Elevating Charcuterie: Beef & Cheese - From Grazing to Gourmet

They are also easy to make, and you can be creative by making themed boards with different colors, shapes, and sizes. And the best part is you can make it any way you want.

Suppose you plan to prepare a charcuterie board for your friends or family. Here’s a guide on creating a fantastic beef and cheese charcuterie to make your party fun.

What is charcuterie?

Pronounced as “shah-koo-tuh-ree,” Charcuterie is a lavish word for cured meat. It originally comes from two French words “chair,” which means flesh, and “cuit,” which means cooked.

It is an appetizer usually served on a wooden board and eaten straight from it. However, people have become more creative in preparing their charcuterie boards. They also use ceramic platters and large plates.

Also, the charcuterie board usually has various types of meats, cheese, seasonal fruit, jams, nuts, and crackers. They are assembled aesthetically pleasing to the eye, which makes them more appetizing.

How to Prepare Your Beef and Cheese Charcuterie

The Charcuterie board consists of various ingredients. Here’s a list of the items you must prepare for your beef and cheese board.

Meat

It would help to have a variety of meat when creating your beef and cheese charcuterie board. There are a lot of choices, including beef salami, roast beef, beef jerky strips, bresaola or cecina, beef liver pate, and more.

It would be best to slice your meat paper thin and fold them in quarters. Fan them out on the board to make the pieces easy to pick up. This also makes the arrangement prettier.

Cheese

Cheese goes well with beef. Serve an assortment of mild, medium, and robust cheeses to give different flavors and textures to your board.

There are different types of cheese you can add to your board, such as sharp cheddar, gouda, brie, epoisses, burrata, parmigiano reggiano, manchego, provolone, smoked cheddar, stilton, gorgonzola, and more.

Seasonal fruit

Make your charcuterie board more colorful and sweet by adding a variety of fruits. People commonly pair beef with pomegranates, arils, grapes, figs, apples, cherries, berries, plums, and pears.

If you will serve apples or pears, soak the slices in lemon juice and water before plating them. This will prevent them from turning brown.

Nuts and dried fruit

Fill the nooks and crannies of your board with various nuts. Some of the best varieties you may add are almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, and nut brittle.

Additionally, if no fresh fruits are available, you may use dried ones for your charcuterie board. Dried cherries, dried apricots, and dehydrated coconut are great options to add sweetness to your beef and cheese board.

Brined items

Balance the richness of the cheeses and meat by adding small foods such as marinated peppers, olives, pickled vegetables, and other little acidic noshes. These items add more flavor to your board.

Bread and crackers

A meat charcuterie board is best enjoyed naked. You don’t usually need bread to eat the meat. But if you want to serve your board as a de facto main course, you may use bread as a bulking agent. 

Add slices of sliced baguette, rustic bread, thin crispy bread sticks, wedges of pita, or artisanal crackers to your board. They can be eaten at intervals to fill your guests up.

Tips for Preparing Beef and Cheese Charcuterie Board

A beef and cheese charcuterie board is much more than throwing some pieces of meat, cheese, bread, and fruits. It is also a form of art and a chance to satisfy the eyes and palates of your guests.

Here are some tips when preparing your delicious and eye-catching board:

• Give guests plenty of choices
• Combined savory and sweet
• Roll the meat and cut the cheese
• Fill bare spots with something that people can eat
• Pair your beef and cheese board with some wine.

Serve the Best Beef and Cheese Charcuterie

A curated beef and cheese platter is a quick and easy yet fancy way to make your appetizer delicious and visually appealing. Treat your guests with a variety of meat, cheese, fruits, nuts, and bread. They will love this tasty board that can satisfy their palates.