Charcuterie has become rather popular throughout the world, but who invented it?
Traditionally composed of assorted meats and cheeses with modern twists incorporating everything from bread and fruits to dessert boards, charcuterie has certainly transformed over time.
Even over the years of writing this blog about charcuterie, salumi and cured meats – I’ve notice the interpretation of charcuterie.
But, with all of the different varieties, you might be curious about the historical roots.
Who invented Charcuterie? In the 15th Century, the French created charcuterie, which involved using offal and all aspects of the meat. The traditional process of using salt to cure meats dates back to the Roman empire nearly 2,000 years ago like for salumi such as prosciutto.
Interestingly, today, this traditional practice has been modernized- particularly in the United States- as different types of charcuterie become more popular in homes and on fine dining menus.
It’s also very marketable ‘charcuterie’ (“shaaarcooterrie”) sounds fancy!
In knowing the history behind charcuterie, you can come to appreciate it even more, and you can be quick to notice what constitutes traditional charcuterie and what is a more modern twist.
History of Charcuterie
Charcuterie is a French derivative meaning, literally, cooked flesh, and referring to the practice of using all parts of an animal for possible consumption (sometimes not cooked through).
Branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products
Charcuterie – Wikipedia
This is inclusive of the animal’s organs as well as its more traditional sources of meat like the hindquarters and underbelly.
The development of this practice came from the desire to not let a single portion of the animal go to waste.
Instead of using only the “good” portions of meat, butchers and cooks were able to practice the art that became known as charcuterie.
Instead of just using what was freshly cut, meat began to be processed through the grinding up, sealing, and salt curing to increase its shelf-life to last longer, as well as to use the ‘head to tail’ of the animal.
Which has become more fashionable across Western society, but through Asia has always been the way – using bones and offal alot.
Various seasonings were added to various portions of meat, and different butchers began to use different sources (animals) to practice the art of charcuterie.
Now, you will see charcuterie as cured or cooked meats that are most often thinly sliced, decoratively displayed, and delicately paired with cheese or other options incorporated onto a board or platter.
Traditional Charcuterie
Examples of traditional French Charcuterie
- Dry Cured Meats
- Salami or Saucisson
- Rillettes
- Mouses
- Pates
When you look up traditional or modern charcuterie, you might be surprised that the two are slightly different. In a sense, modern charcuterie simply developed from the French traditional roots where charcuterie was born from.
But, if you were to see a traditional charcuterie board next to a more modern one, you might be shocked at some of their differences.
Traditional charcuterie, as mentioned above, comes from the French custom of curing meat sometimes and using all portions of the animal to create a long-lasting and unique flavor.
This custom is still popular today, and you will find traditional charcuterie boards offered at various formal and informal gatherings as well as on restaurant menus across the world.
A few of the distinguishing factors about traditional charcuterie is that it is more heavily focused on the meat. Since the traditional charcuterie refers to the cooked and cured meats, a traditional charcuterie board will follow suit and use these as the highlights of the board.
You can still find assorted cheeses and a few other offerings on a traditional Charcuterie board, but the main focus will be on the delicious, savory meats that have been well prepared and highly sought after.
Modern Charcuterie
Modern Charcuterie differs depending on which region of the world you are in. For example, a more modern take on charcuterie in the United States could even include a dessert charcuterie board, though this is quite a stretch.
More often, modern charcuterie boards are more inclusive of fruits, nuts, jams, spreads, and other assorted snacks that will accompany the meat that is provided.
But, even on a modern charcuterie board, the cooked or cured meat is still considered to be the central (and most pivotal) portion of the platter.
The modern charcuterie board, and all of its twists and variations, is more closely attributed to the practice of making this meat go even farther.
Instead of having a protein-heavy board, hosts will use the meat as a central component but pair it with other snacks to help spread out the offering.
This can also help to make a more cost-efficient selection as you will likely spend less on cut vegetables or nuts than you would on delicious meats.
Of course, what you choose to include on a modern charcuterie board should still be considerate of its purpose: to provide you and your guests with something delicious to eat.
Is Charcuterie French or Italian?
As more regions have caught onto the trend of charcuterie as a popular option to serve friends and family, you might have begun to see Italian meats pop up more frequently on the charcuterie board. This might be a bit confusing, as charcuterie is known to be a French custom.
Put simply, charcuterie is a custom that comes from 15th century France in which meat is cured, sealed, and sliced to serve. But now, Italian meats are used in a similar concept called salumi.
So, Charcuterie is French, but salumi is a similar practice that comes from Italy.
Regardless of the region that this practice comes from, the concept is still the same. Cooked or cured meats are used to be thinly sliced, placed on a platter, and served in a variety.
These meats are paired well with other cheeses (and should be paired with a nice glass of wine).
Some people have even gone so far as to take the concept of a charcuterie board and use sweet treats to create items like a “hot chocolate charcuterie board” or a “S’mores charcuterie board”- completely eliminating the meat (the central component of a traditional Charcuterie board) entirely.
If you are wondering about an “Italian charcuterie board”, then you should consider the popular practice of salumi. This differs from the Italian meat, salami, although the two resemble one another in spelling by variation of one letter.
Salumi, primarily is about the 8 major cured Italian meats.
The whole muscle cuts, 1 beef cured muscle and salamis (though the salamis included dried, cooked and emulsified/cooked like Mortadella)
Regardless of who invented charcuterie, there are many twists that make it a well-loved practice throughout the world today. So, if you are in the mood for a light snack, or you plan to make this your whole meal, you cannot go wrong with the traditional or modern version of charcuterie.
Thanks for dropping by, I’ve been passionate about meat curing for decades.
I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (I’m not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat.
Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world
Seeking the passionate behind the passion.