Are you the person who is always tasked with bringing ice to Thanksgiving dinner? Or maybe paper plates? Or bread? Well, it’s time to step up your Thanksgiving game. Time to show the fam that you are a grown up now, and can contribute something tasty to the Thanksgiving spread! And you don’t even have to cook.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last year, you’ve probably noticed that charcuterie boards are all the rage right now. These ‘grazing boards’ are super easy to put together and are sure to impress everyone at Thanksgiving dinner.

I’m going to give you some basics on putting together a charcuterie board, but the nice thing about them is that they are fully customizable to the you and your friends’/family’s personal taste.

Oh, and before I get too far into this, I can’t say this loudly enough — check out Aldi’s for ingredients! They usually have a whole section for charcuterie selections in the store.

So, let’s start with the basics — What is Charcuterie? 

Charcuterie is a display of cured meats. It has gained popularity in recent times and now includes meats, cheeses, and accompaniments that pair well with meats and cheeses.

What to Plan for Your Board:

– Cured meats
– Various cheeses
– Olives and nuts
– Fruit
– Dried Fruits
– Crackers or small slices of bread
– Jelly or jam

Tools for Making a Cheese Board:

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a gorgeous spread. You can even serve them directly off a clean kitchen counter. Here are some tools that make displaying and serving easier.

A serving board – a rimmed board (we got the large board from Frontgate) helps contain everything but any cutting board, rimmed baking sheet, or serving platter will work.

Serving utensils – you can use specialty cheese serving knives and forks or use normal salad forks and butter knives to serve. But honestly, a pack of toothpicks in a cute little container will work too!

Ramekins – or any small dishes work well for messy or moist items like jam, honey, olives, pickles, etc.

What to Put on a Charcuterie Board:

To make the best Cheeseboard, focus on 3 things: variety, taste, texture. Variety makes a great board — add items that are sweet, salty, crunchy, fatty, savory, carb-rich, pickled and brined.
The Best Cheese for a Charcuterie Board

You want a good a combination of cheeses ranging from creamy spreadable cheese to hard cheeses. These are our favorites.

Spreadable Cheese – “Triple Cream Cheese” is super creamy. Some great options include Saint Andre or De Bourgogne. These are perfect for spreading on toasts and crackers. Less expensive options include making herb-flavored cream cheese, or you could even make a Cheese Ball.

Soft Cheese – My favorite for a cheeseboard is Brie. It is mild in flavor, creamy, and wonderful served with honey, walnuts or pecans, and water crackers. Flavored goat cheese such as blueberry or cranberry goat cheese is great for the holidays. Another inexpensive option would be marinated mozzarella balls.

Hard Cheeses – One of the most popular picks for a cheeseboard is Manchego because it pairs really well with fruit, crackers, and cured meats. It’s mild, nutty, and pleasant. A less expensive and very tasty option is a Vermont white cheddar which I love to dice for added texture on your board.
How to Build a Charcuterie Board

To make a charcuterie board, arrange things so they are easy to grab — fan out the slices of cheese, cut grapes into small segments.

Cheeses. Arrange them around the board. Pre-slice hard cheeses and cut a few wedges into the brie.

Meats. Fold them in a variety of patterns.

Pickled Items. Add items that require a dish so you can gauge your space.

Condiments and Spreads. Place condiments near cheeses that pair well. (i.e. honey next to brie). Keep condiments in jars and ramekins.

Fresh Fruit. Cut grapes into small portions and pre-slice apples, rinse, and pat dry berries. Arrange fruit with cheeses they pair well with.
Nuts and Extras. Place pecans or walnuts and pistachios next to brie or soft cheeses. Also add chocolate squares.

Arrange crackers and toasts in remaining spaces or serve them on a separate platter.

Now head out and build your charcuterie board! Maybe your family will be so focused on your food, they won’t think to ask you why you’re still single!