We all love a good cheese & wine night. Pumpkin-spice it up a bit with fall-themed foods you can find at your local Trader Joes! There are millions of great variations to a perfect charcuterie board. This is a step-by-step guide on how to beautifully craft a fall themed Trader Joe’s Charcuterie Board.
Charcuterie board (pronounced “shahr-ku-tuh-ree”) is the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and other meat products. As some of my friends (and husband) call is shootery boards…
Before We Start...
What You Will Need:
Step 1: Spreads
You will need small bowls or containers (preferably glass) to hold your jams, honey, jellies, etc. These will be positioned onto the charcuterie board first. You want to have them separated enough, but do not place any on the edges of your charcuterie board. I receive homemade jams from friends, or just use jelly from my fridge. You can purchase honey from Trader Joes
Trader Joes Spreads:
Step 2: Cheese
The cheese is hard to choose since they are the main ingredient in a charcuterie board. You will want a variety, so depending on the size of your charcuterie board, at least 3 different types of cheeses are needed. These will be positioned away from the jams, but some can be on the edges. The cheeses most commonly placed on a charcuterie board are Goat cheese, Brie, cheddar, and listed below:
Trader Joes Cheeses on my Charcuterie Board:
Step 3: Meats
Next up on our fall-themed Charcuterie board are the meats. Commonly, you will find prosciutto, salami, and other lunch meats that you can refrigerate. Luckily, Trader Joe’s has a variety pack of these types of meats. I just add chicken slices and ham I have in my fridge.
I like to cut the salami circles in half and either roll or fold them. I find spaces between the jams and the cheeses to stuff the meat. Usually, I will form the meat around the jams until they touch the closest cheese. You will also see two separate sections of the same meat, but if you have a variety, you can make each meat one section. Just make sure the meat doesn’t take over because the fruit and additives are what make the charcuterie board beautiful. You won’t have to do this for every part of the charcuterie board because you will want enough empty spaces to fill with the fruit next.
Trader Joes Meats:
Step 4: Fruit
When it comes to design and taste with a charcuterie board, you will want just as much fruit as you have meat. The best kind of fruit is bite-sized and juicy to counter the dry crackers. With that in mind, some of the most common fruits you can choose from include, grapes, blueberries, tangerine slices, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, or even fruit sticks like fruit roll-ups to add some other textures. When it comes to apples and fruit that brown, you will want to purchase presliced packages that have ascorbic acid so they last longer on the charcuterie board.
You will grab a handful of your selected fruit and place it in any big empty spaces on your charcuterie board. Only one handful of that fruit for one space. You will want to be mindful that you don’t put fruit altogether, but that say your apples are not touching your grapes. At this stage, the bulk of your charcuterie board should be covered. If not, you can add a few more meat slices or pieces of fruit.
Trader Joes Fruits:
Step 5: Nuts / Seeds
Nuts are the fillers of the charcuterie board. I find the best nuts are salted or with a special seasoning that makes you, guests wonder what end of the earth you got that delicious walnut or cashew flavor. The point of the charcuterie board is to explore new flavors and experiment with your tastebuds. Some nuts that pair well with any charcuterie board are almonds, cashews (salted or raw), walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and pecans.
Just like with the fruit, I will grab a small handful and create small piles on the outer edges of the charcuterie board mostly. You will get spillage, but you can pick them up and gently place the fallen pieces on top of your piles. I like to have two piles of each nut where one is located on the opposite side of the charcuterie board than the other.
Trader Joes Nuts:
In Shell Pumpkin Seeds
White Chocolate chips
Step 6: Extras
The extras are what make the difference between other charcuterie boards and YOURS! Your charcuterie board will already be filled with all the goodies you have just placed, but now is the time to make this pop! Since we are creating a fall-themed charcuterie board, I will add small things that remind me of Fall.
One of the best ways to spruce up your charcuterie board is by adding greens! You would normally think I am referring to vegetables, and you could add some when you are adding fruit. I am referring to the beauty of herbs. This could be anything between rosemary, sage, basil, mint (for summer charcuterie boards) oregano, and dill. This will not only make the smell of your charcuterie board enticing but adding that green gives your presentation a fresh and inviting look. Trust me on this!
Trader Joes Extras:
Crackers
As you have a variety of cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts, and extras – so should be the same for your assortment of crackers. I tend to stay far away from the easily breakable kind that will shatter the moment you put any pressure on them. I especially enjoy any crackers with seasonings like rosemary or dill. The brioche ones from Trader Joe’s are my go-tos!
Trader Joes Crackers:
Final Thoughts
Now, if you followed the instructions step-by-step, you will have something that resembles a masterpiece of a charcuterie board. Pat yourself on the back and enjoy the delicious taste of gourmet cheese on a decedent cracker with a spread of your choice. Follow that with a bite of some nuts and fruits to clean your pallet. Then, try a new combination! Oh – don’t forget the wine! That is the most important part of any successful gathering around a charcuterie board.
With everything, practice makes perfect. You may see my charcuterie boards and think to yourself, “How does it just come together for her?” Well, it didn’t. After creating smaller boards, and seeing the pros do it like my friend @thatcheeseboard (follow her on instagram!) Your mind will be blown and you will hopefully gather tons of inspiration from her cheese boards.
I encourage you to try assortments that make you think your charcuterie board is pretty. I am in no way a professional, but I do receive enough compliments to be proud to share my journey with you. Let me know what cheeses you use for your charcuterie board that I should try! I am always on the lookout for a fresh take. The key here is to TRY! and let me know how it goes in the comments. Thanks for listening 😀
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