Charcuterie (pronounced shar-coot-er-ee) literally means cured meats. Like bacon, salami and ham - cooked or smoked. While fish isn't technically included in this definition, we love making charcuterie boards with our smoked salmon jars and pouches. "Seacuterie boards"- if you will! They're a stress-free solution to last-minute guests, potlucks and holiday parties.
Last October I took a charcuterie board class at Tricky Foods. I was so excited to learn more about board preparation and presentation since I make them so often with our fish. Here's what I learned, that I think every other charcuterie board maker should know!
Smoked Copper River Sockeye Jar
Charcuterie Checklist
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Tray: circle tray (9-12 inch diameter) or a wooden cutting board.
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Spreads: ramekin or small jar filled with jam or honey.
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Tools: knife or cheese slicer if you have one.
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Cheese: a variety of soft (brie, goat, gournay, etc.) and semi-firm/firm (white cheddar, merlot, manchego, etc.). We say add whatever cheeses you have in your fridge!
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Charcuterie: sliced salami and/or prosciutto. In this case - smoked salmon! (Add caviar if you're feeling extra spicy!)
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Grains: one to two types of crackers or bread. Our fave cracker is Carr's Tablewater Original.
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Fresh fruit: grapes, berries, oranges... anything in season.
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Dried fruit: we love dried apricots, figs and raisins.
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Relishes: pickles and olives are our staples.
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Nuts or trail mix: praline pecans or pistachios are our go-tos.
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Sweets: something involving chocolate.
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Garnish: fresh rosemary, thyme, or mint.
Step by Step
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Pick your board. Something circular or rectangular and wooden or marble is most pleasing to the eye. Pro Tip: We love these handcrafted Hygge boards from our friend Rose at Camino Woodshop.
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Add your main event, the cheese. Spread the various cheese out so they are evenly away from each other and at opposing sides of your board. Pro Tip: Layer or fan out your cheese for an elegant look.
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Add Seacuterie. Our smoked salmon jar or pouch is perfect for the center focus. Use small tongs or a crab fork to serve the fillets. Pro Tip: keep the salmon right in the jar for beautiful presentation or plate the pouch onto a smaller dish atop the large board. There is natural oil that comes from the salmon during the smoking process (so many omega-3s!) that you'll want to keep the salmon in for presentation and topic of conversation.
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Add crackers next. Why, you may ask? Because they are the next best part in our humble opinion, so make sure to make some room. Pro Tip: If you are making the board ahead of time, keep the crackers to the side and add them right before you serve! This helps keep everything at peak crisp.
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Wash, dry, cut and add fresh fruit. Add opposing colors next to each other. Think of what's opposite on the color wheel and add something like blueberries or blackberries next to an orange slice or dried apricot. Add the same colored fruit across from each other to help spread it around. Pro Tip: Add items in groups of 3 or 5. It looks best!
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Add in your "extras." Dried fruit, pickles, olives, nuts and chocolate can be added in small quantities since these aren't the main event (unless you want them to be.) Prop TIp: Fill in the gaps with these various items based on color.
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Add garnish. Our staples are fresh rosemary, thyme and mint. Pro Tip: Add greenery around the edges and an edible flower like violet, pansy or nasturtium if you want to make your board look (almost) too good to eat.
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Enjoy! You worked hard on your board. Now reap the benefits. Don't forget to snap a pic before your artwork gets devoured!
