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What is a charcuterie board? A charcuterie board is a feast of finger foods, ranging from cured and deli meats and cheeses, to crackers, jams, honey, nuts, olives - or really whatever your heart desires. These boards started as a tradition in France of curing cuts of meat and adding salts, spices and herbs to up the deliciousness factor. Sliced charcuterie was then served, often paired with regional cheeses, as part of a cheese course or simple lunch.

Today, our charcuterie boards often contain a huge assortment of goodies in a pleasing array of colors, textures, and tastes. The most impressive charcuterie boards contain as much variety as possible, giving your guests (or just yourself, we won’t judge) an indulgent feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.

Though a charcuterie board can be made with just about any budget, building the ultimate charcuterie board is all about the best of the best. This gourmet charcuterie board has all of our best imported and domestic favorites, guaranteed to please a crowd (or, again, just yourself!).

Now, let’s build a board!

Board Basics

• Charcuterie

  As the star of the board, it’s important to choose a variety of charcuterie (cured and deli meats) that complement the other components of your board. When buying cured meats, budget about 2 oz per person. If your board is going to be the main dish at your event, you can go up to 5 oz per person. Since cured meats are sliced paper thin, this will ensure your guests get a taste of everything on your board.

• Cheese

  Soft, hard, blue, stinky, fresh or aged - there are so many types of cheeses out there! The ultimate board has a variety of textures and tastes to choose from, from creamy Saint Angel to firm and herbaceous Rosemary Manchego. 3 oz of cheese per person is usually just about right. If you’re serving this board as the only dish, you can go as high as 6 oz per person.

• Olives and Veggies

  Pickled or brined, these delicious salted and marinated treats add an extra element of flavor to your board. Plan for a small handful of olives and veggies per person.

• Accoutrements

  Accoutrements are all the little add-ons that take your board from great to amazing. We’re talking fancy crackers, honey, jam, nuts, dried fruits, even chocolate. We’ve assembled a winning team of accoutrements for this board, but the sky is really the limit for adding delectable extras. Don’t skimp out on the accoutrements! Your guests will love having a large variety of things to snack on.

• The Board

  This is the ultimate charcuterie board. There’s a lot of deliciousness here, so you’re going to need an equally ultimate vessel to put it all on. We started with a big wooden butcher block when we created this spread. If you’re having a smaller gathering, a smaller cutting board can be used, or you can even add less components if necessary. Boards can be made of wood, marble, slate, ceramic, or stainless steel; just make sure your board is foodsafe before starting!

Building the Board: Charcuterie

Let’s get into the charcuterie first. These are some of our chefs’ favorites; simply delicious cured meats that are guaranteed to be a hit on your board. And don’t forget, we’ll slice these and all of our charcuterie to order for you!

• Napoli Smoked Sopressata
  

  

  
  

  A member of the salami family, sopressata is made with leaner cuts of pork, studded with bits of fat and flavored with garlic and whole peppercorns. This sopressata takes it a step further in flavor, taking on a delicately smoky, sweet undertone from being expertly smoked over applewood chips.

  

  
  

  This is a true crowd pleaser, and perfect for making salami roses too! We created this salami rose by using a wine glass and layering each slice on top of the other. The rose creates the perfect centerpiece for our board. And because it’s such a favorite, we added the extra slices to the board too. You really can’t have too much smoked sopressata!



• Pamplona Chorizo
  

  

  
  

  Spanish-style Pamplona Chorizo isn’t your typical breakfast taco fare. Spanish chorizo is a dried, lacto-fermented, and ready-to-eat product similar to pepperoni, made with finely ground pork. Chorizo de Pamplona gets its striking red color from the generous addition of imported smoked paprika, giving this charcuterie a bold flavor to go with its delightful texture.

  💡Tip: This chorizo can also be used for tapas parties, or to make delectable Spanish bocadillo sandwiches!



• Wagyu Bresaola - USA
  

  

  
  

  With roots in Valtellina, Italy, bresaola is salted and air-dried beef top round, aged for up to two months. In this time, it loses half its water weight and gains a striking maroon color and an aromatic flavor. This bresaola ups the ante by starting with deliciously marbled wagyu beef from small Pennsylvania farms, resulting in an extra tender, extra gourmet charcuterie experience.



• Jamon Serrano - Spain
  

  

  
  

  Spain’s signature charcuterie, Jamon Serrano is cured in a similar way to Prosciutto, but starts with Iberian breed pigs, known for their incredible marbling and nutty flavor. The result after a 14-16 month aging process is an incredibly rich and buttery cured meat that really brings the flavor to your board.



• Prosciutto di Parma - Italy
  

  

  
  

  When you think of a charcuterie board, this Italian cured meat probably springs to mind. A charcuterie classic, Prosciutto di Parma is made by salt curing the rear leg of heritage breed pigs. Aged over 24 months (longer than any other prosciutto), Prosciutto di Parma develops a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a delicately salty, almost sweet flavor.



• Speck - Italy
  

  

  
  

  Another traditional cured meat of Italy, speck takes the same hind leg of the pig and transforms it into something completely different from its prosciutto cousin. The meat is first rubbed down with salt, pepper, juniper berries (these give the speck a deliciously bittersweet, piney, peppery flavor), and other spices. The speck then travels to the smoker for a slow and gentle smoking over flavorful hardwood, before being cured for 22 weeks in the fresh mountain air. Speck is a uniquely delicious charcuterie with a delicately smoky, spiced flavor that is less salty than prosciutto, with a denser, springier texture. We've wrapped this thinly sliced cured meat around Stirati breadsticks for an extra crunchy, delectably salty bite.

Building the Board: Cheese

Now it’s time to really please with some cheese! Cheese comes in many delicious forms, and we’ve gone for a variety of delectable tastes and textures here. All of these cheeses can be found in our Market, ready to be cut-to-order for your own Ultimate board.

• Saint Angel - France - Cow’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  Creamy, dreamy, milky, and buttery. As a triple cream brie, Saint Angel is a truly heavenly cheese with an equally heavenly texture. Perfect for spreading on crisp crackers or for dipping crudites, Saint Angel has a bloomy, edible rind that imparts a mushroom-like flavor to the cheese.



• Rosemary Manchego - Spain - Sheep’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  Hailing from La Mancha, Spain, this semi-firm cheese is made with raw sheep’s milk, in the typical Manchego style, but gets an herbaceous boost from a generous, hand-rubbed application of fresh rosemary to the rind. After its rosemary rubdown, this cheese ages in special cellars for 9 months, developing a rich, nutty flavor, perfectly enhanced but never overwhelmed by the rosemary it aged with.



• Drunken Goat DOP - Spain - Goat’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  Also known as Murcia al Vino, this Spanish specialty is no ordinary goat cheese. Aged only 60 days, this cheese is milder and far less gamey than other goat cheeses, with a smooth, semi-firm texture. What really sets this cheese apart, however, is its distinctive fruity flavor and deep violet rind, gained from a three-day soak in Spanish Monastrell wine. The short aging time of the cheese lets you really enjoy the taste of the wine along with the cheese itself. It’s all the deliciousness of cheese and wine without the hangover!



• Saracino with Red Peppers - Italy - Sheep’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  Saracino is a basket-aged cheese from Italy with a semi-soft paste. Also known as Caciotta, or Pecorino Fresca, Saracino is made from sheep’s milk and aged for a minimum of 6 weeks to develop its deliciously creamy texture. This Saracino has been studded with chili pepper flakes for an extra spicy kick, a cheese equally at home on a cheeseboard or shredded and melted onto pizzas and sandwiches.



• Pecorino al Tartufo - Italy - Sheep’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  This Italian cheese is a delightfully gourmet experience. Like its Pecorino Romano cousin, Pecorino al Tartufo is made with sheep’s milk, but the similarities end there. Pecorino al Tartufo is a fresh cheese, turning pasteurized sheep’s milk into a tender, creamy cheese with only 10-15 days of aging. Where this simple cheese turns truly gourmet is with the addition of flakes of real Scorzone black truffles and Bianchetto white truffles combined with the paste. The result? A balanced, mild and nutty cheese with a deep, pronounced earthiness from the bountiful truffles in each bite.



• Port Salut - France - Cow’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  If you like your semi-soft cheeses extra soft, creamy, and luscious, Port Salut is the cheese for you. This French specialty is a mellow, slightly acidic cheese with an orange, edible rind. When you open the wrapper, you’ll encounter a pungent, mushroomy scent that may make Port Salut feel like a more adventurous and stinkier cheese. But fear not! Despite its strong aroma, Port Salut remains a mild, creamy, and approachable cheese, perfect for enjoying as cubes or spread on crackers.



• 18-month Aged Cheddar - England - Cow’s Milk Cheese
  

  

  
  

  Made in the rustic farmhouse style, this white cheddar from across the pond is aged for 18 months or more. All that aging time transforms pasteurized cow’s milk into an extra mature, complex, nutty cheese with aged cheddar intensity. As a cheddar, this cheese remains an approachable and easy option for the Ultimate Charcuterie Board and beyond.

Building the Board: Accoutrements

With the star players on the board, let’s dig into all the extra accoutrements and goodies that help them shine. The Ultimate Charcuterie Board has some of our very best salad bar items, jam, honey, nuts, and dried fruit, but don’t let that stop you from adding some of your own favorites! Fresh fruit like grapes, figs, berries, or apples, cherry tomatoes, or even pomegranate seeds are all excellent additions to an already excellent board. All of the accoutrements listed here can be purchased from our Market or Shelves, ready to add to your own board.

• Acacia Honeycomb Square
  

  

  
  

  Unique among honeys for its high fructose content and delicate flavor, acacia honey makes the perfect pair to a variety of cheeses on the Ultimate Board. This honey comes as a full comb, making for a striking presentation. The whole comb is edible, wax and all, so go ahead and enjoy a slice or two! With its light, floral flavor, acacia honey pairs especially well with some of the milder cheeses on the board, including Saint Angel, Port Salut, and the Aged Cheddar.



• Marinated Artichokes
  

  

  
  

  Tender and flavorful, these marinated artichokes from Italy come packed in sunflower oil, vinegar, herbs and spices. Not only do they make an excellent addition to the Ultimate Charcuterie board, they can also be chopped and added to pastas, pizzas, sauces and sandwiches, or served as part of an antipasto platter. These versatile little artichokes pack a flavorful punch that really livens up the board.



• Pitted Olive Medley
  

  

  
  

  Why have just one kind of olive when you could have a medley? A delicious blend of plump green olives, green olives with pimentos, and black kalamata olives, this medley is marinated and packed in flavorful oil, herbs and spices. The briny flavor of olives is ideal for cutting the richness of all the cheese and charcuterie on this board, and, bonus: these pitted olives are naturally bite-sized with no prep required.



• Stirati Breadsticks with Tropea Onions
  

  

  
  

  These artisan Italian breadsticks add extra crunchy texture to your board. Made with entirely Italian ingredients and hand-stretched, Mario Fongo takes it up a notch by folding sweet tropea onions into the dough, a tasty twist on a classic cracker. Because of their long, skinny shape, Stirati are also especially perfect for wrapping with thinly sliced meats like Prosciutto, Speck, or Jamon Serrano. For the Ultimate Charcuterie Board, we wrapped these delightful breadsticks with Speck, but these charcuterie wands can be easily made with any of your favorite cured meats.



• Dalmatia Fig Jam
  

  

  
  

  On a charcuterie board, there’s not much that can’t be enhanced by a little dollop of fig jam. Slowly and carefully cooked, hand-selected Croatian figs go into every jar, producing a sweet and slightly tangy sensation. Although fig jam can be paired with most elements on the Ultimate Board, it pairs especially well with Saint Angel, Drunken Goat, Aged Cheddar, and any of the cured meats on the board. Should you want to add a blue cheese, fig jam also perfectly complements Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and most other blues.



• Dijon Mustard with Walnuts
  

  

  
  

  Spicier and creamier than its fellow family member yellow mustard, this dijon mustard from France adds an extra layer of nutty flavor with the addition of ground French walnuts. Absolutely delicious with a variety of Ultimate Board components, the horseradish-y flavor of dijon pairs particularly well with any of the charcuterie, as well as firm cheeses like Aged Cheddar.



• Original Mini Croccantini Crackers
  

  

  
  

  Perfectly sized and shaped for topping with a flavorful stack of charcuterie board ingredients, mini Croccantini crackers are light, crispy little crackers that provide the ideal vessel for cheese, charcuterie, dips and more. Made simply with flour, extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of sea salt, these are a delightful cracker for any board. Be sure to add extra crackers alongside your board! We all love crackers with our cheese.



• Dried Apricots
  

  

  
  

  With their lovely orange color, chewy, succulent texture and delightfully sweet, tangy flavor, dried apricots find their perfect home on the Ultimate Charcuterie Board. Try pairing these little dried gems with Saint Angel for a delectable combo.



• Houston Nut Mix
  

  

  
  

  A variety of nuts, seeds, and flavors goes into every batch of Houston Nut Mix, the perfect snacking blend for your board. This mix includes sweet peanuts, spicy peanuts, pumpkin seeds and pecans in a delectable blend of spices and a touch of salt. Once you grab a handful and start snacking, you won’t be able to stop, so be sure to have extra on hand to replenish the board!



• Dried Mission Figs
  

  

  
  

  Despite their wrinkled appearance, dried figs, much like the fig jam, perfectly complement charcuterie and cheese. These figs are firm and chewy in texture, and sweet in flavor. Try wrapping a dried fig up with a thin slice of prosciutto for an extra delicious sensation!



• Valrhona Dark and Milk Chocolate Feves
  

  

  
  

  The final component on our board, but certainly not the least, is the addition of rich, creamy Valrhona chocolates in dark and milk. These imported French chocolates elevate the Ultimate Board to new heights, offsetting all the salty meats and cheeses with their rich sweetness. They’re guaranteed to be one of the first things to go, so go ahead and get some extra. Bonus: They’re excellent for baking too!

How to Enjoy the Ultimate Charcuterie Board

Now that we have all the components perfectly laid out on the board, all that’s left to do is serve! Let your board sit for around 30 minutes before serving - Cheese and charcuterie are best served at room temperature. Go ahead and crack open a bottle of wine with this board for an extra good time. We sell those too! Stick to sparkling wines, light-to-medium-bodied whites, and light-bodied reds for winning pairings with a variety of board components.

Whether you’re enjoying this board with a crowd, or having the ultimate night in, there’s something delicious for everyone to enjoy! Go on and build a beautiful board of your own.