How to Make the Best Charcuterie Board (2025)
More than ever, charcuterie boards are popular items to have at any get-together. If it’s your first time making one, it can be tricky to determine which food selections come together to make an excellent and appealing layout. What can you use to make an incredible charcuterie design?
Charcuterie boards are the ideal asset for any gathering. Read on to learn more about some of the ideal products from Kolikof Caviar & Gourmet to place on any charcuterie board, from essential proteins to items to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Select Your Board and Serving Tools
The first thing you need to do is select the board for your product. The style does matter, especially if you’re creating the board for an upscale event.
Factors to consider in selecting your board include the following:
-
Shape: A large rectangular board or circular selection will work well to hold your items.
-
Size: Pick the size depending on how many people will enjoy the charcuterie board.
-
Material: Ideally, select an organic wood and one lacking chemicals or dangerous ingredients.
Consider what you need the board for and purchase based on these details. You also need some serving tools to present each food item. Add items like Buffalo Horn serving spoons, carving knives, and more.
Pick Your Proteins
Protein is essential on any charcuterie board, with enough for everyone to enjoy to their heart's content. Ideally, a charcuterie board should have around two to three ounces of meat per guest, with less if you have any vegetarians in attendance. The best slices of protein are sliced very thin, which reduces the cost and improves the flavor.
Here are some of the ideal protein selections for your charcuterie board from Kolikof:
You can choose one protein or have a combination on your board.
Cured meats are some of the best selections for a charcuterie board, offering an incredible pop of flavor even in thinly sliced formats. We recommend at least one meat of each type, although you can customize the charcuterie board protein options based on your taste preferences.
Add Some Dairy
You can’t have protein products without dairy accompaniments like cheese. Like meat, dairy is best used in thinly sliced formats on a charcuterie board. You also want to have around three ounces of cheese per guest, with fewer if you have anyone who doesn’t eat dairy or is lactose intolerant.
Some cheese selections for a charcuterie board include the following:
These cheeses make for an incredible combination with the aforementioned proteins.
The goal of the cheese is to go well with the meat, pulling out an incredible flavor palette by eating them together. You want contrasting flavors. For example, a creamy cheese with salami and a soft cheese with prosciutto.
Mix In Salty Accompaniments
You can’t just have cheese and meat. There must be some salty accompaniments to bring balance to the board. Salty snacks will be an excellent pairing with any sweet choices added later.
Some of the best salty selections include the following:
It can be a topping or a snackable selection. Again, you can have one or a mix of all these salty accompaniments. Olives, pastes, and caviar can easily be mixed with other selections, and they look incredible on a charcuterie board.
Try Sweet Additions
Of course, you can’t have the salty without the sweet. Sweet can be in the form of fruit, jam, and other additions to add some sugar along with the savory.
Popular sweet additions to an excellent charcuterie board include the following:
These can go on top of savory items or be enjoyed by themselves. It’s up to you to decide if you want more fruit, jam, or other additions on your charcuterie board. There are ample options to consider.
Place Some Dessert
You can’t just have sweets in the form of jam and fruit - it’s also ideal to have some dessert on the board. Desserts add a pop of color and make for a fun final bite when individuals are done working through the savory options.
Ideal dessert selections for your charcuterie board include the following:
These selections look incredible, amongst other accompaniments. Whether you want chocolate or a classic cookie texture, desserts make an impact. They are the standouts on a charcuterie board.
Have Crunchy Crackers
To pair with the cheese and sweet accompaniments, you need some type of cracker or plain vessel to scoop wonderful flavor profiles from the board to your mouth. Crunchy crackers are the most popular selection, though there are other options.
You can’t go wrong with the addition of French Cocktail Blinis to the board for a base palette. It’s up to you to determine the texture of desired carbohydrate additions for an incredible board.
Consider Purchasing a Premade Pack of Ingredients
Finally, if you don’t want to spend all your time considering what to put on a charcuterie board, you can invest in a premade pack of charcuterie ingredients. There are three tiers, each deliverable to your doorstep and ready to be presented on your board.
The three options include the following:
Each provides enough for a party.
The basic package has all the fundamentals of a charcuterie board, while the elite upgrades with classics like Mike’s Hot Honey and Neuhaus Amandola Cookies. If you want to save time in deciding your ingredients, these premade boxes make the process much simpler.
Make Your Charcuterie Board Incredible With Kolikof
The local grocery store has ample products, but there aren’t enough to pull your charcuterie board together. Instead, invest in a quality online resource with high-quality ingredients from only the top suppliers.
No matter what you’d like in your charcuterie board, invest in all your necessities from Kolikof Caviar & Gourmet. Everything you need will be shipped straight to your front door and ready to use immediately.
