French for Water wine & a beautiful charcuterie board will be the stars of the show at your next cozy wine night! If you’re giving me the option to stay in and go out, I’m going to choose STAY IN every time. It’s cozy, it’s comfortable, ITS ME. If you’re coming over for a wine night, you’ll need to come hungry, ready to laugh, and must only wear pants that stretch.
How to build a charcuterie board
Charcuterie boards can be intimidating but THEY DON’T NEED TO BE! I’m going to teach you how to build a charcuterie board that you will make over and over until the end of time. I’m going to break down what food, utensils and more importantly WINE you will need to host a wine & charcuterie board night. Remember, you don’t need to use EVERY ingredient listed here — use this as template to build the board of your dreams 😉
You’re going to want to start here:
CHARCUTERIE BOARD ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS:
-Meat
-Cheese
-Crunchies
– Spreads/Extras
Charcuterie Board Meats
MEAT
We want salty vehicles for lots of cheese, spreads, and crunchie! Choose a couple from each category depending on how large your board is.
Salami: Salami is KING. So versatile and a charcuterie staple.
Soppressata
Finocchiona
Genoa
Dry-Cured Pork: Salty and delicious
Serrano ham
Prosciutto
Capicola
*You can get these prepackaged or sliced fresh from the deli.
Fun extras but not mandatory:
Mortadella
Meat spreads
Rillettes
Charcuterie Board Cheeses
The star of the show in my opinion!! Pick one from each category or whatever you prefer! Just think about how it’ll pair with your meats.
Soft Cheeses:
Brie (Camembert, Triple-cream)
Burrata
Goat cheese
Fresh ricotta
Gorgonzola
Serving notes: Soft, spreadable cheeses have a rich buttery texture and TONS OF FLAVOR! A wheel of brie can be cut in half or quarters and served on the board that way if you want more room!
Semi-Soft Cheeses:
Drunken goat
Fontina, Muenster
Roquefort
Havarti
Serving notes: These types of cheeses are going to be creamy, but not gooey, and are mild in firmness and flavor. Perfect to go with a slice of salami
Firm:
Cheddar
Gouda
Gruyère
Stilton
Jarlsberg
Manchego
Serving notes: Though still creamy like a semi-soft, the firm cheeses offer a little more funk and flavor. They’ll go great with a salty prosciutto and can act as a cracker because of their firmness! LOAD EM UP!
Hard:
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pecorino-Romano
Asiago
Mimolette
Serving notes: These are great on the board when they’re broken into hunks or pre-sliced. They’re going to taste insanely delicious with a salamI lke soppressata.
Charcuterie Board Crunchies, spreads & extras
CRUNCHIES, SPREADS, & EXTRAS
Think if these as the final touch of the perfect bite. It’s going to help bring in allll the flavor of those delicious meats and cheeses! You really can’t go wrong here — so it’s going to come down to preference and pairing. These are a great way to make your board a little more robust and last longer with more guest.
Bread:
Baguette
Crostini
Toasted pita
Crackers and Crisps: you’re going to want 2-4 cracker options here
Pita crackers
Cheese sticks
French Bread sticks
Water Crackers, etc.
*You can also find assorted boxes of crackers at the grocery store. If you’re blessed enough to have a trader joes, their entire cracker section does not disappoint. Go ahead and have a ball!!
Nuts:
Spiced nuts
Candied nuts
Marcona almonds
Roasted nuts
Fruit / Veggies
Grapes
Sliced apples
Sliced pears
Dried apricots
Dried or fresh figs
Bell pepper
Carrots
Cucumber
Spreads:
Honey
Stone Ground Mustard
Fig jam
Pepper jelly
Sweet or savory chutneys
Tapenades
Pickled/Briny:
Brined or oil-cured olives
Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
Really… any olive!!
Cornichons
Caper berries
Pickled vegetables
Roasted Red Pepper
Now, let’s get your supplies
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
-A Board
-Containers / Bowls
-Utensils
THE BOARD
You’re going to want a large slab of something sturdy; I recommend wood, marble, slate or ceramic boards. You can also use what ya got! Plates, tiered platters, it all works!
Size reference:
For larger parties you want larger boards like 16×24 or 18×32
Standard size would probably be 12×18
Marble Boards
West Elm Preston Board
Crate & Barrel Black Marble Board
William Sonoma Marble & Brass w/matching knives
Anthropologie Marble Stand
Crate & Barrel Monogrammed Board
Crate & Barrel Christmas Tree Marble
William Sonoma Marble & Brass Monogrammed
Scalloped Breccia Marble Serving Board
Wood Boards
Anthropologie Wood Slab Pedestal Serving Board
Anthropologie Round Wood Slab Board Flat
Crate & Barrel Teak Root Wedge Wood Serving Board
Oversized Carved Wood Tray – Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia
Crate & Barrel Carson Acacia Cheeseboard 24″
More from Amazon
Amazon Boards & More Essentials
CONTAINERS
We’re going to make those spreads and pickles CUTE! You’re going to want to look for small bowls that won’t take up the whole board but can fit the contents of the spread, pickles or nuts.
Ramekin bowls
Assorted Mini Latte Bowls
Anthropologie Scalloped Edge Pinch Bowls
Matte Stoneware Mini Bowl – Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia
West Elm Marble & Brass Dip Bowls
Classic Ramekin Bowls
UTENSILS
These will help you and your guest navigate your board smoothly!
Cheese Knives & Spreaders
William Sonoma Marble & Brass
Crate & Barrel Black Marble & Brass
CB2 Matte Black
Pottery Barn Luna Gold Cheese Knives
Target Stainless Steele Knife & Spreader
Find More on Amazon
Finally, let’s put your charcuterie board together!
STEP ONE: STRUCTURE
Fill small bowls with dips, spreads, and items that can be piled onto the board. Try honey, stone ground mustard, cornichons, olives, or a mixed selection of salted nuts.
STEP TWO: MEAT AND CHEESE
First, arrange your cheese evenly around the board. Remember to leave space for cutting, scooping, smearing, you get it. Next, add the meats. It’s OK if items on the board touch; they’re meant to be enjoyed together.
STEP THREE: CRUNCHIES
Stack your crackers and bread among the bowls, meats, and cheeses. Let them pile up and look a little messy, that is the beauty!!
STEP FOUR: FRUITS, VEGGIES, EXTRAS
Now fill in any gaps on the board with fruit, veggies and any extras you have! If you don’t have fresh items available to you, sub in dried fruits like apricots, cherries, and plums for something sweet and chewy.
STEP FIVE: POUR YOURSELF A GLASS
It’s wine-o-clock, baby! Any of our French for Water wines would pair perfectly with your beautiful board!
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