Charcuterie Board Sauces
Charcuterie Board Sauces are a must-have on your board for different types of cheese! Fill your big board with small bowls of amazing compliments to the best cheeses!
Charcuterie board sauces are the way you take your cheese platter to the perfect charcuterie board.
These little additions to any board enhance the soft cheeses, boost the flavor of hard cheese, and you’ll take your own board from ordinary to extraordinary!
You’ll love this post if you enjoy creating a cheese board that wows your crowd!
This post walks you through my personal preference for fig jam, using balsamic vinegar, and creating the ultimate charcuterie board.
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You win because I’ve recommended my choice and you don’t need to look further, I win because when you shop through my link I make a small commission at no cost to you.
We all win because the process is so simple! Yay.
Charcuterie Board Sauces
Most charcuterie boards have various sauces that enhance each of the meat products or variety of cheeses.
Just to be clear, we are talking about the Americanized version of charcuterie. I am aware that the french term “charcuterie” means cured meat and a board filled with just meat.
First, we’re going to break down all the options you could have on your board with your meat and cheese.
Commonly Used Jams and Other Toppings:
Fig Jam – this is one of the fantastic preserves that goes with everything. It’s the perfect complement to goat cheese, but also blue cheese. It’s tasty with genoa salami or sliced roast beef
Apricot Preserves of Apricot Jam – this is another potion that pairs well with hard cheeses or mild cheeses. It’s really amazing spread over brie cheese, then baked in the oven. Try this Baked Brie recipe!
Raspberry Preserves – This might be one of the popular options, but I myself am highly allergic to berries! So, you won’t find this one on any of the epic charcuterie board ideas I’ll post on.
Any kind of jam that you love, use it!
Sweet jams like cherry preserves or pear preserves are wonderful to use with goat cheese. The tangy flavor of the goat cheese and the mild, sweet flavor of the preserves pair well together.
Savory jams like red pepper jam is a southern staple! Poured over cream cheese you’ve got an appetizer that people will go crazy for!
If you live near a farmer’s market, they’ll most likely sell a local red pepper jelly!
Balsamic Vinegar, especially aged balsamic vinegar is so delicious on any board! Drizzle it over your goat cheese and you have an instant flavor booster!
If you’re a fan of truffles, you’ll love Truffle Honey on top of blue cheese! It’s one of life’s great flavors you don’t want to miss.
Best Charcuterie Board Must-Haves
These are the items you’ve got to have on your large board for your next party!
Creamy cheeses like blue cheese, goat cheese, and brie are cheeses people know and love. They’re the “safe” cheese to use on your board!
Of course, you can’t forget some sharp cheese like aged cheddar, pecorino romano, and manchego cheese. These are delightful paired with a variety of meat on your board.
Speaking of cured meats, the meat selections should enhance the board. Genoa salami, capicola, pepperoni, and other aged meats are a delicious accompaniment to your own charcuterie board.
Fresh fruit provides a variety of textures. Keep the seasonal fruit sweet and set it next to the goat cheese for a perfect pairing. Red grapes are also the perfect way to fill in space on your board.
Cherry tomatoes add a bright spot of color to your board and are one of the easiest ways to enhance smaller boards. They fill in the remaining space, and everyone loves them!
Shop your local grocery store and head to the olive bar to pick up olives and artichoke hearts! This is a great way to hit all the taste buds on a large board!
Cheeseboard Essentials
Every host needs cheese knives for their boards. I like to pick them up on sale from different stores, but these from Amazon are also nice. This is a great thing to gift someone, too!
If you’re heading to a friend’s house nothing says thank you like a cute set of spreaders with a Charcuterie Book! Check out that post on my favorite charcuterie books, and how to pair them as gifts.
You’ll need a large board! Be sure it works double duty! A real cutting board that you use to slice and dice one side, then flip it over to the “pretty” side and lay out all the types of food for your charcuterie board.
Use these small ramekins for your savory sauces on your board. It will take the art of preparing over the top, and make it look so much better!
Check out my entire Cheeseboard Essentials List on Amazon!
Cheese Pairings
Let’s take the charcuterie sauces we talked about earlier in the post and create cheese pairings.
My favorite cheese comes from Trader Joe’s – the Unexpected Cheddar, and I love pairing it with lemon curd, on top of a gingersnap. Unexpected, huh?!
Goat Cheese + Fig Jam
Aged Cheddar + Apricot preserves
Blue Cheese + Truffle Honey
Cream Cheese + Red Pepper Jam
Pecorino Romano + Aged Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil (a gentle sprinkling of salt and pepper, too!)
Fresh Mozzarella + Fresh Cherry Tomatoes + Basil + Balsamic Vinegar (You could also use tomato confit here! Yum)
Other Posts that will Help
How Much Does a Charcuterie Board Cost? These boards can get expensive! Learn the cost breakdown depending on the size of your party!
Condiments for a Charcuterie Board – this post goes in further depth than just the sauces that pair well.
Charcuterie Books – if you’re new to the cheese board world, and have a hard time making a “pretty” board, snag one of these helpful books!
Whatever you choose for your charcuterie plate will be wonderful!
Fill your board with different textures, different meats, and different shapes, and no one can deny your board!
Save this to your favorite cheeseboard board on Pinterest!
