Assembling a Charcuterie Board
A board is an exercise in editing. You need enough variety to keep things interesting, but not so much that the flavors clutter the surface of the wood.
Temperature is the most ignored variable.
Remove your cheeses from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving to let the fats soften and the aromas wake up.
- large wooden board or stone slab
- small bowls for loose items
- sharp paring knife
- cheese knives or spreaders
What goes in.
- 3distinct cheeses: one firm (aged cheddar), one soft (brie), one pungent (blue or goat)
- 1/2 lbcured meats: thin-sliced prosciutto, salami, and coppa
- 1 cupbrine-based additions: cornichons, olives, or pickled onions
- 1 cupfresh or dried fruit: grapes, dried apricots, or fresh figs
- 1/2 cupcrunch: marcona almonds, walnuts, or toasted pecans
- 1 bagcrackers or sliced baguette
Place the big items first
Set your bowls and large cheese wedges on the board before adding anything else. Use these as anchors to build the smaller items around, radiating outward.
The method.
Position the bowls
Place your small bowls of olives, pickles, or jams in opposite corners of the board to establish the footprint.
Arrange the cheese
Space your three cheeses out. Cut the firm cheese into cubes or triangles; leave the soft cheese whole with a knife beside it.
Fold the meats
Do not lay meat flat. Fold ribbons of prosciutto and slices of salami into ripples to create height and make them easy to grab.
Fill the gaps
Tuck clusters of grapes and piles of nuts into the remaining empty spaces. The board should look full, not sparse.
Add the crunch
Place crackers or bread on the side of the board or in a separate basket to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the fruit or pickles.
Other turns to take.
The Forager
Replace traditional crackers with thick slices of raw pear and endive leaves to serve as scoops for the softer cheeses.
The Alpine
Focus exclusively on hard, mountain-style cheeses paired with thinly sliced speck and dark rye bread.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Odd numbers work best for the variety of items; three cheeses, three meats, three textures.
Avoid pre-sliced cheese; the edges dry out and lose their personality.
If using honey or jam, keep it in a small bowl to prevent a mess on the board.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I pre-slice the meats?
Keep the salami and coppa whole if possible, but fold the prosciutto into loose bundles as it is difficult to pull apart once layered.
How do I keep the board from looking messy?
Group items by category rather than mixing them. If the crackers are touching the moist olives, they will lose their crunch within minutes.
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