Charcuterie Board For Gourmets Presenting Ham And Salami As Delicacies

An appetizingly arranged charcuterie board can be used both as part of a breakfast or brunch buffet or as a standalone course at dinner. But what exactly belongs to it? And how do you ideally arrange the ingredients? This guide reveals it to you.

What Is A Charcuterie Board?

Literally translated, the term charcuterie, which comes from French, means: "delicacies." However, even in its country of origin, this term is frequently used to refer to a platter with meat and sausage products. Traditionally, a board in France consists of ham, bacon, sausage, and other pork products. Nowadays, other variants are also common, e.g., beef, chicken, or lamb. Even boards that do not contain any meat but consist of cheese or vegetables can be referred to as charcuterie. However, ham or salami boards are particularly popular in Germany as part of a multi-course meal or for a hearty breakfast or brunch.

Popular Meat And Sausage Varieties

Among the many possible ingredients for a charcuterie board, the following three are particularly popular and are introduced in more detail below:

Ham

To make ham, meat with a high fat content is typically used. This is first cured in salt and then dried for several months. In Germany and other European countries, ham from pork is particularly preferred, but it can also be well-prepared from poultry products. Ham tastes best when cut into thin slices.

Salami

Salami is also usually made from pork. The seasoned meat mass is filled into a sausage casing and then dried using smoke or simply air-dried. There is a great variety of different types of salami, and gourmets particularly appreciate this sausage variety. Depending on the type and texture of the salami, it is served in thin or thicker slices.

Paté

A paté or mousse is a delicacy typically made from chicken. A mixture of meat and liver is passed through a fine sieve and flavored with some wine and spices. Paté is considered a delicious bread spread and is therefore a great addition to a traditional ham-salami board.

What Is The Difference Between Charcuterie And Sausage Board?

Although the tradition of serving meat or sausage on a board has been known in Germany for many years, there is still no specific term for charcuterie here. This is because the typical French board is significantly different from a simple ham-salami board in terms of both content and presentation. To create a perfect charcuterie board, you should consider several things that are explained below.

What Do I Need For A Charcuterie Board?

For a high-quality ham or salami board, you generally need the following:

• Cutlery for arranging and eating the meat and sausage varieties
• A high-quality board, such as marble or wood
• High-quality meat and sausage products

Basically, you can design a charcuterie board entirely individually. In addition to ham, salami, and other meat products, you can also arrange cheeses on it. Typically, you limit yourself to about 3-5 selected varieties. You can garnish the board with fresh grapes, figs, or other ingredients to your taste. It is important that the chosen products are of good quality and complement each other harmoniously. Therefore, we have put together a sample recipe for the perfect charcuterie board for you (for 4 people):

• 50 g salami
• 50 g turkey breast
• 50 g cooked ham
• 75 g mett sausage
• 75 g liverwurst, coarse or fine
• 100 g smoked bratwurst
• Small pickles or olives
• Mustard
• Nuts or crackers
• Fresh baguette

How Much Delicacy Is Needed Per Person?

Depending on whether the ham or salami board is intended to serve as a snack or a full meal, different guidelines apply to the quantity. In the first case, about 60-70 g of delicacies per person is sufficient, while for a full meal, it should be about 150 g. Additionally, there should always be enough bread available. Remember to have more products ready in the refrigerator to refill the boards as needed.

How Do I Arrange A Charcuterie Board?

Basically, there are no limits to the imagination when decorating your board. The board looks particularly elegant when it is sufficiently large and solid, and the ingredients are arranged in small, appetizing portions.

Color scheme also plays an important role. Fresh rosemary sprigs or colorful grapes can create a color contrast to the sausage and cheese varieties and highlight them particularly well. Just try it out and arrange a ham-salami board with or without cheese for yourself or your guests.

A Good Wine As A Companion

In addition to the delicacies and their tasteful arrangement on a charcuterie board, you can serve a good wine, which provides a particularly well-rounded taste experience and forms the perfect accompaniment to your board. Get advice from a local wine merchant. Keep varying the wine varieties to create new taste nuances and pamper your guests with the perfect charcuterie board.