Simple Charcuterie Board - Showit Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie? ›

No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

Often, chocolate or sweets are included, too. However, the simplest board will always have five key ingredients: fruit, nuts or olives, cheese, meat, and a carb like toasted bread or crackers.

Fully styled charcuterie boards can sell, depending on size and flavor selections, from $20 – $2,500 and up. In most cases, as long as the business owner keeps an eye on costs of goods, labor and delivery, charcuterie businesses can be quite profitable.

Here's some of the best cheese for charcuterie boards: Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago. Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar. Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster.

Any classic charcuterie board recipe is typically filled with a plethora of delicious but highly processed meats and cheeses that can run on the unhealthy side. For instance, cured meats and sausage-style meats include additives for preservation, which increase the risk of disease.

Choose plain, shelled pecans for a classic board or add spiced or candied pecans for a unique treat. Almonds: With a mild, slightly sweet flavor and sharp crunch, almonds go beautifully with Swiss, brie and cheddar. Cashews: Creamy and buttery, cashews pair well with the tanginess of goat cheese and blue cheese.

After all that meat and cheese, you're going to need something to balance those rich flavors. Cairo suggests accenting the board with acidic pickles, crunchy nuts, whole grain mustard (Maille is his favorite brand), tinned fish, and something sweet like quince jam or a drizzle of honey.

Meat and cheese boards are super easy to make. The staples for a proper charcuterie board are cured meats with cheese options, plus a selection of dried or fresh fruits, nuts, crackers, spreads, olives and pickled vegetables. Think of it as a glorified snack tray and choose what appeals to you.

Average Cost: $15-$50 per person. The cost varies depending on the quality and quantity of ingredients, presentation, and sourcing. High-quality cheeses, meats, and other items can increase the price.

Are there rules for charcuterie boards? ›

Depending on the size of your board, you should have one each of cow, sheep, and goat options with soft rind, firm, and hard cheeses in the mix. Flavors should range between nutty and mild to funky and unique. Rule of thumb: 1 cow, 1 sheep, 1 goat; 1 soft, 1 firm, 1 hard.

3 Starches: we like Taralli (a traditional Italian cracker almost like a small, circular breadstick), Artisan Crisps by Rustic Bakery, and baguettes from Gilles Baguettes.