Pinchin' Pennie$ in the Kitchen: 7 Steps to Creating a Charcuterie Board

• A tray, plate, cutting board or baking sheet will work as a board for your creation.
• Make sure the board is sturdy and the size is sufficient to hold enough food for the number of guests. You may want to make more than one board to accommodate many people.
• Multiple, smaller boards may be easier to keep and store in the refrigerator than one large board.
• Bowls can hold small food items and dips or spreads.

• Fold or stack sliced or cubed meat to add eye-pleasing variety to the board.
• Sliced meats can be folded into halves or triangles and arranged like books on a shelf to create a ribbon-like illusion.
• Options could also include chunks of roasted or grilled chicken, turkey, ham, chorizo, pepperoni, prosciutto or salami.

• Try whole grain or multigrain crackers, sliced baguettes, pita bread, naan bites or pretzels.

• Try including a mixture of soft, semi-hard and hard cheeses for texture variation.
• Soft variations include feta, brie and ricotta.
• Semi-hard variations include gouda and jack.
• Hard variations include cheddar and parmesan.

• Arrange fruits and vegetables on the board to add a pop of color and a variety of important nutrients, including fiber and vitamins A and C.
• Cut fruits and vegetables into unconventional shapes to add eye-catching elements.
• Fruits could include grapes, berries, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges or dried fruit.
• Avoid including fruits that brown when sliced, such as apples and bananas.
• Vegetables could include bell pepper strips, broccoli florets, carrot sticks, snap peas, cucumber slices or celery sticks.

• Fill small bowls with dips, spreads, sauces or jelly. Options could include hummus (chickpea dip), jelly or jam, honey, flavored yogurt, salsa, mustards or sour cream- or cream cheese-based dip.

• Add assorted food items such as nuts, seeds, pickled vegetables, granola or other sweet treats in small bowls.

• Consider taste, texture and variety when building your board.
• Choose appropriate utensils for the foods you are serving, such as tongs, forks or spoons.
• Fan ingredients out so they are easy to pick up with a fork
  or other utensil. Consider leaving the rind on fruits like cantaloupe or oranges for ease of eating.

• Be mindful of the sodium content of your board. Some meats and cheeses, pickled vegetables and nuts can provide high amounts of sodium.
  • According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium should be consumed each day. Check out nutrition labels before buying various meats and cheeses, use pickled foods sparingly and include lightly salted or unsalted nuts.
• Boards can be made a few hours ahead, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until serving time. Once served, eat promptly. Perishable items, such as meat and cheese, must be eaten or placed back in the refrigerator within two hours of serving. Set a timer on your phone so you remember.

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Consider labeling your board with any potential allergens. The top nine most common allergens are milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish and sesame. Additionally, be accommodating to guests that follow a special diet, such as a gluten-free or vegetarian diet. If possible, make your board fit within those diet parameters or make a separate board for those guests, and be aware of cross-contamination that may occur.

Consider labeling your board with any potential allergens. The top nine most common allergens are milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish and sesame. Additionally, be accommodating to guests that follow a special diet, such as a gluten-free or vegetarian diet. If possible, make your board fit within those diet parameters or make a separate board for those guests, and be aware of cross-contamination that may occur.

Photo Credit:

iStock.com

Table 1. Approximate amounts of ingredients for a snack or appetizer charcuterie board

Meal Charcuterie Board