November 21, 2020
Charcuterie boards are my signature Holiday party contribution. They are fun, beautiful & let’s be honest, everyone loves cheese. However, with 2020 and Covid restricting our abilities to host the holiday events we are use to, that doesn’t mean we can’t still spread the holiday cheer with charcuterie.
What you need
I recommend shopping your local stores, Home goods, Marshalls, or Hobby Lobby for the items below. If you cannot find locally I’ve linked items from Amazon:
- To Go Boxes – Small ( Serves 2)
- To Go Boxes – Large (Serves 4-6)
- Snack Bags (for crackers)
- Paper Snack Bags (for crackers)
- Condiment Container LARGE (for olives or pickles)
- Small Condiment Container (for dips & Spreads)
- Festive Ribbon & Holiday Tags
Meat & Cheese Please.
To make 6 small boxes, follow the below selection amounts. For 6 large boxes, double the amounts.
For recommended selections, visit my Trader Joe’s Charcuterie Post
Meats
Select 2-3 Meat Varieties
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Capicola
- Pepperoni
- Chorizo
- Smoked Salmon
Cheese
Select 3-4 cheese varieties. I recommend picking from different categories
- Soft– Brie, Cream Cheese, Fresh Mozzarella, Camembert, Feta
- Firm– Cheddar, Manchego, Gouda
- Aged– Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gouda, Gruyere
- Blue– Roquefort, Gorgonzola
- Milk Type: Cow, goat or sheep.
Fruit
Select 1-2 fruit varieties.
- Dried Fruit: Dried Tart Cherries, Figs, or apples
- Fresh Fruit: Honey Crisp Apples, Grapes, Pears or Pomegranate Seeds
Nuts, Pickle & Olives
Select one nut & one olive or pickle variety.
- Olives or pickles: A selection of olives, pickled vegetables, capers or marinated peppers add brine to the tray.
- Nuts: Marcona Almonds, Pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews.
Spreads
Select 1 spread.
- Mustards
- Jams/Preserves
- Honey
- Addition dips such as hummus or red pepper dip also pair well when adding crudite alongside your charcuterie board.
Extras
Select 1 or 2 extras.
- Pretzels
- Chocolate covered nuts
- Seasonal Cookies
- Candies
Breads & Crackers
Select 2-3 Crackers
- Crackers – flavored, gluten free, or plain.
- Crunchy Breadsticks
- Crusty loaf of bread or baguette
How to Assemble
- Fill the 1 condiment container with a spread. Fill 1 condiment container with olives, pickles or additional dip. Place in the box.
- Slice the cheeses. Place the cheese in the box.
- Slice the meats. Fan out slices in the box. If using proscuitto or thinly sliced meats, pinch into piles (see picture) and place in box.
- If using apples, or pears, slice and fan a few slices into the box. If using grapes place them in. If using anything smaller, like pomegranate seeds or dried fruit. wait until the end.
- At this point, the box should be fairly full. Use the nuts, extras & any remaining fruit to be sprinkled in to fill in spaces.
- Place crackers or bread into snack bags & secure with ribbon.
- Tie boxes up with festive ribbon & tags.
- Gift to neighbors, friends & Family & expect praise!
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #eatingataltitude. And of course be sure to follow Eating At Altitude on Instagram. You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest. xo!
