Charcuterie Board Ideas

We absolutely love hosting people at our house! Whether it's our weekly Saturday morning breakfast with family or having game night with our friends, we love being at home! 

We have tried to make our home a special place for everyone to gather together. My husband and I both grew up in homes where all our friends loved to be. So we decided early on in our relationship that we wanted that for our kids, family, and friends as well. We wanted an open doors policy at all times and that's now what we have! An open doors policy also comes with being prepared in case someone stops by at any time. Here are some tips to throw an awesome charcuterie board together in minutes.

CHARCUTERIE PRONOUNCIATION

I'm sure I butchered the pronounciation a few times in my past. No pun intended. 😉 

But it is pronouced "shahr-ku-tuh-ree" and it means the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and other meat products. 

My first step to making a great charcuterie board in minutes is pouring the wine! Or a cocktail... but in my case it's typically wine and what goes better with wine than meats and cheeses??

WHAT YOU NEED

I have found some really adorable charcuterie board supplies over the years but you can use the things you have right in your home. Things like a cutting board, large plate, small bowls, and knives for cutting a block of cheese and/ or spreading some jam are essential.

I have hosted lots of happy hours and wine nights with friends without using anything expensive. You don't "need" to buy anything special but sometimes it makes it a lot more fun to throw them together if your ready to be the host! 

I'll go ahead and link some of my favorite supplies here on my LiketoKnow.It page! 

Meats and cheeses are a no brainer when it comes to make a charcuterie board. You can't go wrong when it comes to picking out these ingredients. My favorite cheeses to use are smoked gouda, parmesean, sharp or white cheddar, and colby. Some people like to use a block of brie, blue cheese or goat. A variety of cheeses is always a good idea so your guests have options. The typical meats you would see on a charcuterie board are pepperoni, prosciutto, soppressata, turkey or salami. You can easily keep these sliced in your fridge to easily set out.

ADDING COLOR AND TEXTURE

The best way to add color and texture to your board is with fruits, jams, and carbs! Grab an apple or pear and slice it onto the board. Keep a variety pack of crackers in the pantry to put out. The best jams to pair with meats and cheeses are apricot, raspberry, blackberry, and peach. My go to spreads for my boards are a spicy raspberry jam or humus, but you can't go wrong either way.

The best part of the boards for me is the carbs, carbs, and more carbs. A variety pack of crackers will work perfectly but if you are feeling fancy, you can definitely buy bread sticks, a french baguette, or 

crostini.

The best part about making a charcuterie board is that you absolutely cannot mess it up. Throw some veggies, nuts or chocolates onto the board and you've up'ed the game.

WAYS TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD UNIQUE

• Veggies- slice some cucumbers, tomatoes or peppers. 
• Set out a jar of hot or sweet peppers that were canned locally.
• Pick out a few of your favorite chocolates. I tend to lean towards toffees, Brookstone dark chocolates or just set out a bag of Ghirardelli caramel chocolates.
• A small dish of salted nuts. Mixed nuts, roasted peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts or cashews will add a great amount of texture to your board. 

I hope this helps you venture out of the same old charcuterie boards and that you make something unique like each one of you! Leave a comment of your must haves!