Use these tips and tricks to make a delicious charcuterie board for your next party or gathering! Take these charcuterie board ideas and put together the cheese plate of your dreams.
Make-ahead
Beginner-friendly
You’ll Learn: Simple ways to choose and arrange cheeses, meats, and fun add-ins
Worth It: Every bite is personalized
Bonus: Tips for choosing your board
Do you want to make an epic charcuterie board for guests?
Follow this guide to make an epic charcuterie board for a party, gathering or even just date night!
One Christmas my dad gave me the job of assembling the charcuterie board for the family Christmas eve party. I fell in love with the process of selecting the perfect ingredients, slicing them up just so and arranging them on the board or platter.
Now, friends and family regularly request these epic charcuterie boards from me for parties or just simple backyard dinners.
Many people ask how I learned how to assemble charcuterie boards and I don’t have a quick answer. My dad has always loved food and party planning, so he instilled that love in me growing up.
The other part of it is just constantly making them and trying new combinations of ingredients. I now have an endless list of charcuterie board ideas in my head.
Use this list of charcuterie board ideas to create your perfect cheese plate
The good news for all of you is that I have already done the hard work and made the mistakes. My years of practice have allowed me to create this charcuterie board guide for the rest of you.
As you keep reading below you will find my tips for what to purchase and how to assemble the board. These charcuterie board ideas should inspire you to put together the cheese plate that is just right for your gathering.
Not only do I share what ingredients you should purchase, but also the physical items that help me create my boards.
Lately my favorite is a round spinning board. I like that when I serve my tray to my guests they are able to spin it and try each item.
It is essential to have some tiny serving bowls or ramekins for items like pickles, jams, peppers, olives, nuts or spreads. Beyond those items it is always good to have some small serving spoons, toothpicks and cheese knives.
How to make the perfect charcuterie board for any party
Step 1: Choose a Tray or Plate for your charcuterie board
I choose my plate based on how many people I am serving. If it just for me and my girlfriend, I use a dinner plate.
If I am serving a larger group, I usually opt for a large cutting board.
I have listed below some of the plates and trays I like to use for my charcuterie boards.
- Tree Bark Server – This is the one I am using in the video below. I like this one because I prefer a round tray and because as your guests eat is a beautiful surface below is revealed.
- Butcher Block Board – Butcher block is another great option because like the tree bark it is an attractive surface. I also like the square option because it is easier to create symmetry.
- Slate – If you know you wont be able to cover the full block with cheese or you want to display decorative cheese knives, slate would be my choice.
- Pastry Marble – a marble pastry slab can be cumbersome, but makes for a surface that will keep the cheese slightly chilled as it is served if you leave it in the fridge before serving.
- Wood Pizza Peel – I love this idea because then you have a built in handle to carry your cheese tray with!
Step 2: Anchor Your Cheeses, Meats, and Fruit with Pinch Bowls
First thing I add to my blank board are my little pinch bowls and fill them with my pickles, peppers, olives and condiments.
I love to use these basic glass pinch bowls or little ramekins. Some of the things I like to put in my bowls:
- Jams and Jellies – My favorites are fig jam, raspberry jelly or a spicy pepper jelly.
- Mini gherkin dill pickles
- Pepperoncini or stuffed peppers – if you’re in the Philadelphia are DiBruno brothers has the best stuffed peppers.
- Olives of any kind
- Marcona almonds
- Marinated mozzarella
- Roasted red peppers
- Honey or Truffle Honey
Step 3: Choose the cheeses that are perfect for your charcuterie board idea
There is no exact science to this because it all depends on what you and your friends and family like to eat! If you can only pick 3 I suggest a sharp cheddar because its a crowd pleaser, a soft cheese like a triple cream brie and something harder like an aged gouda.
My favorites charcuterie board cheeses:
- Sharp Cheddar – Trader Joe’s has a great one by their brand. I also just like a standard Cabbot sharp cheddar.
- Mini Mozzarella Balls – I love to add these to a cheese tray for kids to enjoy.
- Manchego – It is a unique flavor that most people recognize, but forget to pick.
- Triple Cream Brie – with any kind of jam and green apple is a winner.
- Aged Goat – If you are already doing Brie, the I suggest choosing a firmer aged goat that can be sliced
- Truffled Anything – I love a truffled cheese. Nothing says “class” like showing up to a party with some truffle cheese
- Gouda or Gruyere – Just because they’re both delicious
Step 4: Choose Your Meats
When it comes to choosing meat for your cheese plate, be sure to select a variety of textures and spices. Some of the best charcuterie boards I have made usually have prosciutto, hard salami and a spicy salami.
- Prosciutto – My charcuterie board favorite because it looks pretty on a tray and many people love it.
- Hard Salami – I like to buy this in a tube so that I can control how thick or thin to slice the rounds.
- Softer Genoa Salami – I buy this one pre sliced and fold it up into little quarters on the plate
- Capicola – Saltier and spicier than the other cheeses, I buy the least of this but always still include it.
Step 4: Choose Crackers and Other Dipping Devices
I rarely put my crackers on the same charcuterie board as my meats and cheeses and keep them in a basket on the side with the exception of apples.
- Green Apples – I always include these for a hit of acid with the decadent cheese. If I need to make my board ahead of time I toss them in a squeeze of lemon juice so they don’t brown
- Cucumber Slices – A nice “cracker” option for your gluten free or low carb party goers.
- A basic butter cracker
- Rosemary crisp cracker
- Pretzel thins
If I can leave you with one piece of cheese board advice, it would be to HAVE FUN with it. Don’t be too worried about making it perfect.
At the end of the day its a plate full of cheese and meat. People will always be excited by the idea of an epic charcuterie board no matter the exact ingredients.
Also, no charcuterie board idea is too complex! I love to make fun themed ones for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July and even New Years Eve. For Christmas, try this Charcuterie Wreath!
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