How to Charcuterie Like Martha

I am obsessed with making charcuterie boards right now and a lot of people have been asking me how I make them look so pretty so I thought I would share my tips with ya’ll. I will start by saying …. the key to a successful charcuterie board is NOT how much you spend on the items, but rather how you pair the items and where you place them. I have made giant boards for under $40 and it’s just about knowing what to pair and where on each board. Scroll down for my tips and tricks.

How to Make the Perfect Charcuterie Board

the Perfect Board

Find a large board that has a lip. I don’t like using cutting boards because you can’t transfer them and they tend to be very heavy. I bring charcuterie boards to almost every party I go to so I like a tray or wood platter with a lip on it so my pickles don’t roll off the board. If you are making a charcuterie board for an at home party, a cutting board absolutely works. I have linked a bunch of my favorite boards below if you are looking for one.

your board and the fridge

This is important, because if you are making your board ahead of time, you need to make sure it FITS in your fridge. I like to spend quite a bit of time on my board so I usually work on it earlier in the day and store it in the fridge, until I’m about ready to leave and then I place all the crackers and dry foods on the board.

Cheese in threes

Place your cheese in three different areas. I recommend using three different cheeses on every platter you make. If you want more than three, do five. Always do an odd number of cheeses. Items in odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye. I always use Manchego because it’s salty and firm, and then a soft cheese, like brie, and then a more fun cheese like a cranberry stilton or a apricot stilton depending on the holiday. Always slice the firmer cheeses because you don’t want your guests fumbling with a knife on your big charcuterie board. If you see above I sliced the Manchego and left the other two full and actually crumbled one so people knew they were soft and easy to smear on crackers.

layered Meats

I typically buy a package of salami and prosciutto. They are both usually in a combo pack together and you get quite a bit of meat if you shop at either Trader Joes or Costco. When placing your meat on the board always start on one side and fold your salami in little tacos with the opening to the side or straight up. Don’t roll your meat or leave it completely flat and stuck together. It looks too controlled when you do this. The Charcuterie board should look organic. Layer the pieces one on top of another going down your board about 3” deep. Then move to the other side of your board and do the same, but not directly across. Again, you don’t want everything super matchy-matchy. So go across the board and up a couple inches. Make this pile about the same width. Now, add a third pile of meat at the bottom. Groupings of three are pleasing to the eye. Notice how I have multiple piles of three? The third pile should be prosciutto or a different meat then the two piles you just placed.

plenty of pickles and olives

After you place the meat you want to position pickles or olives next to those piles. The salty cold pickles pair well with the meat and if the juice of the pickles get on the meat it doesn’t matter. Again, make three piles and don’t line the pickles up! Just make a rustic pile. I am obsessed with the petite pickles. Whatever you do, don’t make three different piles. Two piles should be the same, and one different, or all three the same. People think they need to make everything on the board unique and it ends up looking like a weird sample platter. Take my word for it.

holiday fruit

Pick fruit that isn’t super juicy, yet also pairs with what you are serving. If it’s a Christmas board, stick with tart red fruit, like raspberries and blackberries. For Thanksgiving, I typically use mandarines, dried mango, and dried apricots. For Fourth of July I will use strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. are you catching on to the color theme? This is what ties your board to a particular holiday so be mindful of your color choices. Place the fruit around the pickles or olives. Don’t add too much fruit right now, because you will use more fruit as a filler after you place the crackers.

The crackers

I like using the pumpkin cranberry crackers or pomegranate crackers from Trader Joes. They have a great flavor and they pair well with the cheeses. They also look more decadent than a plain white Saltine. Sometimes I add cheese crisps or thin pieces of toasted bread with olive oil. If you want to include a dip, this is a good time to add a small bowl of dip at one end. Stick to one bowl though. It’s not a dip tray. Make the piles of crackers rustic and only place two piles on opposite sides. The goal is to make everything look like it’s spilling into each other. People tend to line up their crackers and it ends up looking like a cheap pre-made cheese tray you picked up at Vons on the way over. If you are placing this board in the fridge don’t add the crackers until you are ready to serve because they will get soggy! Pro Tip: You can always bring another box of crackers and refill during the party.

Finishing Items

Now that all the substantial players are on the board, start filling in the gaps. I ALWAYS add a small sugar section somewhere on the board. On the board above I have chocolate covered blueberries. I have also added chocolate covered oranges and chocolate almonds on past boards. People like salty and sweet. Now you can place more fruit so it spills into the other piles and add some dried fruit or seeds or nuts as well to add different textures to the board. Pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds. On the Thanksgiving board I used candied seeds. They are all good options. Stick to one or two though. Don’t start adding 14 different nuts. Be mindful of not placing all the same colors together as well. Once you have everything on the board, add fresh herbs to finish it off. Since this is a Christmas board I used rosemary. I use sage on my Thanksgiving boards and dill on my Easter charcuterie boards.

Most important take away tips

1. Even numbers create symmetry, but odd numbers create interest! 3 cheeses are visually more appealing than 2 or 4.

2. Don’t line up your meats and crackers! Pile the items and let them spill into one and other. Make it look effortless.

3. Salty and Sweet! Pair sweeter cheeses with salty cheeses, and don’t ever skimp on the pickles or olives.

If this was helpful or you make a Charcuterie board please tag me on Instagram @jessiejanedaye or hashtag #jessiedayerecipes

Happy Holidays!