Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board (2024)

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Celebrate a decadent Valentine’s Day at home with a bottle of wine and a “love themed”, easy to make Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board.

Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board (1)

Valentine’s Charcuterie Board

Valentine’s week is upon us and if you’re anything like me, I pretty much loathe going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. The restaurants are packed, the menus can be limited and it is obvious wait staff have been instructed to move you through so they can get to the next seating. I’ll happily stay home and enjoy this Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board with the ones I love. This board is also a great option if you are having a bunch of friends over for a Valentine’s themed gathering. There is something for everyone on this board that can be served as an appetizer or a meal.

How Do You Pronounce “Charcuterie” Board

I have been asked this question so many times. I often take for granted that charcuterie might be a hard word for some to pronounce with confidence. Its origin is French and refers to smoked and dry-cured meats. However, charcuterie or charcuterie boards have recently taken on a meaning all of their own. Charcuterie these days refers more to appetizer boards, whether meats are included or not.

The phonetic spelling of charcuterie is as follows…(shahr-cute-uh-ree).

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What To Put On A Charcuterie Board

  • A variety of meats and cheeses
  • pickles, veggies and fruits
  • crackers and various nuts
  • mustards and fruit spreads
  • candy or chocolate

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How To Arrange A Charcuterie Board

  • Start by arranging your cheese selections and any bowls or jars you might be using that are filled with nuts, pickles, olives etc.
  • Place meat, such as salami or rolled deli meats
  • Fill in with fruits and veggies
  • Place crackers in areas that need to be filled in
  • Add sweets to balance out the savory flavors
  • Garnish with herbs for color

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Are Charcuterie Boards Healthy

That all depends what you put on them and how much you indulge. If you are following a special diet, make sure to place items you are allowed to eat and can enjoy without guilt. Since there are really no rules when it comes to arranging a charcuterie board, you can add as many healthy items as you please.

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How Can I Make My Charcuterie Board Stand Out

  • Slice up your cheese before arranging it on the platter
  • Keep any soft or ripe cheeses intact, as a full wedge
  • Some types of cheese might look better made into triangles, chunks, crumbles or squares
  • Have a different shape for each cheese makes it visually appealing
  • Use garnishes such as fresh herbs, edible flowers, colorful fruit, honey, nuts and dried fruit
  • Include something pickled along with a mustard and a spreadable jam

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Is It Okay To Mix Dessert Items With Savory Bites?

Yes! Mixing good chocolate, candy or other sweet bites is probably my favorite part of designing and eating a charcuterie board. It’s all about balance and little bites of sweet help balance the savory flavors of the meat and cheese.

Here are some of my favorite sweet items:

  • chocolate dipped bacon
  • caramel corn
  • dried fruit
  • gummy bears
  • truffles
  • candied nuts
  • pound cake
  • cookies
  • chocolate covered strawberries

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Sometimes you can find cheese that has a sweet component and that works really well for a balance of flavors. The above photo shows two different goat cheese logs that have been sliced into rings. One log is Blueberry-Vanilla and the other is Cranberry-Cinnamon. They add a wonderful sweetness to this board. Look for them at your market.

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What Size Charcuterie Board Do I Need To Make This

  • The board I’m using is a marble slab. I absolutely love it and use it for so many things.
  • Here is an example of a wood board the same size as the marble. It’s much pricier!

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What Do I Serve With A Charcuterie Board

A charcuterie board can most definitely take the place of a meal. It’s a great way to casually entertain during the week. It’s also great for date night in with a movie. If you’re also wanting to serve dinner, here are few suggestions for some meals I know you’ll love.

  1. Simple Zesty Pork Tenderloin
  2. Air Fryer Caribbean Spiced Chicken
  3. Buttery Sheet Pan Garlic Shrimp
  4. Filipino-Style Grilled Flank Steak

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Slice up cucumbers with a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to make the cucumbers into heart shapes. The love is always in the details.

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I promise you this charcuterie board is going to go over well!

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IF YOU DO MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOBLEPIG, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE HOW YOURS TURNED OUT! TAG@NOBLEPIGON INSTAGRAM WITH YOUR CREATION. DON’T FORGET TO RATE THIS RECIPE AND LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ONINSTAGRAM,PINTEREST,FACEBOOKANDTWITTERFOR LOTS OF FOOD INSPIRATION AND A PEEK INTO EVERYDAY LIFE.

Get the shopping list for this charcuterie board below.

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Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board

Celebrate a decadent Valentine's Day at home with a bottle of wine and a "love themed", easy to make Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board

Servings: 8 people

Author: Cathy

Ingredients

  • beef summer sausage
  • pepper Genoa salami
  • Soppressata
  • pepperoni
  • Cheddar, Colby, Swiss and Pepper Jack cheese slices
  • marinated Feta cheese
  • garlic and herb Brie wedge
  • cranberry cinnamon goat cheese
  • blueberry vanilla goat cheese
  • cornichons
  • caper berries
  • grape tomatoes
  • cucumbers, sliced and cut into heart shapes
  • strawberries
  • grapes
  • blackberries
  • raspberries
  • honey roasted almonds
  • pistachios
  • walnuts
  • almond flour crackers
  • artisan crackers
  • red pepper mustard
  • M&M's, Valentine themed
  • dark and milk chocolate
  • raspberry pretzels
  • cinnamon bears
  • French burnt peanuts
  • chocolate hearts
  • rosemary sprigs for garnish

Instructions

  • Use a very small heart cookie cutter to cut hearts shapes in your sliced cucumbers.

  • Place all food items of your choice on the board and serve. I like to place cheese and meet first and then fill in with everything else as needed.

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Valentine's Day Charcuterie Board (2024)

FAQs

What is the 3-3-3 rule for charcuterie? ›

What is the 3-3-3-3 Rule for Charcuterie Boards? No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

What are 5 things to avoid on a charcuterie board? ›

5 Mistakes You are Making on Your Charcuterie Board
  • Peppers: Whether green, red, or yellow, peppers are best avoided. ...
  • Tricky vegetables: Namely, tomatoes or Asparagus. ...
  • Jalapeno stuffed olives (or anything too spicy): Very hot foods simply don't work well with most wines, and they can overwhelm your taste buds.

What should every charcuterie board have? ›

This includes cooked and cured meat products like hams, sausages, terrines, and pâtés. While traditionally that was the jest of it, these days a charcuterie board implies a spread of cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, spreads, crackers, and breads.

What finger foods go with a charcuterie board? ›

Antipasto Tray
  • Desired cured meats.
  • Bold cheese (we used cubed feta and goat cheese)
  • Pickled or fresh veggies.
  • Dried and fresh fruits like dates, apricots, figs, and plums.
  • Olives.
  • Bread slices or crackers.
  • Herbed nuts.
Nov 16, 2023

What are 3 good cheeses for a charcuterie board? ›

Here are the best cheeses for your charcuterie board
  • Hard cheese: chunks of parmesan, aged gouda, asiago.
  • Firm cheese: gruyere, comte, manchego, colby, cheddar.
  • Semi-soft cheese: havarti, butterkäse, muenster.
  • Soft cheese: burrata, mascarpone, stracchino.
  • Blue cheese: gorgonzola, dunbarton blue, marbled blue jack.

How many cheeses should you have on a charcuterie board? ›

Cheese is usually sliced much thicker than meat, both by the store and by your guests, so you'll need a little more than the meat. So pick one cheese from each category, but don't sweat if you want fewer than four cheeses. Even if you only choose two, that just leaves more room for bread, grapes and other extras.

What not to put on charcuterie? ›

There are a few that I would stay away from eggplants, brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, zucchini and mushrooms. Many of these vegetables taste best when cooked, and Charcuterie boards generally don't include steamed or cooked veggies.

How unhealthy are charcuterie boards? ›

Any classic charcuterie board recipe is typically filled with a plethora of delicious but highly processed meats and cheeses that can run on the unhealthy side. For instance, cured meats and sausage-style meats include additives for preservation, which increase the risk of disease.

What is the healthiest meat for charcuterie board? ›

The secret to making a healthy charcuterie board is using meats that are unprocessed, lower in fat, and high in protein. The best options for this include chicken, turkey, and sirloin steak. These meats can be served cured, like cold cuts, or cooked and sliced into thin pieces to make deli-style sandwiches.

Do carrots go on charcuterie? ›

In addition to carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, many other vegetables can include on a charcuterie board. Here are some other choices: Radishes. Celery.

What to put on a charcuterie board besides cheese and meat? ›

Believe it or not, it's super simple to create an impressive presentation of cured meats, specialty cheeses and all the colorful complements. Get creative with olives, antipasti, fresh fruit, nuts, spreads, crackers and more.

What's best on a charcuterie board? ›

What goes on a charcuterie board? Traditionally, a charcuterie board features cheese and cured meat (charcuterie) as well as complimentary items for pairing. This can include fruit, sweet preserves, honey, and salty finger foods like olives, cornichon (small pickles), and nuts.

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