I'm the franchise owner of a custom charcuterie-board company, and after four years in the industry, I've discovered what separates a good cheese spread from a great one.
Even though it might seem easy to assemble a simple board with meats and cheeses, a few tricks can elevate it into the culinary star of a party or gathering.
Here are my seven secrets to making the best charcuterie boards.
I spend just as much time choosing ingredients as I do building the board.
A typical charcuterie board consists of cured meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, breads, crackers, and nuts. The key to building a great spread is combining these in a way that showcases vibrant colors, exotic flavors, and a decorative layout.
Although the presentation of a board is important, I think the selection of ingredients is even more crucial.
I like to have a mix of spicy meats, simple salami, and salty prosciutto, along with a variety of soft, hard, and aged cheeses to ensure there is a little something for everyone and that no single texture or flavor is highlighted.
Along with selecting an assortment of meats and cheeses, I always pick fruits and vegetables that are firm and richly colored, such as pineapple, oranges, sweet peppers, and cauliflower.
Slicing the meats into paper-thin cuts makes all the difference.
Before any food graces the board, I always recommend cutting all the meats into paper-thin circles — so thin that I can almost see through them.
The thin slices allow me to fold the meat into a variety of shapes to enhance the board's texture and visual appeal. I especially love to create small circular tubes with the slices to add depth to the spread.
Prosciutto, in particular, can be folded lengthwise and then alternately creased accordion-style to create a stunning "train" effect.
The cut of a cheese depends on its consistency.
There are three common cuts for cheese: cubes, triangles, and circles.
Even though it can be tempting to slice everything into cubes, it's ideal only for firm cheeses, like cheddar, Gouda, and Parmesan.
On the other hand, wheel-shaped alternatives like Brie and Manchego are well-suited to triangular cuts, and goat cheese, which often come in cylindrical packages, yield a great circular cut.
I like to be creative with the presentation of fruits and veggies.
When it comes to the layout of fruits and vegetables on a board, it really spans the gamut.
Instead of slicing fruits like oranges and kiwis into wedges, I love to cut them into stars. Additionally, carrots add dimension when they are cut into about 2-inch-long sticks.
To add more depth to the board, I like to cut cucumbers into thin circles or ribbons for a more decorative approach.
And if I'm making a vegetarian board, I like to cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets to replace any cured meats.
When assembling, placing colorful fruits next to neutral elements will make the board pop.
I think charcuterie is as much about visual appeal as it is about taste.
So, to make the board's colors pop, I always place bright fruits and vegetables alongside neutral elements like cheeses and crackers.
One of my favorite combinations is pairing strawberries and goat cheese.
Or, for a monochromatic look, I love grouping items by color.
Alternatively, grouping different fruits and vegetables of the same color provides a unique twist to any charcuterie board.
For example, I love the look of strawberries, red peppers, and dried cranberries when they are placed together.
Similarly, I like to group foods that complement one another, such as sweet chocolate and salty nuts or creamy cheese and crunchy crackers.
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Amaan Bhanji is a contributor to Business Insider.
