Charcuterie Board Recipe

November 18, 2016  | Appetizer Recipes | Meat Recipes | artichoke | ham | olive | parmesan | prosciutto | salami 
Prep Time Cook Time Serves
15m 6

The name charcuterie comes from the French words for “chair” (flesh) and “cuit” (cooked) and is the term generally used when speaking of meats that are cooked and ready to be eaten. These include items such as salami, cured hams, or the very French pâtés and rillettes.

Charcuterie boards are very popular in Europe as something to nibble on when having a drink before dinner or what the French call an aperitif. They are so popular that many charcuterie fans also own their own meat slicers. When we were living in the Italian speaking area of Switzerland we fell in love with this custom and ended up buying our own affettatrice (meat slicer in Italian). It gets a lot of use in our home!

The items that you select for your board are being eaten on their own so best to buy the best quality items you can find.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 ounces prosciutto di parma
  • 3 ounces chorizo
  • 2 ounces pepper-coated salami
  • 2 ounces coppa
  • 2 ounces jambon de bayonne
  • wedge parmesan cheese
  • 1 small jar oil-packed artichoke hearts
  • black and green olives
  • red and/or green grapes
  • handful mini pickles (such as cornichons)
  • dried fruits such as figs or apricots
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • grissini breadsticks

INSTRUCTIONS

When pulling together a charcuterie board for an appetizer, you should allow for approximately 2 ounces of meat per person. I have given some estimates in the ingredient list for the kinds of meats and amounts to serve. However, you should look for the best quality meats you can get around you and use those.

In addition to the meats, it is important to serve other items that can help cut the fattiness of the meats – items such as pickles or artichoke hearts. I also love to add some parmesan cheese with honey for dipping. This is something we picked up from our travels in Italy and just love.

Finally, I recommend adding other fresh and dried fruits such as grapes, pomegranates, dried figs and apricots. They add another layer of texture which is an important element of pulling together a board that works. In general the meats have a greasiness to them that needs to be balanced with other textures (things that crunch) and other flavors (tangy or sour items).

Most important of all, with the above information in mind, create a board of items you love to eat. My guess is you will find that once arranged on your board, the colors, flavors and textures will work.

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