How to Build A Perfect Cheese Board

Ready to make the BEST cheese board for your next party? This here is the complete guide for how to make a cheese board. ALL your questions from what cheeses and meats you need that you will need for create this proposal miticulously.
to what else goes on a cheese board; how much you need; and how to arrange everything for a stunning cheese board every single time! Be sure to read through for all the tips and tricks.
They are delicious. They are impressive. And they are crazy easy to put together. I’m a big fan of dishes that have a high oooh-and-ahhh to elbow grease ratio. And cheese boards are the epitome of a great return on investment. They take just a few minutes to put together, and man, do they ever look sharp. So much so, that when you bring one out, more often than not, one of your guests will say, “Oh, you didn’t have to go to that much hassle for me!” To which you will then laugh and tell them it took you like three seconds to put together. Or you’ll let them continue to feel impressed. Depending on how much you like your houseguest.

Now, there are a lot of cheese board tutorials out there. So let me tell you why mine is different—it isn’t ridiculous. Some of the cheese boards you see that are making the rounds on Instagram have hundreds of dollars worth of ingredients put into them, tons of food styling time, and so many moving parts, it seems almost impossible to wrap your brain around. That isn’t my cheese board. I’m so not that kind of girl.

How do you make a cheese board?

My basic principle when making a cheese board is to put piles of stuff I like on a board. Done. It really is that simple. I just pile stuff on a board until it’s full, and then when people eat some, I pile on some more. There isn’t really anything magical to it!

What goes on a Cheese Board?

There really are three main components that make the best cheese board: cheese, meats, and accompaniments. And, the fourth component, is a little element of surprise…

1- Cheese. What kind and how much? Think variety. Include at least 4 different cheeses on your board from different categories: firm, soft, and semi soft. And start with your favorites. For example, on my cheese board, I added two firm cheeses I love,  Parmigiano-Reggiano and aged Cheddar. Both are also sharp in taste, so to balance that, I added a round of mild French brie (soft) and slices of Swiss (semi soft.) When I’m feeling fancy, I dress up my brie with nuts and jam like in this baked brie recipe.

I generally recommend picking 3-5 cheeses for your cheese platter. For most cheese boards, you’ll want to select varieties that cover the whole cheese spectrum in terms of texture and flavor. Here is a general idea of what kinds of cheeses to get:

• A mix of cheese textures—Get at least one soft cheese (like brie), one hard cheese (like Parmesan), and one crumbly cheese (like bleu cheese).
• A mix of strengths—Not everyone loves stinky cheese, so make sure one or two of your options are mild or buttery.
• A variety of colors and shapes—This is just to make the board look more visually interesting and pretty!

Most of those cheese counters at higher-end grocery stores will let you sample cheeses if you don’t know what you’re buying. And many also have a bargain bin where you can get small wedges or wheels for just a few bucks—this is great for cheese boarding!

The perfect way to kick-off a party is an epic cheese board! Use this recipe/guide to make the perfect cheese board. Be whimsical and have fun!

3 from 1 vote

Imprimer la recette Pin Recipe

Ingrédients

  

For Cheese (5 options) : Various cheese (get a mix of flavors, textures, shapes, and colors)

• Hard Cheeses: Parmagian Reggiano and Sharp Cheddar, for example
• Soft Cheeses: Brie and creamy Greek Feta
• Semi Soft Cheese: Sliced Swiss
• Other: Sliced cheddar
• alpine cheese

For Meats and charcuterie ( 5 options)

• Proscuitto di Parma
• salami (hard or soft)
• Coppa or Hot Capicola
• sopressata
• chorizo/mortadella 

Accompaniments

• Crackers and small-sliced breads Sliced baguette or pita chips
• Fresh vegetables and fruit: cucumbers; grapes; sliced pears or apples, grapes, cherry tomatoes, cherries for example
• Sweet: dried figs; and honey or jam or also chocolate
• Tangy: olives and other marinated items like artichokes pickles, roasted peppers, tapenades, almonds, cashews, or spicy mustards
• Finish it off with some garnishes. This is a great way to give your cheese board a seasonal touch. Use edible flowers, fresh herbs, or additional fruits to give your board the look and feel you want.

Instructions

 

First Method :

• On  a large wood board or serving platter of your choice, place one ingredient in the center of the board and 4 others on each of the corners to create shape to the board. I placed my hummus bowl in the center of the board, and in the 4 corners, a round of brie; square of aged cheddar; a bowl of olives; and a bowl of creamy crumbled feta.
• From there, fill in the board from the center to the corners with the remaining cheeses, meats, and accompaniments. Take a look and see where the gaps are, add more items as needed. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Second Method :

• Begin by spreading the cheese wedges, logs, and wheels evenly throughout the cheese board surface. Add cheese knives.

  Next, fill around the cheese with the salty items (meats,charcuteries, nuts, olives, etc.).

  Then, add a few piles of sweet items(fruit, dried fruit, chocolate, etc.).
• Pile in the crunchy items and the condiments in small jars or bowls(crackers, pita chips, breadsticks, etc.).
• Next, fill in any empty spaces with space-filling items like grapes, cherry tomatoes, or cherries.
• Finally, garnish the cheese board with fresh herbs and edible flowers.

Notes

TIPS FOR MAKING THE ULTIMATE CHEESE BOARD:

1. Offer a variety of savory and sweet ingredients. The truth is everyone likes their cheese a little different. Some like it savory, some like it sweet, and some like a combination of both. The best cheese boards have something for everyone.
2. Offer a variety of textures. Because eating is such a sensory experience, a variety of textures makes any cheeese board more interesting.  Consider ingredients with various textures such as creamy, crunchy, crumbly, gooey, and crisp.
3. Use cheese markers to label cheese so everyone knows what they're getting.
4. Bring cheeses to room temperature before serving in order to bring out their true flavor.
5. Don't forget the knives, spoons, toothpicks, etc.

WHAT I INCLUDED ON THIS CHEESE BOARD:

CHEESE: Roth Kase Raw Private Reserve, Sartori Merlot Bellavitano, Wisconsin 5-Year Cheddar, St. Mark's Bloomy Rind, Bri Du Pommier, Bayley Hazen Blue

MEATS: Murray's Prosciutto di Parma, Murray's Genoa Salami

FRESH FRUITS: Snapdragon apple slices, red grapes

DRIED FRUITS: Mariani Dried Apricots, Cherry Bay Orchards Dried Montmorency Cherries

NUTS: Blue Diamond Honey Roasted Almonds, Fisher Roasted Cashews, Roundy's Pecan Halves

SAVORY: Murray's Garlic Stuffed Olives, Trois Petits Cochons Cornichons

DIPS: Private Selection Whole Grain Garlic Mustard, Local Hive Honey, Divina Fig Spread

BREADS: Alessi Breadsticks, Private Selection Peppercorn & Poppy Water Crisps, Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Seeded Flatbread

Keyword best cheese board, charcuterie and cheese board, cheese and meat board, cheese board, cheese board ideas, cheese board recipe, cheese board recipes, cheese boards, cheese charcuterie board, cheese ideas, cheese platter, cheese table, cheeseboard, cheeseboard pizza, cheeseboards, meat and cheese board, perfect cheese board