Making the Best Gluten-Free Charcuterie Board for any Occasion

Charcuterie (shar-KOO-ta-REE) boards have become wildly popular in recent years. They are so versatile and can easily be scaled to the number of guests and adapted to fit any occasion, diet, and meal (snack, appetizer, lunch, dinner, and even dessert). They also bring people together. There is something about sharing a platter of food with friends and loved ones that’s special and good for the soul. There is no reason why those good vibes have to stop when you are living gluten-free either. Charcuterie boards are versatile remember? There are countless food items you can chose from to help you make the best gluten-free Charcuterie board for any occasion.

THE TOOLS

• Charcuterie Board: Charcuterie boards come in a variety of sizes and materials.
  1. I prefer wood ones that have rimmed sides and handles so you can add items right to the edge of the board and the handles make it easy to carry. Having said that, boards of any material without sides work well too.
  2. The size should be in direct relation to how many people will be eating from it. I have used a large sheet pan in the past and covered it with parchment paper because I wanted to make an extra-large Charcuterie board. Use what you have or check out these wooden boards with handles in varying sizes and price points.
• Ramekins: These small bowls come in handy if you want to place items like jams and dips or nuts or seeds (for example) in them so they do not touch the other food items. You can either place them on the board or off to the side (ideally on the board).
• Cheese Knives: Cheese knives are needed for when whole pieces of cheese are added to the board. You can slice or cube some of the cheese and also leave a piece whole with a knife. You should always have a mix of soft and hard cheese.
• Cocktail Forks: Small cocktail forks allow your guests to pick up food items so they don’t have to use their hands.
• Cheese Spreaders: For soft cheeses on the board or dips, cheese spreaders are required for, well, spreading. You should always have a mix of soft and hard cheese.
• Espresso Spoons: Like with cocktail forks, small espresso spoons are needed to scoop items up off the board so fingers are not used.
• Honey Dipper: Honey can add that hint of sweetness and a honey dipper will let your guests drizzle their preferred amount.
• Toothpicks: Toothpicks play double duty here. They can be used to pick up pretty much anything from the board, but they can also be used to pick their teeth. It happens. No judgement.
• Cheese Labels and Markers (optional): It will save you from answering cheese questions 🙂

THE PROCESS:

This is a very simplified version of how to make a Charcuterie board, but if you are struggling getting started, this will help:

1. Confirm what food items you will be placing on the board and in what quantity for the number of guests.
2. Decide what board, ramekins/bowls you want to use. Gather all other tools you will be using.
3. Place all cheese on the board. You can arrange the sliced/cubed cheese in stacks or fan them out and position whole pieces on the board with a cheese knife.
4. Next, arrange all the items in ramekins/small bowls on the board.
5. Roll or fold the cold cuts and/or cut the sausage and group them throughout the board.  Bonus points if you make the salami rose technique that has been sweeping the internet. 
6. You will then go to work on filling all the gaps in the board with the rest of the selected food items.
7. Check out Charcuterie on Pinterest for ideas that match the look you’re going for.

THE FOOD

The word Charcuterie dates back to 15^th century France and its literal translations means “the products of a fancy pork butcher.” Clearly, the meaning has since evolved 🙂

Below are some gluten-free food options you can mix and match to make your best gluten-free Charcuterie board for any occasion.

TIPS:

If there are too many options to decide or you don’t know where to start, think about food items that represent all the flavour profiles (savory, sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and salty). Ideally, your Charcuterie board has a little of everything. That way you know you have everyone's palate covered regardless of their preference.


Choose a combination of both hard and soft cheese for your board.


Remember to always apply the same gluten-free shopping rules even when shopping for your Charcuterie board. 

Don’t overthink it. Pick your favorite items and arrange them on the tray. It’s all about sharing food and enjoying time spent with your nearest and dearest. It’s going to be delicious and everyone will love it.

Have you made a gluten-free Charcuterie board before? What did/do you put on yours? We’d love to add your suggestions to our list if we left anything out.

Happy boarding my fellow GFF’s.

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