Best Charcuterie Boards

Cheese reigns on the best charcuterie boards

In the charcuterie Hall of Fame, the best charcuterie boards all have one thing in common: amazing cheese. Because, when you think about it, charcuterie meat is delicious and all, but sitting there on its own, it's just a heap of protein. It's when you add the cheese that sparks begin to fly. Soppressata gets all perky when sitting next to an herbed havarti. Prosciutto practically jumps off the board when it sees aged parmesan coming. And chicken liver pate will always swoon a little when set down next to a smoked gouda or cheddar.

In Wisconsin, we know the best charcuterie boards are built with our award-winning cheeses. A Wisconsin gouda, gruyere, or gorgonzola can transform a ho-hum meat, cracker, and cheese tray into a Hall of Fame contender in seconds. And when you add a selection of our best-in-the-nation artisan cheeses, you've got a hands-down winner.

Browse our website to meet the cheeses for your next charcuterie arrangement and search our recipes for the best charcuterie boards. Or scroll down for some tips on creating amazing charcuterie and cheese experiences.

How to build the best charcuterie board

When you want to impress and satisfy your guests, follow these tips and recommendations for building the best charcuterie board.

1. Mix taste and texture. When you're shopping for a charcuterie cheese board, include a variety of meats such as cured sausages and salami, whole-muscle cuts like prosciutto, and forcemeats like pate. The best cheeses for a charcuterie board include a range of options such as soft cheeses like brie and burrata, semi-firm cheeses like gruyere and cheddar, hard cheeses like parmesan or pecorino, and a blue cheese for more flavor variety.
2. Start with height. For a visually appealing arrangement, place something tall in the middle of your board and then arrange the rest of your ingredients around it. Set out the cheese first to give it time to come to room temperature. Add small dishes of spreads, olives, or finger foods. Then place your meats around the board and fill in empty spaces with other items like dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, or figs.
3. To each cheese, a knife. Don't ask your guests to use the same blade for multiple cheeses. Using separate utensils will help to keep the flavors from mixing.
4. Slice hard cheese ahead of time. Make things easy for your guests by slicing the harder cheeses before the party.
5. Let the cheese warm up. Cheese is best enjoyed at room temperature, so be sure to set your spread out at least 30 minutes before guests arrive.
6. Build your board in place. You don't want to risk damaging your beautiful arrangement by having to move it from the kitchen to the table.

The best charcuterie boards are built in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, we build some pretty freaking amazing charcuterie spreads. We can't claim all the credit – it's pretty easy to create the best charcuterie boards when you're working with the best cheese in the world.

See, Wisconsin cheesemakers have been making cheese for 180 years, improving Old World recipes and inventing new, out-of-this-world cheese varieties. And we make a lot of it – more than 600 flavors, types, and styles. That's more than anywhere else on the planet. And while the volume of cheese we produce is impressive, the quality of our cheese is unbelievable – and why we've won more cheese awards than any other state or country in the world.

So, when you want to make the best charcuterie board your guests have ever encountered, there's really only one thing you have to do: look for the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge on the label.