Tips You Need To Know Before Building a Charcuterie Board

TILE FROM HOME DEPOT, FREE CHRISTMAS TREE CLIPPINGS AND FRAMES FROM DOLLAR TREE.

#1. WHAT SURFACE WILL I USE TO BUILD THE CHARCUTERIE?

I wanted to fill my whole dining room table with all the goodies I had collected for my charcuterie board, but have you seen the prices of the boards? THEY’RE CRAZY!

A Charcuterie Board is just that: a large, long piece of wood. You can make your own, but you will need to let the treatment cure for about 30 days before using it for food. My recommendation? Go to your local home improvement store and purchase four pieces of tile (12×24 inches). Piece them together to create a longboard down the center of your table. The finished piece will be 24×48 inches. I purchased all four pieces for less than $10. I love that it’s washable!

#2. DECORATIONS-GREENERY, BERRIES, LIGHTS, AND MORE!

Add a touch of Christmas to your Charcuterie Board! White lights, fresh cranberries, pinecones, and a large star ornament from Dollar Tree. PLUS-FREE GREENERY! Did you know that if you visit your local Christmas tree lot, they will give you the trimmings for free?  I know!  Free decorations!  Awesome!

#3. CHEAP CONTAINERS AND PLATTERS

Cheap serving trays If you don’t have containers for the saucy items (olives, marinated products, or spreads) or don’t want to spend tons of money.  I have a solution.  Purchase an assortment of $1 frame sizes.  Insert a piece of card stock paper (a color that goes with the theme of your party), and use packing tape to seal the back.  It won’t be completely waterproof, but it works for this purpose.  Now you have inexpensive trays.  You can also paint the frames.  Forget about the paper and paint the underside of the glass (the side that won’t touch the food) the same color as the frame.  There are so many options for this idea, and good news!  Just toss the frames!  NO CLEANUP!

How to Build the Ultimate Holiday Charcuterie Board

CHRISTMAS THEMED CHARCUTERIE BOARD: I like to start with staging the decorations.  Since, for the most part, they will be separated from the food.  Once I set the tiles in place, I laid down the burlap (I wanted to keep the theme somewhat earthy and natural).  Then, I arranged the Christmas tree limbs and placed the pine cones and white lights.  I couldn’t resist one bling statement and added a large star ornament (found at Dollar Tree). These ideas can be implemented in any celebration, like New Year’s Eve!

NEW YEARS EVE THEMED CHARCUTERIE BOARD: When it comes to making a charcuterie board for New Year’s Eve, the food can remain the same. Take out the pine tree limbs and star. Add a different type of greenery or remove it from the tablescape and add party hats, streamers, and party horns. So much fun with little effort. Making a Party Charcuterie board is by far my favorite way to entertain.

For added color, I sliced a pomegranate in half and placed it on the pine.  Now that the backstage is set. It’s time to start putting the food items.  Go to your local bakery for the bread.  I chose Cranberry Pecan bread (from Beyond Bread or Costco) and a Baguette.  The cheese is fun!  Add one-holiday cheese (I chose a Cranberry Cheddar) and add some of your favorites.  Choose an assortment of Meats ( like smoked sausage, ham, prosciutto (your favorites), and Spreads (I like to have three different flavors: something sweet, spicy, and mustard).  Now, let’s move on to the marinated items like artichoke hearts and olives.  Fruit is also an important component of a good Charcuterie board, whether that means fresh or dried.  For an added pop of color, I added fresh cranberries.  There you go!  It’s an awesome, fun party board full of yummy food.

MORE CHARCUTERIE ITEM OPTIONS

If you’ve ever built a charcuterie board, then you know the delicious options are endless. Below are a few more options for your party board.

• Assortment of nuts (Candied Walnuts, Smoked Almonds, Sugar Pecans)
• Cheese Ball ( Pineapple, Savory, Fig, Cranberry)
• Crackers
• Hummus
• Fresh Vegetables
• Jelly or Jam (Homemade if possible)
• Dips

HOMEMADE ITEMS FOR YOUR CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Below is a short list of my favorite appetizer recipes perfect for a charcuterie board. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL COLLECTION→APPETIZERS

• SMOKED ALMONDS
• CREAM CHEESE OLIVE PECAN APPETIZER BITES
• EASY HOLIDAY PINEAPPLE CHEESE BALL
• BACON CHEESE RING PARTY DIP
• EASY HOMEMADE SOFT BEER PRETZELS
• WHITE BEAN AND ARTICHOKE SPREAD

In conclusion, creating the ultimate charcuterie board is more than just arranging meats and cheeses on a platter. It requires careful consideration of flavors, textures, and presentation. As we’ve discussed, the key components of a successful charcuterie board include a variety of high-quality meats, cheeses, accompaniments, and a balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. With these principles in mind, you can create a stunning and memorable spread that will impress and delight your guests.

Remember, don’t be afraid to get creative and add your own personal touch to your board. And don’t forget to have fun with it – after all, food is meant to be enjoyed! 💗Sheryl