Understanding and learning how to craft the perfect charcuterie board ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MARK MADDALONI DESIGN BY EMILY SCHOONOVER
Shaar-koo-tr-ee. Charcuterie. You’ve seen it on those trendy restaurant and bistro menus, you’ve seen it on that one chick’s foodie Instagram. But what the hell is it? Charcuterie itself refers to cold, cured meats. A charcuterie board, however, typically contains the meat along with cheese, bread and condiments. If you want to put together a good charcuterie board, put away everything you know. Unfortunately, this art form is surrounded by misinformation being spread through word of mouth and social media. A good charcuterie board is not measured by the amount of different ingredients on it or how many fruits and other condiments you have, but by the integrity of your meats. When building a board, my advice is to 26 MEAT YOUR MATCH
have at least three different cuts of meat, and plan for four to five ounces of charcuterie per guest. Three gives your guests enough to taste without overwhelming them and will keep your board simple and welcoming to newcomers. When throwing a larger party, I will expand to five, but it’s important to remember your audience: who’s eating this board? Are they charcuterie rookies or masters of the art of consumption? For a group who’s newer, I would stick with fewer, simpler meats like prosciutto or soppressata, but encourage you to get a little zestier with terrines or pâtés for a group who’s more experienced with charcuterie. When picking your meats it’s important that your board tells a story. Remember, this is an art form, people!
