I wanted to share some inspiration and hopefully explain what a charcuterie board is proud of.
After making cured meat for a few decades and eating my way around different styles while living across Europe, the “meat and cheese” boards can vary greatly,
Although the terms have been manipulated greatly, they can refer to anything from a ‘grazing’ board to a full table stuffed with every good group imaginable.
By using visual aspects and contrasts, I wanted to highlight some helpful aspects not often mentioned.
Definitions
Definition of a Charcuterie Board
The modern definition is a selection of food that offers contrasts, various textures, and different colors. Consumed in a group, the focus of the charcuterie board (to help, I have a calculator for how much meat etc. per person I created) is food that is easy to eat; finger food is the goal.
Definition of Charcuterie
Traditionally, French meat-based foods include fresh sausages, dry-cured ham, rillettes, and pates. This is the true definition of the original charcuterie before many countries used fancy-sounding words to market platters differently.
Also, for more information about traditional styles of charcuterie boards, I wrote another article here.
Or, if you are looking to come up with your own non-traditional style, I’ve got some ideas below to help guide your design.
Customizing Your Style of Charcuterie Board
Contrasts
So, for me, it all starts with the meat (skip if you aren’t into it) and the fruit that can match this—contrasts of color, e.g., Parma ham and melon!
I literally can’t imagine a charcuterie board without meat; the world has evolved to try to call some charcuterie boards without meat ‘charcuterie’.
Dips, rillette, and pickles can make a charcuterie board very different and diverse compared to the traditional meat and cheese platter, offering many variations on color and texture.
The restaurants have marketed it as something more, hence charcuterie is now more than the traditional salumi board. For more about salumi, here is a write-up on salami & salumi.
The texture contrasts—soft sourdough with a crunchy crust. Should I smear a delicious pesto on it or possibly some of the spreadable salami that I see around now? It’s delicious. Luckily, my partner is obsessed with Dutch oven perfect sourdough. She goes the extra effort to create ‘amazing bread.’
Don’t forget to see what you have at home in the pantry before going for a huge shop.
Color
Colour contrasting is key when you think of Japanese dishes. I have read that traditionally, the Japanese use 5 colors in each dish. I don’t know about you, but in terms of presentation, the classic Japanese style always looks divine to me.
You can go leftfield with this idea on a charcuterie board. I love using edible flowers to really bring out vibrancy (they grow like weeds around here). A lot of people have herbs at home, so why not add some edible flowers with visual power, too?
Sweet, Salty & Sour
Sweetness generally comes from the fruit and preserves you may use.
If you live in France, it’s strict – if you don’t go crazy
The French Encyclopedia of Cuisine – “Larousse Gastronomique” is where the word Charcuterie is defined as:
Products based on pork meat or offal. The word also designates the shop where such products are sold and also the group of tradesmen who sell them.
The closest I get to this is cured meat & pates, but it’s up to you, of course!
If you would like a more in-depth post on charcuterie board creation, I wrote a full-length post here.
Locally Sourced or Hand Made
People always seem to appreciate thoughtfulness and passion. Seeing someone’s passion for the food they offer or create brings me the maximum joy.
I still use supermarkets, but the lack of passion behind the products in most aisles leads me to the farmer’s market or backyard. However, an Italian supermarket is a different story altogether. Italians consider food the centerpiece of their entire culture and value system.
I love it when people can appreciate something I have invested time and energy into making. If you want to give hot smoked fish a go, check it out here. (You don’t need much in terms of equipment)
It’s All Visual – Serving Platter / Wooden Boards
In some parts of the world where driftwood is available, this can make an amazing centerpiece for an epic charcuterie board.
The board is generally wooden, but what about marble, ceramic, or flat sheet stone? Make it your style!
The Food – Quick Summary
Edible Flowers (icing on the charcuterie cake)
A few of these can add so much color. It’s great to have them growing inside or outside your place. Guess what? They grow like weeds! Sometimes, they are weeds!
Eat Cured Meat
I created this site to inspire beginners, but I adore the time and effort that go into quality salumi. If you want to know about Salumi vs. Salami, please find it here.
Parma ham is king because of the story behind it. It’s all about well-looked-after quality pork, salt, Italian passion, and a minimum of 12 months of salumi magic.
Proscuitto wrapped in melon – classic Italian – a contrast but also a match made in heaven (and in my tummy)
Salami – choose your favorites, or your friends and family favorites.
Some exciting variations are out there now; something peppery or hot can be found. What about truffle infusions or black pudding?
Salumis – in the broader sense, the coppas, lonzo, lozinos, braesola, duck proscuitto, lamb proscuitto, or maybe your handmade pancetta.
Mortadella encrusted with truffle and pistachio—I know it sounds like too much, but the cooked traditional salami of Italy is incredible. Especially a 2-foot-high whole mortadella—hand sliced in Italy with a sword knife.
I guess meat is the main fare here for a lot of people, so if that’s your expectation, maybe you want to go the distance. Cured meats are my absolute passion, and that’s why I started this blog. It’s a pleasure to share my passion with the world.
Fruits That Match the Meat
Quince jams and other tarty fruit options lend themselves very well to many cured meats. Also, the combination works well with cheeses.
Dried Fruits can be a great option when the seasons dictate terms.
Pickles & Pickled Products
Gherkins. lightly pickled cucumbers (easy recipes out there)
I do love my pickled mussels.
Olives
Black, green, giant, Spanish, Italian, Greek, pitted, stuffed with garlic, stuffed with pimento, stuffed with cream cheese.
Cheese
An important section I feel, maybe the soft & hard contrast? What about the creamy and lean? What do you want to use as the vehicle for your cheesy experience.
Locally made artisan styles are popping up everywhere. Goats and sheep are being milked with passion everywhere!
Breads, Crackers & Flat Bread
Fresh bread is important on the charcuterie board, I love the baguette and brie – with or without a fruity concoction.
Sourdough ‘waste’ (leftover from sourdough starter) crackers, which come from my oven, are an easy addition.
Go Nuts
Since my partner inspires me to be a squirrel of some sort, I need to get the hammer out and remove a lot of shells.
Flavoring or roasting the nuts can provide more unique angles to your charcuterie finger food platter.
Seafood
This section highlights anything that goes on a charcuterie board. Food is about evolution and creation. Let’s not get caught up in the strict French definition of a charcuterie board. I like pickled mussels on my charcuterie board.
For a seafaring charcuterie board, prawns, mussels, or scallops could fit in. Use lemon, caper & creamy concoctions to match the crustaceans.
In Australia, I think it would be called “Surf & Turf” – prawns & red meat?
What Goes on a Charcuterie Board?
It consists of meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, breads and spreads traditionally. A focus is on meat and cheese generally, however this does not limit the addition of any food that doesn’t need cutlery. Soup is not suggested on a charcuterie board.
How to Make Charcuterie?
Obtain recipes for cured pork or rillettes to create classic French-style dishes. Sausages, salami, and pâté are all part of the charcuterie definition and are considered common on a charcuterie board.
Here is an entire article, hopefully, to give some inspiration about your own style of a charcuterie board.
Tom Mueller
For decades, immersed in studying, working, learning, and teaching the craft of meat curing, sharing the passion and showcasing the world of charcuterie and smoked meat. Read More