The History of the Charcuterie Board | State and Allen | American Restaurant in Dallas, TX (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of the charcuterie board? ›

However, the art of charcuterie and cheese boards stems from France. While charcuterie is a fancy word for cured meat, the actual French translation is flesh cooked. The idea of cooked flesh sounds terrifying, but these words are dated back to the 15th century when people used every last bit of meat.

What Is Charcuterie? Charcuterie, the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meats, is the result of humans' need to preserve meat before refrigeration was invented. The word is derived from the somewhat disturbing-sounding French term “chair cuit,” which means “cooked flesh.”

No matter what you call it, meat and cheese tray, cheese platter, charcuterie board or even the silly moniker 'shark-cuterie', the fact remains it's a delicious snack, appetizer or gift. These specially curated boards are essentially artwork that you can eat.

Using salt to cure meats dates back to the Roman empire, but the French pioneered the modern version of charcuterie. Charcuterie is the pairing of two French terms — chair meaning meat and cuit meaning cooked — and came about in the 15th century for shops specializing in cured meats.

Charcuterie is a culinary art developed from necessity—it's the way meats were preserved before refrigeration in order to extend shelf life. The practice of salting and smoking meats to preserve them dates way, way back. Some sausage recipes even date back to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The owners of shops specializing in charcuterie (charcutiers) became popular for their detailed preparation of cured meats and helped establish stylized arrangements of food as part of French culinary culture.

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.

Charcuterie is just a fancy word for cured meat. The word derives from French origins in the 15th century, when people used every last bit of the meat and left nothing to waste.

Charcuterie is divided into three types: forcemeats, sausages and salumi, an Italian word for “salted meats,” which includes preserved whole cuts of meat. Forcemeats are spreadable mixtures of meat and offal (organ meats) like rillettes, pâtés and terrines.

What is replacing charcuterie boards? ›

In place of the cheese and meats on a charcuterie board, a butter board is softened butter spread out on a wooden board and then covered in herbs to serve over bread. It's a trend showing up on foodie feeds on TikTok and Instagram as an indulgent and classy way to serve guests the classic butter and bread pairing.

Antipasto is a platter that contains a combination of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other complementary items, while charcuterie is primarily focused on cured meats.

Charcuterie (/ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/, shar-KOO-tər-ee, also US: /ʃɑːrˌkuːtəˈriː/, -⁠EE; French: [ʃaʁkyt(ə)ʁi]; from chair, 'flesh', and cuit, 'cooked') is a branch of French cuisine devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.

That said, you're sure to have some leftovers from a Costco charcuterie board, so make sure to choose foods you won't mind snacking on in the coming days. Here's what I picked to serve a party of 12 and why.

Pre-industrialization charcuterie boards were enjoyed in Europe since the Middle Ages. They traditionally featured a mix of meats like pork, beef, poultry, game animals, and offal products. This variety of meats represented something more than just a simple meal – they were honorable acts of resourcefulness.

By reducing the water activity, microorganism growth is inhibited. Another way flavor is added to cured meats is by adding starter cultures to dried sausages. This decreases the pH, or acidity, and adds a tangy flavor.

The concept of a grazing platter has been around for centuries, with different cultures having their own versions of this type of food spread. However, the modern-day version of the grazing platter that we are familiar with today is believed to have originated in Australia and New Zealand in the late 20th century.

Focus: Antipasto is a platter that contains a combination of cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and other complementary items, whereas charcuterie is primarily focused on cured meats. Origin: Antipasto originated in Italy, while charcuterie is a French term.