This holiday charcuterie board is the perfect way to wow your guests this holiday season and start them off with a great appetizer!
A charcuterie board is a great way to welcome your guests in this holiday season. A good charcuterie board not only provides delicious food but along with that gives your guests a whole experience. They get the beauty of a beautiful spread with a variety of textures and colors while also having the perfect appetizer to enjoy a social gathering with those they love.
A charcuterie board is easy to eat which means it is a great thing to be munching on in between conversations and while the host is finishing up preparing the food.
To go deeper than just a charcuterie board, we are doing a holiday charcuterie board. I love a good seasonal board like this Fall Charcuterie Board.
The difference between an everyday board and a seasonal one is that we use colors and seasonal foods from the time of year. For example, the Fall board is full of mini pumpkins and lots of orange foods.
This holiday one is no exception. Full of lots of greens and reds, this holiday charcuterie board is so festive!
Be sure to save this post for your Christmas menu this year!
Why You Will Love This Holiday Charcuterie Board
- This holiday charcuterie board is one that is simple. In this post, a formula is provided to ensure that you know exactly how much food to have and all that you need. While a charcuterie board looks extravagant, I am convinced you cannot mess it up.
- You will also love this because it is the perfect appetizer. With all the hosting coming up, this starter is exactly what you need to not only wow your guests but also provide them with a delicious and intentional starter to the meal ahead.
- Like said above, a board is a great conversation starter. Now, I believe meals in general are, but a charcuterie board is even more so. People tend to hover over and stay close to a board which makes it so easy for guests to enjoy conversation among themselves.
Holiday Charcuterie Board Formula
To ensure you have enough food on your board for your guests there are certain formulas you can follow.
Meats – For the meats on the board, you want to have about 2 to 3 ounces of meat per person. This is also about two to three slices of meat. Meats for the board are usually sliced pretty thin.
Cheeses – For the cheeses, consider about 3 ounces per person. Cheese is sliced a little thicker but there are many different ways to slice it to elevate the look. More on that later.
Crackers – You will want to have enough to have at least one cracker per piece of meat/cheese. Crackers help break up the strongness of some of the meats and cheeses while also providing texture.
Dips – Dips are a great palate cleanser and just fun addition. Depending on how big your board is, you will want to have 1-3 kinds of dips. These dips can be sweet or savory!
Extras – Some additions to a charcuterie board that you will want to have is fruits (dried and fresh), veggies, nuts, and pickled foods. No formula for these because you can never have too many of them!
For Looks – You’ll want to have some things to garnish the board with to tie it together. For example, fresh herbs or seasonal flowers.
3-3-3 – There is a 3, 3, 3 rule. This rule says that every category you have on your board (meats, cheeses, fruits etc.) there should be 3 different kinds of each. So, 3 kinds of meat, 3 kinds of cheese and so on. Obviously, this will depend on your amount of people. If you are doing a board for two people, you won’t need that much.
Meat, Cheese, and Dip Ideas + More for Your Holiday Board
There are endless possibilities and ideas when it comes the meats, cheeses, and dips on a board. Here are some ideas…
Meats
- Prosciutto
- Salami
- Capicola
- Pepperoni
- Bologna
- Mortadella
- Smoked Salmon
Cheeses
- Brie
- Gouda
- Cheddar
- Goat
- Manchego
Dips
- Hummus
- Jellies/Jams (fig jam is so good!)
- Honey
- Nutella
- Cream Cheese
Holiday Fruits
- Sugared Cranberries
- Craisins
- Pomegranates
- Apples
- Pears
- Oranges (clementines)
- Figs
- Grapes (red or green)
Extras
- Crackers
- Pickles
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Baquette
- Olives
- Pretzels
- Mini peppers
Ways to Style Cheese and Meats
This article by Southern Living gives some good tips on how to cut/style the different kinds of cheeses for a charcuterie board. The picture even gives you an idea of ways to cut cheese.
Here is another video that walks you through ways to slice and style cheeses.
A fun way to style salami is by turning it into a rose. This blog post walks you through that step-by-step.
This post by “Mama did it” shows you 4 ways to style prosciutto.
How to Make A Charcuterie Board Step-by-Step
The first step when making a charcuterie board is to choose the right board. You want to pick a board that is a good size for the number of guests you are having and one that is the right shape that you want your board to be. You can even use butcher paper instead of a board! That makes for easy cleanup.
The next step is to arrange dishes on the board before you start laying down food. Doing this before the food will not only help account for space but will also allow you to work around the shape of the dishes. You will understand that more later. The dishes are great for dips and nuts.
After the dishes are on the board, it is time to start laying down food! Start with what you want to be a focal point. I wanted the log of goat cheese to be in the middle so I did that as well as some other cheeses.
From there, keep adding things in here and there, moving things around until you get your desired look.
Once all the food is on, finish the board off with the garnishes. For this one, I did rosemary as well as some cranberries to make it even more holiday themed.
Now you are ready to enjoy it!
If you create a holiday charcuterie board of your own, we would love to hear how it went for you. Please let us know in the comments below!
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Holiday Charcuterie Board
A holiday charcuterie board is a the perfect appetizer to serve your guests this holiday season. It is simple to make yet so appetizing! Add a holiday charcuterie board to your Christmas menu this year.
Ingredients
- Meats - variety of 2 to 3 ounces per person
- Cheeses - variety of 3 ounces per person
- Crackers - 1 ounce per person
- Fruits/vegetables - 1/2 cup per person
- Extras - dips, nuts, pickles/olives
Supplies Needed
- Food Grade Board/Butcher Paper
- Small Dishes
Instructions
- To start assembling a charcuterie board, you need to pick the right board. Pick one that is food grade and big enough for the size gathering you are having. You can also use butcher paper instead of a board.
- Once your board is picked, place the small dishes on the board so you can work the food around them and account for space. I recommend using at least two. These dishes are for dips, nuts or pickled things!
- Now start assembling. You really cannot go wrong with this step. Start with placing something in the center as a focal point and go from there. Look at other people's boards for inspiration.
- Once fully assembled, enjoy!
Notes
Above the recipe, there is a "how to make a holiday charcuterie board step-by-step" heading that walks you through it very in depth and even shows pictures. I recommend following that to get a better idea! There are also ideas for meats, cheeses, crackers, dips and more. We got you covered!
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