If you’ve been to a party ever, then you’ve probably seen those aesthetically pleasing grazing boards the world is obsessed with. Known as charcuterie boards, they don’t really have any rhyme or reason to their design but still somehow look put together. Typically, a charcuterie platter is made from meats, cheeses, breads, crackers, fruits, dips and nuts, but it can really include anything you want.
You might’ve considered making one of your own but didn’t have a clue where to start (and they look pretty technical) but that’s all about to change. You simply need to turn to any social media outlet to find your answers. Below, we’ve outlined three basic steps for creating your own grazing platter from scratch.
1. Have the right charcuterie tools on hand
Presentation is EVERYTHING so don’t even bother with ingredients until you have your tools right. You’ll want to serve your platter on something large enough to hold everything, so a long, or large round wooden board is usually your best bet.
You could get an all-inclusive set that comes with a board and knives, like this one, or you could make the board itself the focal point with something a little special like this marble serving board.
You’ll also want to invest in a decent set of cheese knives so guests aren’t left hacking at everything. If your platter is big enough to hold a few entertaining bowls, they’ll add a nice pop of colour and are extra handy for holding dips and nuts.
2. Arrange the condiments
The first step of building an eye-catching charcuterie board is to add in structure to your arrangement by placing a range of dips, spreads and items like nuts and stuffed olives into small bowls or similar vessels and spreading them around the board. This post will give you a good idea.
This set of small glass bowls is a perfect place to start. Add in some salted mixed nuts, some flavoured olive oil, feta stuffed olives and your favourite dips (or just make your own).
3. Add in meat and cheese
To fill up most of the space around your condiment bowls, start adding in your chosen cheeses and deli meats.
It’s really about personal choice here, but if you’re lost, having a brie, blue cheese, aged cheddar and goats cheese is a well-rounded selection. As for the meats, try prosciutto and salami. Typically you’ll find fresh deli meats, however, you could always spice things up a little and try a jerky as well.
4. Time for the crackers
Obviously, you’ll need crackers as vessels for all your cheese, meats and dips. It’s best to have two to three different kinds, to add some depth to your charcuterie board. Try a mix like crispy breadsticks, classic Jatz and round it out with something flavoured, like these rosemary and sea salt crackers. If you’d rather not make your own choices, you can always just opt for a cracker variety pack.
Whichever crackers you choose, spread them around the board in-between your cheese and meats.
5. Finally, add fruit and veg to your charcuterie board
Fill all your remaining gaps with your chosen fruit and veg snacks. Think carrot and celery sticks, fresh strawberries and sliced green apples. All done!
Whether you’re hosting a party, having a date night or just enjoying a low-key backyard BBQ, a charcuterie board is the ultimate entertaining companion. There’s guaranteed to be something on there that everyone likes and it looks extremely impressive to boot.
Another trade secret? They’re best accompanied by a large glass of wine – we don’t make the rules.
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