Have you ever wanted to recreate those beautiful boards that are taking the world by storm? This trending appetizer isn’t going anywhere, which is why we want to teach you how to create your own gorgeous board for superior hosting.
Tackling the feat of preparing a large charcuterie board for a family gathering or party this holiday season can feel intimidating. Refer to our helpful guide for inspiration and best practices when it comes to creating your board for holiday hosting.
To start, you’ll need an appropriately sized board for the amount of people you’ll be serving.
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The rule of thumb is five ounces of meat and cheese per guest for a board intended as the main dish. Use two ounces of meat and cheese per person for boards used as an appetizer.
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Charcuterie boards tend to look their best when items are stacked and piled making the board look full and abundant, so try to choose a board big enough for the amount of people you’re feeding but small enough for it to look filled out.
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Wooden or stone boards are classic bases, but the shape and design are where your creativity can really run. Holiday designs like a wreath or tree are easy and fun ways to incorporate the season.
When picking items for your board consider the textures, flavors, and color of each ingredient. By using multiple textures in cheeses, meats, crackers and bread, fruits, nuts, etc. you’re creating an interesting range in the palate.
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The 3-3-3-3 rule, which suggests using three types of meats, three types of cheeses, three types of crackers or bread, and three types of additional items like fruits, nuts, and spreads, is a way to balance the board and the flavor profiles.
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With the multiple textures, you can present each item individually making each ingredient stand out. Slicing, chunking — which is breaking up a block of cheese roughly — and using spreadable cheese will help to create that individual look.
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Including a range of flavors allows for each flavor to feel fresh when grazing on the board throughout the party or gathering.
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Pops of color from fruits and garnishes make the board more interesting and often help to lighten the heaviness of the cheeses, meats, and crackers—adding pops of red, green, gold, and silver helps to highlight the seasonal tones.
Crafting charcuterie boards is an art form. Like any artistic venture, there are methods to the process that help make a stunning end product possible.
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When building the board, place the largest items first, like items in a dish and cheese wedges.
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Similar items should be placed away from each other on the board to create symmetry.
Smaller items can then go in to fill spaces and be stacked to give a lavish finished look. Including garnishes like fresh herbs and greenery is another way to add filler while contributing to your design. And that’s it! Now go wow your guests this holiday season!