What Kind Of Cheese Do You Add To A Charcuterie Board
The easiest part of a Charcuterie board is always the cheese! You simply cannot make a bad choice when selecting gourmet cheeses! You can offer a variety of flavors like brie or smoked gouda. However, if you prefer to keep the flavors more mild you can offer something like a semi-hard Manchego cheese like I did. It goes well with everything else on the board and doesnt have an over powering taste.
Making A Simple Cheese Board
Published: » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. »
If you don’t feel confident in the kitchen, the charcuterie board might just become your new best friend! There are no cooking skills required whatsoever and even the least creative person can put together an artful masterpiece of meat and cheese! You can make them large enough to feed an army or small enough for a date night with your other half.
Below I’ll share my tips and tricks for making a delicious cheese board along with step-by-step instructions with photos! THIS IS A FOOL PROOF RECIPE!
So What Exactly Is A Charcuterie Board
A charcuterie board, which is pronounced shaar-KOO-tuh-ree, originated in France. It translates to pork-butcher shop, and was mostly a board of pork products. But nowadays, these boards are made up of a variety of cured meats and other ingredients like fruit, cheese, and flavor enhancers. They are meant to complement each other and create delicious pairings based on taste and texture. Everyone loves a good grazing board because there is usually something for everyone. The combinations that can be put together optimize flavor to create a really enjoyable and exciting assortment of foods.
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The Ultimate Charcuterie Board
The ultimate charcuterie board, or cheese board, is just what you want to serve if you are having people over. Comprised of a flavorful combination of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, breads, crackers, and condiments, there are limitless combinations for your guests to snack on. A charcuterie board also makes a beautiful centerpiece on your table, colorful and brimming with tasty treats. While there is a lot of variety to be found on cheese boards, they are fairly easy to put together and are a great addition to other traditional appetizers.
What Is The Best Way To Transport A Charcuterie Board
It depends on the gathering. Will you have space to build it on-site or are you entering the party with board in hand? For ultimate freshness, I always like to transport the prepped ingredients separately and arrange once I’m at the gathering. For example, wash and cut your produce at home, pre-cut any hard cheeses, and even fold your meat in advance. If you’re bringing the board intact, I would recommend serving the crackers on the side to avoid them from softening with the moisture from the fresh foods. I like to transport my cheese plates on a tray, platter, or plate with edges to avoid anything from rolling off.
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How To Build The Perfect Cheese Board
If youve always wanted to know how to build the perfect cheese board, then today is your lucky day! Step by step, well show you just how easy it can be to wow your guests.
This sponsored post is written by TMP on behalf of Blue Diamond Almonds The opinions and text are all ours. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.
If you follow us on Instagram, then you know that in the last few years were pretty obsessed with the art of preparing a cheese board for a party. Its a bit of a cant stop / wont stop situation. So, when our friends over at Blue Diamond Almonds released their new assortment of Crafted Gourmet Almonds, it was a no-brainer for us to feature them on one of our epic cheese boards. The amazing flavors in their new collection, Rosemary and Sea Salt, Pink Himalayan Salt, Garlic Herb and Olive Oil and Black Truffle are absolutely begging to be paired with a selection of fine cheeses.
So, without further ado, heres how to build a perfect cheese board.
The Best Types Of Cheeses For A Charcuterie Board
Cheese is the main attraction of every charcuterie board. If you have a gluten allergy, are dairy free, or even enjoy the different varieties from any intake, you are in the right place. This is your safe space for all things cheese. So, to kick things off, we have provided the best types of cheeses for acharcuterie board.
And, dont forget that your fresh herbsmake a beautiful garnish for your cheese boards. Or simply chop up fresh herbs and mix in extra virgin olive oil with some salt and pepper. Its an easy addition to go with these delicious cheese options.
Cheese boards are so versatile and can be served even when youre doing movie night with the grandkids!
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Start With Bowls And Jars
Start your board by placing any bowls or jars you want to include. This will include dips, spreads and jellies, as well as olives and pickles. Space out the bowls and jars, leaving plenty of space between them for your meats, cheeses and other items. Include any utensils guests will need to pick up items in bowls or spread jellies and spreads.
Will Your Cheese Board Be Fancy Or Simple
How about both? We think of the makings of our cheese board in categories. Youll want to have:
- Cheese! Three cheeses is usually enough, and the most weve ever done is five cheeses .
- Charcuterie. Cured meats like prosciutto or salamiwhatever kind you love.
- Something briny! We love cornichon pickles and castelvetrano olives, especially.
- Crackers and / or good bread, like a baguette.
- Dried or fresh fruit.
- Nuts, of course.
- Ideally, we like to finish it off with a few spreadslike jam or a fancy mustardor even just a little honey.
Keep Your Cheese Board Simple:
Buy some cheese and meat. Pair it with crackers, bread, nuts and some mustard, jam or honey. Finally, add a fruit that you already have on hand.
Or, Make It Fancy:
Include all the basics, plus take the time to pick out a few special additions. We like to buy honeycomb and really good olives when making our boards a little bit more upscale.
Whichever way you go, we recommend always keeping some Blue Diamond Crafted Gourmet Almonds on hand, because they are great for both.
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Casa Madaio Rosso Cheese
The Casa Madaio Rosso Cheese is a seasoned cheese from Campania, Italy. Sweet pecorino is aged for two months and then uniformly dusted with red pepper powder before being stored for another four months. The unique red rosso coloring on the rind is both beautiful and piquant, creating a spiced pecorino that will go well with lightly smoked charcuterie meats.
Get A Nice Cheese Board
You could assemble the cheese and charcuterie on a simple platter and it will taste the same, but lets face it. If its a special occasion, the setup matters just as much as the taste.
So if you want to make a cheese platter look great, then you need to pick a nice cheese board. And there are plenty of models to choose from, for all types of budgets.
Here are some of the most popular:
- Large platters
- Slate boards
And heres a piece of advice that will save you a few bucks. If you have some really nice cutting boards in your kitchen, you can use those.
If your budget allows, get a large cheese board on which you can assemble everything and a few marble slabs which people can use to serve themselves.
Whatever you do, please dont just throw a few pieces of cheese on a simple platter and serve it for the holidays.
After all, you only need to put just a little thought and creativity to make the best charcuterie and cheese board and impress everybody.
Now that weve decided on which board to use, its time to see which kind of cheese to go for.
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Order Meats And Cheeses From S Clyde Weaver For Your Charcuterie Board
If you want to create a delicious charcuterie board, be sure to start with the best quality ingredients you can find. Typical mass-produced selections from the grocery store just wont cut it if you want your charcuterie board to be something special. S. Clyde Weaver has a long history of producing high-quality smoked meats, cheeses and other delicacies that are fit for any special occasion.
We offer a wide enough variety to outfit an entire charcuterie board, especially if you choose to focus on traditional Lancaster County favorites. Browse through our online store and get started building the perfect charcuterie board today.
Olives Are A Must For Italian Charcuterie
A large component of an Italian charcuterie board is the olives. There are so many olive varieties that you can include! I usually go light on the options, serving a traditional green olive and kalamata olives. You can choose to add as many types as you like!
Simply pop them in a small dish and place them right on the board.
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Foods To Consider For Your Graze Board
Cheese: Its nice to offer a selection: hard cheeses such as sheeps milk manchego or cows milk cheddar and Parmesan or Grana Padano in nice chunks or with a knife for breaking off pieces. Then a soft, creamy cheese or two, such as a double cremes, like brie or camembert, or a triple creme, such as Le Delice de Bourgogne, pictured here. Include a blue cheese, like this Sweet Grass Dairy Asher Blue.
Add a goat cheese or two: I like to offer an aged goat cheese, like the Couple from Vermont Creamery, on this board, and maybe a fresh goat cheese Vermont Creamery makes a load of those, too, from plain to herbed to one with a smoky pepper jelly. You can also add something simple and super accessible, like Colby or Monterey Jack, so even less adventurous nibblers can find something to love.
Meats: Cured meats in particular are great choices, all kinds of sausages and salumis and hams . Get some cut, and some in uncut form, like this unctuous Olli Napoli Applewood Smoked Salumi. Pates and terrines are other options.
How To Make An Epic Meat And Cheese Board Your Guests Will Love
In recent years, more and more people are realizing that putting together a beautiful graze board is a stellar way to entertain. The idea of a graze board is quite similar to a charcuterie board or a cheese platter, but with the two combined and then all sorts of other goodies added on. There are very few hard and fast rules when it comes to a graze board, but there are a bunch of tips to keep in mind to end up with the most gorgeous presentation of snacky, nibble-y foods.
So, heres what you can think about putting on a graze board and noted are what I picked for this one. Take inspiration from what you like, and then do what I do: stand in front of the fridge and start pulling out anything you think might get eaten. Dont get too caught up in what goes with what rice crackers and olives? Pickles with raspberries? Sure. People will dip in and dip out of a graze board, and this is the opposite of a planned out three-course themed dinner.
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What Comes On A Charcuterie Board
Technically, the charcuterie board should include a variety of sliced cured and/or cold meats. However, in modern times it has evolved into more of a cured meat and cheese platter that can also include other savory and sweet items to pair with the animal proteins.
Examples of extra food items that you can add to craft your own meat and cheese board include: fresh and/or dried fruits, nuts, spreads and dips, pickled or brined foods, jams, crackers, chocolate truffles, etc.
Another thing is, you can use something else other than a wooden board, although there is a coolness factor to it. A simple platter or tray will do, especially if you are making a small cheese tray or cheese and cracker platter.
But always keep in mind that even with all these extra items added to the board, cured meats are still the star of a charcuterie board, followed by different types of cheese. In fact, if you dont include any cold/cured meats on your spread, its no longer a typical charcuterie board.
On the other hand, a meat and cheese platter like ours can include any type of cooked/smoked or cured meat. Sausages, pulled pork, roast chicken or fried chicken, pepperoni, grilled salmon, sliced skirt steak, turkey legs or sliced roast turkey for Thanksgiving party, sliced honey baked ham for a Christmas get-together, and more.
Queserias Del Tietar Monte Enebro Cheese
Queserías del Tiétar surprised the cheese world in 2003 by winning the award for Top Goat Cheese in Spain. Monte Enebro Cheese has the creamy texture of a goat cheese and the impactful flavor of a blue cheese. Add this Spanish goat cheese to your next charcuterie board for greater dimension and depth of flavor. Accent it with raw honeycomb or some refreshing fruit.
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How To Create Seasonal Charcuterie Boards
Cheese and cured meats are in season all year round, but that doesnt mean you cant create a charcuterie board brimming with seasonal offerings to help you celebrate a certain holiday or time of year. Lets look at some examples for how you can create the perfect spring, summer, fall and winter charcuterie boards.
Accompaniments For Charcuterie And Cheese Platter
The extra nibbles will bring tons of flavor and texture to our charcuterie and cheese platter. The possibilities are vast here but there are a few basics you need to be aware of.
First of all, you need something a little acid to go with all that fat from the cheese and meat. Think about pickles, marinated olives and chutneys.
And here are some ideas:
Pickles: cornichons, capers, cabbage
Olives: Kalamata, Spanish olives, Noccelara, Picholine
Chutneys made of mint, onion, apples, pears, tomatoes.
Second, you need freshness, like fruits or veggies: apples, pears, grapes, carrots, celery
Third, you need some crunchy texture to create the perfect balance, like crackers, roasted nuts or slices of crusty baguette.
And last, but not least, you need some sweetness. So if you want to make the best charcuterie and cheese platter, you need to add some dried fruits as well. They are flavorful, textured and have just the right amount of sweetness.
Furthermore, you can add honey, fig jam or other sweet preserves.
Were almost there now, I just have one more point to touch.
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Include Pops Of Color
Make sure you have an item on hand that offers a bright pop of color. This will help you add some visual interest to your board. Depending on the meats and cheeses you choose, you may find that your charcuterie board has a fairly consistent, earthy color palette that is lacking variety. A pop of color can make all the difference in this situation. Some examples include tomatoes or strawberries for a pop of red or clementines or carrots for a pop of orange.
Breads And Crackers For Charcuterie Boards
To get the yummy ingredients from the table to the tummy, youâll want to add some carriers:
- Two breads: Bread options include French sourdough, asiago ciabatta or raisin-pecan rye for a sweeter option.
- Two crackers: Water crackers are virtually flavorless and allow the other charcuterie to shine. Other options include thin multigrain crackers and crispy breadsticks or dipping sticks.
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How To Make An Epic Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board:
Start with a high quality smoked salmon.
Smoked salmon might not be the first thing that comes to mind when youre thinking about assembling a charcuterie board. Since most of them use pork-based products such as salami and prosciutto. However, the refreshing taste of cold-smoked salmon and the intense flavor of hot-smoked salmon can add an extra layer of depth to your charcuterie board. Salmon also pairs incredibly well with most accompaniments, such as crackers and cream cheese! It can make for the perfect combination you never knew you needed. But, trust us, you will soon realize what a wonderful thing you have been missing out on!
The most important thing when choosing a salmon for your charcuterie board is to choose a high-quality, super nutritious, flavorful, and of course sustainable salmon. We personally recommend Oshn Salmon which can be delivered directly to your door. You can learn how to cold smoke salmon HERE.
Choose the right board, dishes, & tools.
How you display your salmon charcuterie board can make all the difference. Choose a beautiful board or slate. Then choose matching dishes for your spreads, nuts, toasts, etc. Make sure to also choose spoons or knives that are smaller. We love forks for people to be able to easily fork their smoked salmon onto their own plate of toast.
Choose flavors that pair well together.
