If you have ever wondered what the heck a charcuterie board is, then this is the place for you! I will break it all down piece-by-piece and give you the inside scoop on what it all means.
First of all… how do you even pronounce the dang thing?!
[shahr-koo-tah-ree]Â
Just practice a few times and you will be a pro soon enough!Â
What does charcuterie mean exactly?Â
Well, originally, charcuterie was referred to as the “art of preparing and assembling cured meats.” In this current time, this word is now being referred to as an assortment of meat, fruit, veggies, cheese, spreads, and anything else our hearts desire for the most part.Â
The Famous Board
The charcuterie board, a board or tray of your choice, will be used to build your delicious food display. It can literally be anything you want! My best suggestion is to use what you have already. Yes, it’s a super fun and fancy feeling to find a pretty, expensive one, but anything will do just fine.Â
Building the BoardÂ
This is the best part! This step is up to your imagination. Just like the board, anything you want or have will do perfectly. Remember to get a board big enough to fit all of the food items you want to add or enough food to fill your board, we don’t want to face an uneven amount…
A few ideas for ingredientst:Â
- Crackers, mini toast, baguette slicesÂ
- Fruit: strawberries, dried apricots, sliced apples, pears, oranges, melons
- Cured meats: ham, pepperoni, prosciuttotto, salamiÂ
- Cheese: mozzarella balls, brie wheel, white cheddar, colby jackÂ
- Veggies: celery, sliced carrots, cucumber, dill picklesÂ
- Dips/spreads: ranch, hummus, spinach artichoke, jams
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, any mixed nuts or unique roasts/flavors
You can even go for a more sweet twist with strawberries, all types of melted (& non-melted) chocolates, pretzels, popcorn, and so much more!Â
Charcu-Tips (Get it?)
- Everything you could possibly need to make a charcuterie board is probably in your pantry and fridge, if not a local grocery store.Â
- Take your time to make your board balanced and pretty! It is so fun seeing how everything can be arranged to fit on the board.
- Search Pinterest for fun arrangement tips!Â
- If you are enjoying this with friends, family, or just your self (I won’t judge!), serve your charcuterie board with a fun beverage.Â
Now off you go! It’s time to create a fun snack!