Mastering the Charcuterie Board: A Guide to Slicing
A board is only as good as the accessibility of what is on it. When guests have to wrestle with a thick slab of salami, the rhythm of the meal breaks.
Temperature is your greatest ally.
Cold meat is stubborn and brittle, while room-temperature fat yields easily under the knife. Take your charcuterie out of the refrigerator twenty minutes before you begin slicing.
- Rigid chef's knife
- Wood or bamboo cutting board
- Paring knife for peeling casings
What goes in.
- 1 unitHard salami or sopressata
- 1 unitProsciutto or jamón
- 1 unitChorizo (cured)
- 1 unitMortadella or cooked sausage
Bias-cutting for texture
For hard, cylindrical sausages, hold your knife at a 45-degree angle to the meat. This creates an oval shape with more surface area, which makes the slice easier to fold and more pleasant to eat.
The method.
Remove the casing
Run a paring knife lightly down the length of the sausage to split the skin. Peel it back completely; if you leave any behind, it will be like chewing on plastic.
Slice the firm sausages
Use your chef's knife to create slices no thicker than a coin. If you can see the light through the meat when you lift the slice, you have hit the target.
Draft the thin ribbons
For prosciutto or jamón, keep the slices as large as possible. Do not chop them. Use your fingers to gently ribbon or ruffle the meat so it creates volume on the board rather than laying flat.
Portion the soft meats
For items like mortadella, fold the circular slices into quarters. Arrange them in a fanned line to provide height and structure to your presentation.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep a damp towel under your cutting board to prevent it from sliding while you work.
Wipe your blade clean between different types of meat to keep flavors distinct.
If the fat on a hard salami is smearing, your knife is either dull or the meat is too warm—chill the meat for ten minutes.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I keep the casings on the salami?
Only if the label explicitly says it is a natural, edible casing made of collagen. If you are unsure, peel it off; it is safer to remove it than to ruin the bite.
Is a serrated knife better for charcuterie?
No. A serrated knife tears the delicate muscle fibers of cured meats. Use a straight-edged blade that is freshly honed for a smooth, clean slice.
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