The holidays are quickly approaching and whether you are gathering in small groups or staying home, great food is a must. Charcuterie boards are a great addition to every celebration but these visually appealing appetizers can be intimating to make if you had never put one together before. This step by step tutorial will have you ready for the holidays in no time. I am by no means and expert at putting together charcuterie boards so if you are a charcuterie connoisseur this might not be the tutorial for you.
Charcuterie boards are typically mostly made up of crackers, cheese and cured meats. I encourage you to get creative and add a few fresh ingredients for both color and micronutrients. You can also increase the healthfulness of the traditional items by choosing whole grain crackers that are high in fiber (try to find at least 3 grams/serving). You could also include hummus and vegetables, colorful fruits and nuts!
What you will need: (The amounts may vary depending on the size of your board/tray
- 2-3 different kinds of whole wheat crackers
- 2 types of meat. I chose 3 ounces salami and 3 ounces prosciutto.
- 3 types of cheese. I chose 2 ounces sharp cheddar, 2 ounces gouda and an 8 ounce wheel of brie
- 4 types of fruit/veggies. I chose 1 pomegranate, 1 apple, 1 pear, 1 clementine
- 1 nut choice. I chose almonds
- 1 olive choice. I chose green olives
- Topping for your brie cheese. I chose whole berry cranberry sauce. You could also do a pecan cinnamon and honey mixture or apricot jam. Or you may not choose brie at all for your board!
- 1 wooden or marble board 12″x16″. If you have a larger board that is great but you may need larger quantities or additional items to but on your tray
- 2-3 small bowls
- If you are serving this charcuterie board as an appetizer you need to allow 2 ounces of meat + cheese per person. The board pictured is enough for an appetizer for about 4-6 people
Step 1
I chose to put my almonds and olives in a small bowl. This keeps the olive juice separated from the other ingredients as well as makes it visually appealing. Arrange the bowls on the board as you like. I chose to place the bowls higher on the board because I knew I would have a small wheel of brie cheese that would take up the lower section of the board, this evenly distributes the round shapes on the board.
Step 2
Place the cheese on the board. Be sure to place the cheese on the board in a way that the cheeses are not close together. As you can see, I chose 3 different types of cheese. Sharp Cheddar, Gouda and Brie. Cheddar is a hard cheese, gouda is medium firm and brie is a soft cheese. The variety of cheese firmness is important so there is something for everyone’s preference. If you choose to use brie cheese I recommend leaving it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to serving or warm it in the oven at 250 for 10 minutes to help soften it for a more creamy texture. As you can see I put the topping on the brie last. If you choose to bake the brie I would bake it with the topping on it. I chose a whole berry cranberry sauce for a topping but you could choose a pecan honey cinnamon mixture or apricot jam if you wish.
Step 3
Next place the meats you selected on the board. I chose salami and prosciutto. To make these look pleasing to the eye I folded the salami in half and then half again. They end up in triangle shapes with almost a flower pedal look. Thinly sliced prosciutto is a bit more difficult to fold into pretty shapes because it can tear easily, do your best! If salami and prosciutto are not for you, then choose alternative meats that will please your crowd. Or maybe you and your crowd don’t eat meat! You could fill these spaces with additional nuts or assorted vegetable with a small bowl of hummus.
Step 4
Add the crackers! For this step I chose to place my crackers in almost an “S” shape. This makes the plate visually attractive adds more shapes for the eye to look at. For the crackers select a whole grain cracker with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Step 5
The last step is to fill in your gaps with your fruit/veggies of choice. I chose apples, pears clementines, and pomegranates. You could choose completely different fruit if you want but choosing what is in season is always great! You could also add vegetables if you want such as red/orange peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower etc. You could also add hummus to your board to pair with the veggies in the place of the olives. When you are spacing your fruit/veggies consider spreading out items of similar colors which is what I have done here. You can see that the reds are on opposite sides and the green olives and Bartlett pears are opposite as well.
So you have been volunteered to bring the appetizer, no problem! A charcuterie board is a great selection as it can be created to please many guests. Being in charge of making the appetizer is great because get to add nutritious choices to the charcuterie board for everyone to enjoy. Between the whole grain crackers, nuts/seeds, fruit/veggies. You can “health” up your charcuterie board so it isn’t just meat and cheese. Have fun and let your creative juices flow as you make your holiday charcuterie board, whether it is for you and your significant other, a small family gathering or for yourself to enjoy as you watch your favorite holiday movie, it is always a good idea.