is a dish that would excite the tastebuds of just about everyone. There’s always something in a plate like this that a person will love. I love it all.
Your charcuterie platter looks delicious, we love cured meats and cheeses!! Your platter would be all gone at my house quickly, all we need is a nice bottle of wine!
Happy Holidays!
Michael
http://instagram.com/michaelswoodcraft
This Charcuterie plate is beautifully presented! Alan and I belong to a wine club that offers a similar plate, but I have to say, yours outshines theirs by far!!
This would make a great X’mas lunch appetizer!
Being next to this at a party, would be my favorite spot! Love all of your tips!
My family loves charcuterie platter and yours looks so inviting.
This would be a very welcome appy here! Love the little round of cheese:@)