Whether it’s used as a delightful grazing board the night before the holiday or to stave off hunger before the big feast, you need to make a Thanksgiving charcuterie board this year. While there are many ideas out there for building the perfect charcuterie board year-round, this seasonal spread is not only crammed with the usual meat and cheese, it also showcases the flavors of the holiday with homemade pumpkin hummus, candied pecans, and fig jam-stuffed brie. It's an autumnal celebration!
What do you put on a charcuterie board for Thanksgiving?
First, find the largest wooden cutting board, cheese board, or serving platteryou own. Or, just use a bunch of small boards and plates for a cute grazing table! Anything you would put on a normal charcuterie board such as different types of cheese, cured meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts, pickles, spreads, and crackers are key components to a well-balanced Thanksgivingappetizer. Using seasonal fall ingredients makes this particular board special!
Cheese: An easy way to add texture and flavor to your board is choosing a nice variety of cheese. As a nice rule of three, include soft, semi-soft, and firm cheeses such as brie, gouda, and aged cheddar. Throw in some funky blue cheese or a washed rind cheese for more adventurous tasters. You can even roll up a cheese ballfor an optimal cracker topping. Slicing the cheese in different shapes, such as wedges, cubes, and rectangles also provides visual appeal.
Meat: There is a wide range of cured meat to choose from these days. Visit your local deli counter at the grocery store for freshly sliced hard salami, cured ham, and prosciutto at a great price! If you buy an unsliced hard salami or chorizo link, make sure to slice it for your guests for easy snacking. Watch out, some of them have a tough casing that needs to be peeled off.
Fresh produce: Take advantage of the season’s harvest and pile your board with fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Figs, persimmons, pears, pomegranate, radishes, endive leaves, sage, or rosemary are lovely examples of fall produce. They not only add a pop of color, but are also a nifty way to snack without filling up too much before the main event.
Snacks and condiments: Spiced nuts, olives, pickles, jams, dips, honey, and mustard are other special touches that make for a wonderfully customizable board. While the main event is still the cheese and meat, these flavorful morsels and spreads make each bite a flavor bomb!
Crackers and bread: A nice variety of crackers and small slices of baguette are essential for a charcuterie board. Place them on the board if there's room or place them on plates or in bowls beside the board for easy snacking.
Is a charcuterie board good for Thanksgiving?
To keep the hungry masses at bay, a charcuterie board filled with tantalizing, but not too filling, snacks is perfect! It can also be made of entirely store-bought ingredients for an impressive display that won’t take away precious prep time (those side dishes and pies won’t make themselves!)
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- Yields:
- 12 - 16 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 30 mins
- Total Time:
- 40 mins
Ingredients
- 1
(8-oz.) wheel of brie
- 1/4 c.
fig jam or spread
- 1/4 c.
pomegranate seeds
- 1
(6-oz.) block of aged cheddar, sliced
- 1
(4-oz.) piece of smoked gouda cheese, cut into thin wedges
- 1/4 c.
dried fruit, such as apricots or craisins
- 6 oz.
thinly sliced genoa salami
- 4 oz.
thinly sliced hot capicola
- 3 oz.
Spanish chorizo, sliced thin
- 1 c.
pumpkin hummus
- 1/2 c.
candied pecans
- 1/2 c.
marinated mixed olives
- 2 Tbsp.
whole-grain mustard
Fresh fruit such as apple, persimmons, grapes, and figs
Fresh vegetables such as sliced radishes and rainbow carrots
4 to 5 sprigs fresh herbs, such as sage or rosemary
Sliced bread and crackers, for serving
Directions
- Step1To make it easier to cut, freeze the brie for 30 minutes.Cut the brie in half horizontally. Using a leaf or pumpkin cookie cutter, cut a shape out of the center of the top of the brie. Place the bottom half of brie on a small plate or on a 12-inch by 18-inch board or sheet tray and place the top half on top. Spoon the fig jam into the center of the cutout. Place the pomegranate seeds in a small bowl and top with the cut-out piece of brie. Place the bowl on the board with the plate. Evenly space out any other serving vessels (i.e. bowls for the hummus, nuts, olives, andmustard).
- Step2Place the cheddar, gouda, salami, capicola, and chorizo evenly around the board, keeping the individual types of meats and cheeses all grouped together.
- Step3Fill the bowls on the board with the hummus, candied pecans, olives, and mustard.
- Step4Fill spaces in between with dried apricots, apples, figs, persimmons, radishes, carrots, and fresh herbs.
- Step5Serve crackers and bread around the edges of the board, or on the side.
Tip: For a quick pumpkin hummus, add a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree and a dash of pumpkin spice to regular, store-bought hummus for a delicious semi-homemade dip.
