The BEST Charcuterie Board (2024)

FAQs

What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie board? ›

No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

The term charcuterie comes from two French words: “chair” which means “flesh,” and “cuit” which means “cooked.” While you may travel around Europe and find charcuterie-type shops serving cured meats and accompaniments, the trend and appreciation hadn't really taken off in the United States until more recently.

Divide your board into quadrants, and place one type of meat in the middle of each quadrant. There are different ways to place the charcuterie: You can shape slices into a rose-like shape, by rolling them like a cinnamon roll. Little clumps and swirls of cured hams are easy and fun.

Here are the best cheeses for your charcuterie board

Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago. Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar. Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster. Soft cheese: burrata, mascarpone, stracchino.

One of the most common mistakes in charcuterie board presentation is overcrowding. When ingredients are packed too tightly together, the board can appear cluttered and unappealing. To avoid this, leave ample space between each item, allowing them to stand out and be easily accessible.

Many ingredients used in charcuterie boards are high in sodium, including deli meats, dry sausages, cheeses, salted nuts, pretzels and crackers. The recommendation for daily sodium intake for adults is 2,300 milligrams or less. To reduce the sodium load on your board, add more fresh or dried fruits and raw veggies.

The term “charcuterie” refers to the preparing of cured meats, like prosciutto, bacon, salami, etc., but these days when people say charcuterie, they are usually referring to a fun, meat and cheese board that typically includes cured meats, a variety of cheeses, crackers, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and dipping sauces ...

First, place the cheeses. Arrange them evenly around the board and allow space for slicing and scooping.

What pairs well on a charcuterie board? ›

Follow the 3333 rule.

To make sure your board is complete, this rule of thumb helps you create a well-balanced and visually appealing board - 3 meats, 3 cheeses, 3 starches, and 3 sweets. The bigger the board, the more you can add!

Charcuterie—an assemblage of meat, cheese, spreads, bread, olives, dried fruit, and nuts all arranged on a wood plank—isn't just something that can be thrown together at random.

Charcuterie is divided into three types: forcemeats, sausages and salumi, an Italian word for “salted meats,” which includes preserved whole cuts of meat.

Calculate Ingredient Amounts

If served as a light appetizer, plan for guests to take around 3 ounces each of meat and cheese. Up those portions to a hearty 6 ounces per person if the charcuterie board is the focal point. There should be at least one cracker or piece of bread for every slice of meat on the board.

I've found the following ratio works great: 4 types of cheese, 4 types of meat, 3 types of bread/crackers, 1 type of chocolate, 2-3 different nuts, 1 jam, 1 honey, and 1-2 types of olives. Cornichons are a non-negotiable for me and I always have them on a charcuterie board!