How to چیز بورڈ Cheese Board aka charcuterie board : A Complete Guide by morEwish

How to build a Pinterest worthy charcuterie board with ideas for what to put on a cheese and charcuterie board and tips and tricks for arranging a showpiece platter!

Ahhh, the charcuterie board! The board that is full of mystery, variety, explosions of flavor … the board that everyone (including myself) has trouble pronouncing.

In case you’re unfamiliar, charcuterie (prounounced shar-kood-eree) boards are meat and cheese boards that typically include a variety of items that can be paired in mouth-watering  combinations. Charcuterie is a French word used to describe any of a variety of cold cooked or cured meats. When served on a board for entertaining, it’s often served along side cheese, crackers and/or bread.

I love charcuterie boards because they can please just about any palate, and your guests can whip up all sorts of combinations to keep their experience unique and entertaining. Plus, they can be actioned any time of year, using seasonal eats.

Here are my tips for how to build a Pinterest worthy charcuterie board.

Start with a theme to help you choose what should go on your board. For my board today, I’ve chosen a Harvest theme and built out my flavors for things that will pair well together

First, you need a large board, you can grab an inexpensive one. Slate or stone boards will work as well. And if all else fails, a large platter will work.

Large wooden cutting board
Baking or Cookie Sheets
Slate Board
Serving platter

Cheese. What kind and how much?

Think variety. Include at least 4 different cheeses on your board from different categories: firm, soft, and semi soft. And start with your favorites. For example, on my cheese board, I added cheese ball (which is pumpkin shaped), cheddar slices and colby jack cubes. 

When selecting what cheeses to put on your cheese board, it’s also good to keep in mind shapes: square, rounds, triangle, sliced. This makes for a more interesting cheese board.

Be sure to set the cheese out to come to room temp prior to serving.

Meats is the second thing I think about when putting together a cheese board. 

You can do about 3 to 4 options of cured meats. Some are more expensive than others, there are lot of halal options available and you can pretty much find what you need in the deli section of your local grocery store. Again, start with your favorites and fill in from there.

Here are some great options you can easily find:

Salami / Sausage
Smoked Salmon
Beef Jerky
Pepperoni Sticks
Grilled Shrimp

 Crusnchy Snacks/Crackers 

I love using 2-3 different types of crackers. Some conventional square crackers to crunchy or long bread-sticks are some great breads to start off with.

Just lay them on the cheese board around the meet and wherever there are opening.

What Fruits and Vegetable are best for a Charcuterie board?

Adding fresh fruit and veggies not only adds a bright pop of color but they also add flavor and texture. They balance things out and also act as palate cleansers. No hard rules on how many veggies and fruits to include, but I like at least one of each. .

Use a variety of dried and fresh fruit you like or have on hand.

For these cheese boards:
Dried Apricots
Fresh Berries (Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Cherries
Freeze-Dried Raspberries
Grapes
Olives
Radishes
Red Bell Peppers
Pineapple
Plaintain Chips
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Nuts and Other condiments: 

A handful of nuts are good to add for that element of crunch. I’m more interested in something tangy at this point, a little bowl of favorite olives. It may not be an obvious choice for a cheese board, like a bowl of creamy hummus right in the center, or a small bowl of quality extra virgin olive oil for dipping a warm piece of bread.

Just use your favorite nuts, sauces and spreads.
almonds
pecans
macadamia nuts
trail mix
honey
jam

Use Extra Ingredients to fill up the spaces: 

Fill up any opening spots with the remainder of ingredients of your choice. To add some fun pops of color, add fresh herbs or fresh flowers.

How to Arrange Your Cheese Board

So we’ve covered what goes on a cheese board. But how to put all that together so it looks interesting and beautiful?

When it comes to arranging things on your cheese board, be thoughtful, but don’t stress out too much! Have fun! Don’t be afraid to be whimsical in how you throw things on the board. You can choose to go simple and sparse, or you can go with a fuller cheese board. 

Video Tutorial in Urdu:

Video Tutorial in English:

And there you have it! You don’t have to include all of the items in your cheeseboards. Pick a few of your favorites or things you have in your pantry. You can even create separate boards for various categories.

Ingreidnts for Pumpkin shaped Cheese ball: 

1 8 oz block cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
1 8 oz tub vegetable cream cheese
2 tbsp Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch mix
3 green onions sliced (optional)
1 red or green pepper finely diced (save the stem)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided