One of my staples when hosting is a charcuterie platter. Now that covid season is almost over (goodbye winter!), it’s time to host again this spring. A charcuterie platter is the perfect appetizer because I don’t really have to cook anything except prepare everything in a nice platter.
When friends drop by simply to get something, I always have on hand a small charcuterie platter. I don’t bother to roll my jamon or chorizo in a particular way because one of the things you want to do with a charcuterie platter is make sure all the space in the platter is utilized. The absence of empty space is what makes the charcuterie platter beautiful. It makes the food appear in abundance. I’ve made small charcuterie platters all the way to charcuterie tables in my kitchen island (I cover the entire kitchen island with parchment paper). So here are my top tips for an excellent appetizer charcuterie platter:
1. Use a pretty platter.
A pretty platter is a must when making a charcuterie platter. Some people think you need a wooden platter, but this is not always the case. I use a wooden platter, especially when the guests have to cut the cheeses. But when I’m having a large group and my wooden platters are not enough, I also use my glass platters. It’s all about arranging the contents inside.
2. Use Different types of chips.
If you’re on a budget, adding different types of chips will lower the cost of your charcuterie plate. Chips will take a large part of your platter, so this will definitely lower your cost. I place the chips in bowls and I either add them to the platter (if I’m only have one or two people or over) or I place them beside the platter if I have so many people over. I use cheese curls (like cheetos), patatas fritas (very similar to Lays), and cortezas (similar to Filipino chicharon). They’re always a hit.
3. put some cut up cheeses.
Cut up cheeses will take a large part of the platter. This is what you want, to use up all the space in your platter. Manchego takes up a large part because they are triangle slices that you can fan out. I’ll also put in a camembert or brie and a blue cheese when I have many people over. Some articles say, you need at least 3 to 4 types of cheeses, but this is not a rule. Just use whatever you have. Sometimes, I just have manchego and that’s all I serve. The important thing in a beautiful charcuterie platter is to ensure that it looks full and there is no empty space.
4. place some chorizo, jamon, salchichon, or any cold cuts that are available.
Add your cold cuts. I live in Spain so I’m partial to jamon and chorizo. I’m not a big fan of salchichon or lomo. Whatever cold cuts you find in your nearby grocery, that would work. I don’t even try to roll my jamon and chorizo because it will take up lesser space. Remember that our goal here is to fill all the space in the platter so it looks like the food is in abundance. What I do is I fan out my cold cuts so they take up more space and they look good in the platter.
5. add fruits.
Fruits are a staple in a charcuterie platter. They give a different type of flavor: fresher. For me, it cleanses the palate. I use grapes or strawberries. When I use a wood for my platter, I only use green grapes because I like to make a color contrast. If they only have violet grapes, I pass and use strawberries instead. Fruits also take up a lot of space in your platter so if you’re on a budget, this will fill up the space in your platter for a low cost.
6. add nuts, Crackers, Olives, and Chocolates.
Nuts, crackers, olives, and chocolates are my fillers in the charcuterie platter. Whatever space is left, I fill them up with these items so the platter looks full. You can’t eat cheese or jamon without some crackers. They call it picos here in Spain. Nuts are also a staple and guests love them because they’re healthy. I add olives because they’re so popular here in Spain as tapas. Chocolates round up the charcuterie platter because people like to end the meal with something sweet.
The best tip in making a charcuterie platter is to just do it. They’re so easy to do. It’s one of my staples when hosting because I already cook the main courses so I don’t want to still worry about cooking any appetizer. Trial and error will show you what looks good and where to place the food items in the platter. It’s the perfect appetizer plate. It’s all about plating. There’s no rule on how many cheeses to serve or how to roll your cold cuts. The only rule you always have to remember is that you should not see any space in your platter. Empty space is the enemy. Filled up space creates the appearance of food abundance. Happy plating!
