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How to Make Easy and Simple Charcuterie

October 19, 2018

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Have you ever looked at those beautiful images of charcuterie boards on Pinterest or Instagram and wished that somehow you could put one together?  But you felt so overwhelmed.  How do I pick the meats?  What about the cheeses?  How do I make it look pretty?  What about keeping costs down?

Every wondered how to make a simple and easy charcuterie board? I'll show you how to combine meats, cheese, fruit, and jam into a lovely platter that's perfect for a Christmas party, New Year's, Thanksgiving, or anytime! It's so simple anyone can do it. #charcuterie #appetizer

You’re in luck.

I’ve assembled an easy guide to make your perfect charcuterie board, including some options for my friends who don’t eat pork.

Don’t be intimidated.  If you’ve made a meat and cheese sandwich or set out a plate of cheese and crackers, you can do this.

P.S.- It’s pronounced char-koot-air-ree.  You’re welcome. 😉

This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase anything, I earn a small commission at no extra charge to you.  Thanks for your support!

Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

What do you put on a Charcuterie Board?

The makings of a good charcuterie board are simple: meats, cheeses, crackers, decorations, and jam.  Variety is the name of the game.  You want a combination of hard, soft, firm, creamy, sweet, spicy, and savoury.

However, if you don’t like blue cheese and you know no one at your party will eat it, don’t buy blue cheese.  In the end, it’s your charcuterie board.

Learn how to assemble a drool-worthy charcuterie board. It's easier than you think!Click To Tweet

Meat and Cheese Suggestions

In these pictures I’ve used 5 different types of meats and cheeses, but you can use as few as 3.  Around Christmas and New Years, grocery stores carry pre-done packages of meats, cheeses, and crackers that are designed to work well on a charcuterie board.  If you’d like to customize your own, here’s some suggestions.

Soft Cheeses

Brie, goat cheese, camembert, neufchatel, mozzarella, burrata, stilton

Semi-soft Cheeses

Gouda, jarlsberg,blue cheese, gorgonzola

Semi-hard Cheeses

Manchego, grève, provolone, comte

Hard Cheeses

Asiago, aged Cheddar, vaesterbotten, parmesan, aged gouda

When picking my cheeses, I like to make sure that at least one cheese is plain, and at least one other has a little surprise in it, like fruit, herbs, or heat.  Your local grocery store will likely have plenty of options.

Low cost tip! Cut your average block of cheddar or mozzarella cheese into a large triangle like I’ve done on my board.  It will be our little secret.

Then you have more money to spend on one of the fancier cheeses you’ve had your eye on.

Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

Sausages

chorizo, sopressata, finocchiona, summer sausage

Cured Meats

Prosciutto, salami, lomo de cerdo, bresaola (beef option)

Non-Pork Options

Typical charcuterie boards are made up almost exclusively of pork products.  Here’s a few ideas to avoid pork.

  • Look for turkey, chicken, or beef sausages, cook them, and slice them thinly on a diagonal.  Big Franks and Vegan sausages work for the vegetarians in the crowd.
  • Ask for shaved turkey or chicken slices at the deli counter.  This is also an easy way to add in an extra flavour to your board, as there are often smoked and spicy varieties.
  • Cook Turkey bacon and chop into fine slices.  You could also use beef bacon, but I personally find it a bit too tough for a charcuterie board.

Low Cost Tip!  Grab cheaper cuts of sandwich meat at the deli counter and ask for it shaved.

Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

Putting it all together

In addition to meats and cheeses, you’ll need a board, some filler such as rosemary, mint, lettuce or kale, and decoration items like cranberries, oranges, grapes, or berries.

Start by arranging your filler around the edge of the board.  Next, assemble the cheeses.  these are the rocks of your arrangement.

Fill in the meats in the large spaces between cheeses.  Finally, fill the remaining spaces with crackers.

Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

Fill any remaining small spaces with oranges, cranberries, and small sprigs of rosemary.

Pro tip: if you’re going to a party, bring along the rest of the cheese and cut up meats that you didn’t use in a large container.  Refill the board half-way through the party if necessary.

Jams and Extra Toppings

Wait, there’s more!  Every charcuterie board can be taken to the next level with a bit of jam or chutney.  This is an excellent opportunity to use your preserves that you made in the fall.  I used my Maple Spice Crab Apple Butter.

You can also add pickles, nuts, dried fruits, or olives to your board for even more variety.

Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

Finally, it’s time for the best part. . . eating!

What will you put on your charcuterie board this holiday season?

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Entertaining this holiday season? Create a simple and easy charcuterie board using a variety of meats and cheeses. I'll show you how to make a cheese board that looks beautiful and tastes delicious. It's the easiest appetizer you'll make this Christmas; perfect for beginners. #charcuterie #cheeseboard #meatandcheeseboard #entertaining #appetizer #holiday #christmas #diy #easy #simple #recipe #beginner #tutorial #partyfood

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Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

21 Comments
Filed Under: Christmas, DIY, Entertaining, Recipes, Simple & Easy Tagged: charcuterie, cheese board, Christmas, entertaining, holidays, meat and cheese, party

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. Jen says

    November 30, 2017 at 8:10 am

    I love charcuterie boards and how fun it is to customize them. The addition of the orange slices here is so clever and the pop of color is perfect! I need to remember to add those next time...
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 30, 2017 at 8:49 pm

      Thanks! I'd love to see yours if you do.
      Reply
  2. Kalyn says

    November 30, 2017 at 9:21 am

    ???? Omg this looks amazing! My husband and I are so bougie and LOVE a good meat and cheese board! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 30, 2017 at 8:49 pm

      You're welcome! Glad you like it.
      Reply
  3. Andy Schwartz says

    November 30, 2017 at 11:26 am

    Fabulous! We often order charcuterie when we eat out, but I’ve never attempted it at home. I just might give it a shot now!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 30, 2017 at 8:48 pm

      You should! It's so simple!
      Reply
  4. Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups says

    November 30, 2017 at 12:05 pm

    Yum, charcuterie is my fave! I love how you styled this.
    Reply
  5. jenna urben says

    November 30, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    This is so beautiful! I love these boards
    Reply
  6. Alexandra Moncada says

    November 30, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    You have some really beautiful photography! I am getting so hungry just looking at it.
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 30, 2017 at 8:48 pm

      Aww, thank you!
      Reply
  7. Felicia @ The Starving Chef says

    November 30, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    Charcuterie boards are a work of art that you can eat!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 30, 2017 at 8:48 pm

      Agreed! And so much simpler than they look.
      Reply
  8. Anne | Like the morning sun says

    December 1, 2017 at 1:36 am

    It looks absolutely delicious and beautiful! I am going to pin this, because I might need it around Christmas! Thanks!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      December 1, 2017 at 12:47 pm

      Thanks friend!
      Reply
  9. Lisa says

    December 1, 2017 at 11:59 am

    This is too gorgeous to eat, wow Kristen! We are having company over this weekend, I am going to implement your tips and take my meat and cheese tray to the next level now that I can pronounce Charcuterie!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      December 1, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Lol! Love it. I included the pronunciation because I asked my Facebook if they had any questions about charcuterie and that was the first one.
      Reply
  10. Sudipta says

    December 1, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Very well explained. Loved the colourful pics. I hope there are options for vegetarians also (like me) ?
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      December 1, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Try big franks sausages, homemade vegan sausages, or veggie patties. I'd also add cut up veggies like carrots, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as some different flavours of hummus for dipping.
      Reply
  11. AmberLynn says

    December 1, 2017 at 5:52 pm

    I have to be honest and say I have never heard of this before, but it looks like PERFECTION! I even love that you give us what it consists of and how to make it at home. You learn something new everyday.
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      December 3, 2017 at 10:48 pm

      Glad to help! I'd love to know how it goes if you make it.
      Reply
  12. D Hugsie says

    December 12, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    As a non-cheese eater I love these types of boards when they include many types of pickles, artichokes and other picked things in addition to meats and cheeses. The oranges were a spot of brilliance and I will have to include them on my next lazy dinner night.
    Reply

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Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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