This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are my own.
Let’s talk CHARCUTERIE. First of all, it’s a funny French word that refers to the method of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, etc., primarily from pork. Secondly, charcuterie boards are my go-to appetizer and can easily be put together at the last minute. You just need to have a few simple ingredients on hand to achieve this quick charcuterie board display and you’ll look like a pro even if you have no idea what you’re doing.
Charcuterie Board Must-Haves
The easiest way to create a charcuterie board on a budget and if you are new to this kind of appetizer is to purchase a pre-packaged meat and cheese platter. Some of them just have basic salami, cheese, and crackers but I found these NEW chef-curated Hillshire® Snacking Social Platters at Safeway and they are perfect. They have gourmet ingredients like Genoa salami, prosciutto, dark chocolate, garlic and herb toasted rounds, and white cheddar and can literally be flipped over and served on the tray it comes on.
If you want to get a little fancier with your charcuterie board, you can display your ingredients on a cutting board, or marbled surface. You can find really pretty wooden boards at home decor stores or Etsy, or you can just make them yourself. It’s important to make sure the wooden surface is somewhat protected from the grease from the meats and cheeses, though. I recommend using a food grade butcher block oil prior to setting up your charcuterie board.
The Hillshire Snacking Social Platter comes with pretty much everything you need to create a really good quick and last minute charcuterie board, but if you’d like to add some extras, try adding marinated olives, a variety of crackers, dried fruits and nuts, or some apricot or fig jam. You really can’t mess these up and it’s just a matter of how crowded you like your board to be.
To add a little green garnish to the board, you can add sprigs of fresh rosemary or fresh olive branches, depending on what you have easy access to. I actually have a little olive tree in my backyard and use olive leaf sprigs quite often as a garnish when I’m entertaining.
Where to Find Charcuterie Board Ingredients
You can easily find the NEW Hillshire Snacking Social Platters at your local Albertsons affiliated stores in the refrigerated/deli section near the other party platters. My party platter section at my local Safeway was location right near the entrance because they are trying to make it easier for people to find during the holiday season. This platter clearly stood out because of its gourmet ingredients and packaging making the choice simple.
Right now you can save $2 off your purchase of the Hillshire Snacking Social Platter through 1/27/19, which makes it even more affordably priced than it already is. There are currently two different varieties of the social platter, one being the one I’m sharing in this article, and the other containing two different kinds of salami, sea salt toasted rounds, dried cranberries and cherries, and white cheddar cheese.
Happy snacking!
