Charcuterie Boards are perfect party starters and make the perfect appetizer for social gatherings. Believe it or not how to put together a charcuterie board is not that difficult.
In six simple steps, I'll show you how to put together a charcuterie board and how to plan and what to buy and how to assemble a charcuterie board.
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Charcuterie boards come in handy for parties and holiday get togethers. But, you don't need to wait for a special occasion to make a cured meat charcuterie board.
Ingredients to build charcuterie boards are readily available at the market which means that you can make them any time of the year.
Brined chicken wings and puff pastry garlic bread sticks are great appetizer dishes to add when serving a charcuterie board as an appetizer too.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Assemble a Charcuterie Board
Setting up a charcuterie board doesn't need to be complicated. Simplify the assembly of a Charcuterie Board by deciding a few things before you begin. These steps will help on how to put together a charcuterie board.
- Platter - the most common platter for a charcuterie board is a wooden cutting board. But, you can use a plate, a large piece of Bristol board (so long as you have covered it) or any type of surface that you don't mind smearing soft cheeses on.
- Cured Meats - you'll want to decide what type of cured meats to add to your charcuterie board. The best cured meats to add to your charcuterie board are ham, prosciutto, salami, capocollo, pancetta.
- Cheese - a charcuterie board needs cheese. The best cheese to add to a charcuterie board are parmigiano reggiano, goat cheese, brie, crotonese and provolone.
- Sweet - you'll want to add something sweet to your charcuterie board like honey, maple syrup, figs, grapes or jam.
- Savory - add a savory ingredient like black, calamata olive
- Crackers - add crackers for a crunchy bite like a vegetable cracker, thins or triscuit crackers.
These are just some ideas. You can get creative and add herbs or greenery too for a little bit of color.
Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make this charcuterie board are:
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Goat cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Grape tomatoes
- Crackers
- Figs
- Walnuts
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make the salami rosettes, I used a glass with an opening of about 2 inches and layer salami all the way around. Then turned the glass upside down and pressed it gently onto the wooden cutting board.
I place the rosettes one opposite the other. I then spread some goat cheese on the charcuterie board and topped it with cranberry sauce. You can also use jam.
Place quartered figs in the corners of the charcuterie board and vegetable crackers on either sides of the crackers.
Rolled up prosciutto on either sides and more figs arranged in the curve of the S.
Grape tomatoes and walnuts arranged throughout the charcuterie board.
Hint: remember to repeat what you do on one side to the other keeping things asymmetrical. Finish with one food first and then work on another, repeat until you have covered most of the cutting board.
Substitutions and Variations for a Charcuterie Board.
Here are a few ideas on how you can make this charcuterie board personal to your diet and preferences:
- Butter - substitute butter instead of using a cheese like goat cheese.
- Peanut Butter - substitute peanut butter instead of using goat cheese.
- Potato - use potato wedges or fries instead of crackers or bread
- Heat - bring on the heat with hot salami or other cured meats.
- Bread - substitute bread for the crackers like a french stick.
If you know how to make this recipe unique or suit your diet - go for it! Let me know what you did and how it turned out by leaving me a comment. I'd love to hear from you.
Equipment
Aside from a nice cutting board, assembly of a charcuterie board doesn't take much equipment as you are buying most of the products prepared and ready to eat.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Storage
Any leftovers should be returned to their original packaging. If the original packaging is damaged, wrap meats and cheeses in plastic wrap. Try and wipe off any fruits clean and return to original packaging or store in an airtight container.
Any food soiled in cheese or jam should be stored in an airtight container. Leftovers will store well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check Government of Canada's Food and Safety Guidelines, see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Top tip
Store your charcuterie board in the refrigerator covered until you are ready to serve it.
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Recipe Details
6 Simple Steps to Making the Perfect Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 50 grams Prosciutto sliced
- 100 grams Salami sliced
- 70 grams Goat Cheese
- 100 ml Cranberry Sauce
- 255 grams Grape Tomatoes
- ¼ cup Walnuts
- 227 grams Figs 5 to 6
- 225 grams Vegetable Crackers
Instructions
- To make the salami rossettes, I used a glass with an opening of about 2 inches and layered the salami all the way around. Then turned the glass upside down and pressed it gently onto the wooden cutting board to release the rosette.
- Place the rosettes one opposite the other. Spread some goat cheese on the charcuterie board close to the salami rosette and top it with cranberry sauce or jam.
- Quarter the figs and lay them in the corners of the charcuterie board. Place the vegetable crackers in the middle in the shape of an S.
- Roll up prosciutto and place on either side of the crackers with more figs arranged in the curve of the S.
- Arrange grape tomatoes and walnuts throughout the charcuterie board.
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