Charcuterie Boards
Welcome to my first blog post, today I am going to be diving into one of my most requested topics; charcuterie boards! I have been making various kinds of boards through the past few years; they are extremely versatile and are the perfect centerpiece for any get-together. An elegant spread can be a great appetizer or even a main course. In this post, I will be answering the most common questions I get as well as take you through everything you need to know to create your perfect boards!
What are Charcuterie Boards?
Charcuterie is a French word that means cold-cooked meats and the process of making them. These days it mostly refers to platters that feature both cured types of meat, cheeses, and have options such as; fresh and dried fruits, artisan bread, nuts, olives, or other brined vegetables. When I talk about charcuterie boards I am specifically talking about boards with cheese and meats, I will be talking about other types of boards in part 2 of this post.
The Board
Most boards are made on specialty wooden slates or trays. If you do not already own a cheese board you do not have to go out and buy one. You can create a beautiful board using a serving plate, a cutting board, or even a sheet pan. Any flat surface will work!
The Cheese
Now comes the fun part, picking cheeses! When choosing cheese think about what kind of board you want to make. Are you making a classic board with a familiar flavor? Or, do you want something more bold and exciting? Would you like to feature cheese from a certain region, or have a theme of sorts?
You want to focus on having different textures and flavors that complement each other. There are a few ways to pick the best cheese for your board. In my opinion, one of the best ways is to pick several kinds of cheese from different families. What are cheese families you might be asking? Well, I am so glad you asked; there are 7 different families of cheese!
Fresh Cheeses: These cheeses are mostly not aged and have a humidity level above 60%. Examples of fresh cheeses are Ricotta, Feta, Mozzarella, Queso Fresco, and Fresh Chevre, Cojita, Oaxaca, Halloumi, Paneer, and Farmer’s Cheese.
Natural Rind Cheeses: This family includes cow, sheep, and goat cheeses; they have a natural, edible, wrinkly rind. The texture of the cheeses is harder, thicker, and sometimes a bit gritty. They often have a fresh, milky aroma. Examples of natural rind cheeses are Stilton, Montgomery Cheddar, Cantal, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Tomme de Savoie, and Tumalo Tomme.
Bloomy Rind Cheeses: During the aging process a mold, Penicillium Camemberti, is sprayed onto the cheese, which develops on the rind and forms a soft, inedible white outer layer of mold that often has the aroma of mushrooms. Examples of bloomy rind cheeses are Brie, Camembert, Cooleeney, Capricorn Goat cheese, Saint Andre, and Mt. Tam.
Washed-rind Cheeses: These cheeses have an orange or reddish hue and have had a brine washed over them. This creates the perfect environment for edible mold to grow. Washed-rind cheeses are aromatic, and often called “stinky cheese.” These cheeses have a stronger flavor profile and are saltier than other cheeses due to the brining process. Examples of washed-rind cheeses are Munster, Taleggio, Limburger, and Epoisses de Bourgogne.
Pressed Non-Cooked Cheeses or Semi-Hard Cheese: This family groups together many different kinds of cheeses. These cheeses are pressed to remove the whey, but the curd is not cooked and yields a hard texture that is both soft and smooth. Examples of semi-hard cheeses are Cheddar, Gouda, Havarti, Gruyere, Fontina, Provolone, and Manchego.
Pressed and Cooked Cheeses or Hard Cheeses: During the production process of these cheeses, the maximum amount of water is removed. The curd is heated, put into a mold, and pressed to remove as much whey as possible. This process allows the cheese to keep for much longer and was originally made by farmers in the summer to be stored for the winter months. Examples of hard cheeses are Swiss Gruyere, Asiago, Comte, Parmesan, and Pecorino Romano.
Blue-veined Cheeses: During the production of these cheeses Penicillium Roquforti that has been cultured on bread or in a lab is added to the curd. Holes are then poked into the cheese during the aging process so that the oxygen-dependent mold can develop uniformly. Examples of blue-veined cheese are Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton, and Danish Blue.
I know, that is a lot of information about cheese, but trust me, a variety of flavors and textures will make your charcuterie board interesting, delicious, and memorable. A wedge of 3-5 different cheeses will be more than enough for 8-12 people.
The Charcuterie
Now it is time to pick your meats! There is a wide variety of meats to choose from like prosciutto, salami, sopressata, chorizo, mortadella, capicola, pepperoni and summer sausage. If you are serving this as an appetizer plan for each guest to eat between 2-3 ounces of meat each. If you're serving your board as a main dish plan for 6-7 ounces of meat per guest.
The Savory Additions
Add some salty, savory treats to your board. Think olives, pickles, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, almonds, cashews, spicy or whole grain mustard, and tapenades.
The Sweet Additions
Balance the flavors of your board by adding something sweet. Good options are; dried fruit, candied nuts, honey, chutney, and fresh fruits like apples, pears, and berries. You can also add sweet tomatoes, sugar snap peas, carrots, and sliced bell peppers for their textures and sweeter flavor profiles.
Bread and Crackers
Sliced baguettes, breadsticks (the crunchy variety,) and crackers. Make sure to get a variety of flavors but be sure to have some plain options so the flavors of the cheese can shine! This is the time to splurge on artisan loaves of bread, either from scratch or from your favorite local bakery.
Plating
First, be sure to have everything you want on your board prepped and ready to be plated. Start with the cheese, then move to the fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, breads and garnishes. This helps ensure that everything fits onto the board.
The Finishing Touches
Now add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and chives to the board, you can also add edible flowers and seasonal fruits to your board! Here is a quick seasonal fruit guide:
Winter: grapefruit, kiwi fruit, oranges, pears, pomegranates, persimmons, clementines, and apples.
Spring: strawberries, cherries, apricots, mango, peaches, honeydew melons, kumquats.
Summer: peaches, raspberries, blueberries, plums, blackberries, tomatoes, cantaloupe, grapes, papayas, nectarines, figs, and litchi.
Fall: apples, figs, grapes, pomegranate, pears, quince, persimmons, and cranberries.
Additional Tips
Make sure to have a mix of savory and sweet additions, everyone is a little different it is always best practice to have something for everyone on your board.
Be sure to use cheese markers so that everyone knows what they are getting.
Cheese is best room temperature. Having cheese at room temperature really brings out the flavor of the cheese. Be sure to plan to leave the cheese on your counter for an hour or so, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Keep an eye on it!
Do not forget knives, toothpicks, spoons, and forks for serving.
Most importantly have fun and be creative! The more boards you make the more familiar with different cheeses you will become. Try at least one new cheese, and in no time, you will be an expert wowing your guests with your cheese knowledge!
If you have gotten this far, thank you for reading. I truly appreciate you. Look out for part two where I discuss other types of boards!
A very speical thank you to my friend Kali for helping me take these beautiful pictures, I truly appriciate your help.
