Atraditional charcuterie board is just a meat platter. But as these communal boards have gotten more popular for entertaining at home, the definition has expanded to include abundant displays of meats, cheeses, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, toasted nuts and briny olives, plus honeys, jams, jellies, chutneys, mustards and more!
A beautiful charcuterie board is a statement piece and a time-saver, since it typically requires little to no cooking. It only takes a few minutes to assemble.
Since your board is an appetizer, not a main course, you don’t need as much meat per person as you would for an entree.
Meats: Two to three slices, or approximately 2 to 3 ounces per person should satisfy your guests. If you’re serving 8 – 10 people, you will need 1 – 1 1/2 lbs of meat, and you’ll want to pick at least one from each category.
Cheeses: It’s usually sliced a little thicker, so 3 ounces of cheese per person or 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 pounds for 8-10 people (roughly 3 medium-size hunks) should do the trick.
Extras: You’ll want at least one cracker or piece of bread for every slice of meat. Extras — pickles, spreads, nuts, fruits — should all be plentiful. Your guests may want to play with different flavor combos in each bite. It would not be unreasonable to serve 5-10 handfuls or small vessels of extras.
If you want to serve your board as the main dish, add a little extra of everything and think about adding a salad and a heartier cured meat, like a grilled kielbasa or other smoked sausage.
