The ladies of Alpha Ch and Zeta joined forces for a sisterhood event where they created Charcuterie Boards! The word charcuterie refers to cold-cooked, cured, or smoked meats; so technically, a traditional charcuterie board is just a meat platter. But as these communal boards have gotten more popular for entertaining at home, the definition has expanded to include abundant displays of meats, cheeses, dried and fresh fruits, and vegetables, toasted nuts and briny olives, plus honey, jams, jellies, chutneys, mustards and more!
A beautiful charcuterie board is a statement piece and a time-saver since it typically requires little to no cooking. It only takes a few minutes to assemble (really!) and I promise you don’t need to be an expert food stylist. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and pop it in your fridge until right before serving. A charcuterie board can be left out for grazing for up to 2 hours.
he Best Meats for a Charcuterie Board
There are as many types of cured meats in the world as there are stars in the sky (well, almost). Curing is an ancient method to preserve protein, and the many various regions and cultures around the world have their own styles of charcuterie — even unique breeds of livestock from which the meats are made. Here are a few of the major groups you should pull from:
Dry-Cured Pork: Thin-sliced, fatty and salty — dry-cured pork is a must. Serrano ham, prosciutto, country ham, Iberico ham, capicola and speck are all readily available. Look for meat that is pink or red in hue (not brown or gray) with fat that is white (not transparent or opalescent). You can get it prepackaged or sliced fresh from the deli.
Bresaola: Like prosciutto, bresaola is also dried and cured, but instead of pork, it’s usually made from beef top round, lending it a deeper flavor and more toothsome texture. Look for thin slices, a deep reddish color and a texture that is not dry or cracked.
Salami: Salami is possibly the most versatile and varied. It’s an aged sausage made from ground meat seasoned with a variety of herbs, spices and alliums, then dried and fermented in several styles (like soppressata, finocchiona, Genoa). Smaller salami is best served in thicker slices, while larger ones are best shaved thin. It should be vibrant in color when sliced, and if you decide to allow guests to cleave off their own, make sure it’s not too hard to cut.
The Best Cheeses for a Charcuterie Board
The cheese is here to complement the meat. Assemble some contrasting textures and flavors: a soft, mild cheese is not going to be the best with soft, mild mortadella, so choose a firm variety of cheese instead. Salamis work well with creamy companions, and prosciutto benefits from burrata or brie.
Soft Cheeses: Brie, Camembert, triple-cream, burrata, goat cheese, fresh ricotta, Gorgonzola dolce. These spreadable cheeses lend tons of flavor and buttery texture. Don’t feel like you must commit to a whole wheel of Brie or Camembert: a slice will often suffice. An oozy Brie with honey and a slice of speck? Heaven!
Semi-Soft Cheeses: Drunken goat, fontina, Muenster, Roquefort, Havarti. These land in the sweet spot between soft and firm, and they are easy to slice on a board. They’re creamy, but not gooey, and are mild in firmness and flavor. Fontina is perfect to mellow out a thick slice of spicy salami.
Firm: Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, Stilton, Jarlsberg, Manchego. These cheeses can hold their own in flavor, and a slice will be stiff enough to top and eat without a cracker. Though still creamy like a semi-soft, the firm cheeses offer a little more funk and flavor. Grassy Gruyère uplifts ribbony, salty prosciutto.
Hard: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino-Romano, Asiago, Mimolette. These dry, salty, crystalized cheeses work well broken into hunks or pre-sliced and bring out the best in fatty cuts like soppressata or bresaola.
Additional ideams
To ensure each bite is full of flavors, you’ll need something to keep it all together.
Bread: Try a baguette, toast points, flatbreads, Melba toast, crostini or toasted pita.
Crackers and Crisps: There are so many options out there, including gluten-free choices.
Fresh Vegetables: These dippers add crunch and color: Broccoli, bell peppers, celery, carrot and radishes are just a few of the vegetables to consider.
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