09 Mar Build Your Best Charcuterie Board

Posted at 12:45h in Culinary Corner by
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French Petite Pull Aparts

If you’re seeking to replicate your favorite dining experiences at home, we have a simple way to do this by building an unforgettable charcuterie board. 

 The bonus of creating this popular appetizer at home is the freedom of ultimate customization. After all, being the master of your own charcuterie board gives you creative control of the flavor and texture pairings you would like to achieve. To help you build you own charcuterie board at home, we worked with charcuterie board aficionado, Zach Jaramillo, to share his best practices and tips.

“What’s great about charcuterie boards is their size flexibility. You can scale up the size of a board for a family gathering or scale down the size of a board to an individual snack,” Jaramillo said.

The core elements of a standard charcuterie board include: bread or crackers, meat, cheese, spreads/jams, and fruits & vegetables. The creativity, however, comes from deciding your flavor combinations, some of which may pleasantly surprise you. 

Below is our breakdown of how to build your best charcuterie board:

Bread & Crackers
Don’t minimize the importance of the bread or crackers that you use for your charcuterie board. They are the base for your favorite selections. Pre-scored bread, like our Petite Pull Aparts, is great for the shareable nature of a charcuterie board. However, a baguette works just as well. We recommend using a French or Ciabatta baguette for your board, as those options provide subtle flavor. If you want to be more adventurous, try our Asaigo Cheese bread. Toast the slices for extra durability. For additional texture, add your favorite crackers to the board for an extra crunch.
Meat Selection
For optimal variety, include at least 3 different types of meat in your board. Not only will you notice that each item has a different flavor delivery when paired with the same selections, the difference in textures also changes with the eating experience. For building your board, we recommend trying a prosciutto, a salami, and a coppa to start. From there, you will start to learn which flavors and textures you prefer, making you better informed for your next visit to the deli counter.
Cheese
Because variety is key when it comes to building charcuterie boards, we recommend procuring a mixture of hard and soft cheese, about 3 – 4 total will suffice. Blocks of cheese are much more ideal for a charcuterie board as opposed to slices, shredded or cubed, as they are more easily layered and spreadable. Now is the time to be adventurous with your flavor selections! Include options with honey, pesto, or pepper, a simple way to elevate the flavor of your board without having to make an additional purchase.
Spreads & Jams
With spreads and jams, it’s best to supply a playful mix of sweet and savory. For the sweet options, a jam of your favorite fruit is a suitable accompaniment such as peach, fig, or apricot. For the savory options, you can’t go wrong a delectable pâté or foie gras. Try pairing the sweet spread with the savory spread in the same bite—the result is delicious.
Fruits & Vegetables
The fruits and vegetables on a charcuterie board not typically meant to be added to your individual builds, rather, they are meant to be used as a palate cleanser between flavor pairings. For sweet options, grapes and blueberries are standard fruits to consider. For savory options, try cornichons and olives. Another palate cleanser that people enjoy are almonds and other tree nuts—just be cognizant of potential allergens for your guests.
Asiago Cheese Bread Platter

With one quick trip to your local grocery store, you can easily procure all of the ingredients necessary to build your best charcuterie board—including Tribeca Oven’s artisan bread. The best part of creating this appetizer is that no cooking is involved! Once assembled, your board is ready-to-eat and enjoy. Because of the limitless flavor combinations, you never have to create the same board twice. For your next board, try switching out the flavors of your jams or spreads and try a different meat or cheese. It’s dynamic playfulness has elevated charcuterie boards from trend to staple. For additional inspirational on how to replicate restaurant quality meals at home, visit the Recipes section of our website.

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