How to Make a Charcuterie Board

    The word “charcuterie” (shaar·koo·ter·ee) means cold cooked meat. That’s French, but of course here in the states we’ve taken the idea of “laying out food on a board to look pretty” and run with it. Technically, there must be meat on the board for it to be “charcuterie.”

    Everyone loves them. Charcuterie boards make you feel So Cultured and Fancy. But really they are just glorified Lunchables. They make stunning centerpieces, and are often the star of the show. Which cheeses should I pick? Should I only pick 4?? And there are rules about hard, soft, stinky, mellow? They're colorful, overflowing, and filled things people love to eat, namely cheese, meat, and bread.

Rules for an amazing charcuterie board

1. You need a variety of types of cheese: at least 1 soft, 1 hard, 1 tangy. (2 oz per person) “Something old, something new, something goat and something blue.” 
2. Decide whether the board is gonna be full(no board showing) or minimal.
3. Don't buy anything you think your guests will eat.
4. A choice of fun and interesting jams, sauces, and savory spreads absolutely MAKE a charcuterie board. Don’t skimp in this area.
5. Provide a few different types of crackers and bread. 
6. Choose a variety of ingredients based on texture: crispy, soft, chewy.
7. Have something spicy and something sweet
8. Serve cheese room temperature; it’s more flavorful than cold cheese.
9. Be strategic in your placement, and arrange the crackers or bread in neat piles or rows, making sure they are not touching anything that will make them soggy.
10. Make everything bite sized. Cut everything that is going on the board.

    Cheese, meets, fresh fruit, veggies, crackers, nuts, spreads, sauces!

Example

Everyone loves cheese 8 oz. block cheddar cheese, cubed

Hard cheese ("something old") 6 oz. aged Guyère

Soft cheese ("something new") 6 oz. mozzarella balls

Goat cheese 6 oz. chèvre

Blue cheese 6 oz. Cambazola

6 oz. 

thinly sliced s

oppressata

6 oz. 

summer sausage, sliced

6 oz. ham

1/4 cup 

honey

1/2 cup Roasted red pepper hummus

1/2 cup fig jam

1/4 cup dijon

1/2 cup 

smoked almonds

Fresh fruit such as strawberries, blackberries, grapes, and apple slices

1/4 cup 

dried fruit, such as apricots or Craisins

Bread and crackers, for serving 

Dehydrated Apples 🍎 🍏

 

Apples 

Ingredients: 

Apples 

Spices, if desired 

Directions: 

1. Wash apples 🍎. Peel, if desired, and remove the core. 

2. Cut into slices or rings. Aim for about ¼” thick. 

3. Pretreat with lemon bath (1/4 lemon 🍋 juice then 3/4 water) to prevent browning. Drain well. 

4. Toss in any spices you may be using. 

5. Place on trays. 

6. Dry at 130℉ for 4-6 hours. 

7. Test for doneness, listening for a crisp crack when broken in half. 

8. Condition, then store in an airtight container with an oxygen absorber if in humid environment.

Strawberry 🍓 Fruit Leather

A no sugar added, thick (yet soft and pliable) fruit leather recipe with the addition of a secret ingredient that also has added health benefits! 

Equipment: 

High Powered Blender 

Food Processor Silicone Dehydrator Sheets Parchment Paper (optional) 

Ingredients: 

3.5 lbs strawberries 🍓 washed and hulled 

4 tsp Pomona's Pectin 4 tsp calcium water (comes with Pomona's Pectin) 

2 cups white grape juice concentrate (because this is hard to find these days, I used white grape juice and then boiled it down to 2 cups)

Directions: 

1. Prepare dehydrator trays with silicone mats or parchment paper. 

2. Wash, hull, then puree strawberries 🍓 in a blender. Measure out six cups of puree. 

3. Prepare calcium water according to package instructions, add four teaspoons of calcium water to the berry puree and mix well. 

4. Transfer the fruit mixture to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

5. Meanwhile, in a clean blender, add 2 cups of white grape juice concentrate and turn on low speed. 

6. Slowly add the powdered pectin and mix well for about two minutes. 

7. Once the berry puree has been brought to a simmer, keep the heat on, add grape juice concentrate mixture, and stir for a full minute. 

8. Remove from heat and ladle mixture onto the dehydrator trays. 

9. Dehydrate at 115℉ for about 14 hours. Depending on the thickness, this will vary.

10.Test for doneness. Leather should be dry and edible, with no pockets of moisture. Always let the leather cool completely first. 

11. Cut cooled fruit leather into strips (or cute shapes using a cookie cutter), and roll up using parchment paper. 

12. Condition, then store in an airtight container with an oxygen absorber if desired

Jerky Recipes

 

• 1st recipe
• One 3-pound eye of round roast, trimmed of fat and silver skin 
• (I used venison)
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper 🌶 flakes
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic 🧄  powder

2nd recipe

3 pound meat of choice

• (I used venison)

2 cups of soy sauce

Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp of liquid smoke

1/2 tbsp of garlic powder

1/2 tbsp of onion powder

1/2 tbsp of black pepper

• 
  

Directions

Put all the ingredients together to make the marinade. Then coat all the meat evenly. Put in the refrigerator and let it marinate for 12 - 24 hrs. I slice my mea at 1/8 in -1/4 in thick. Turn a couple times during that period. Once done either put in the oven for 3-4 hrs at 170° to 200°. I try to do the lowest my oven can go because we are not baking, we are dehydrating. You can use your smoker like we did most of it on and get that amazing smoke taste 👅. We did the smoker at 170 for 4 hrs.

Keep on counter for up to a week or put in fridge to prolong further. 

Eggs 🥚 and Avocado 🥑 Toast

 

For years, eggs and avocados have been said to be high in cholesterol (eggs) and high fat (avocado). But they are both have incredible health benefits and should be in your diet. 

Eggs help with brain 🧠 function, keep eyes 👀 healthy. Did you know that eggs can ward off the leading cause of blindness?(macular degeneration)

Organic eggs are higher in nutrients when compared to non-organic eggs🥚 . Non-organic s eggs are produced from chicken that are exposed to in humane conditions and pumped full of antibiotics. Avocados 🥑 are rich in good fat. They can even help in preventing cancer.

Ingredients

1 Organic egg

1/4 Avocado

1 slice of whole wheat bread

Directions

Heat a non stick skillet over medium heat. Beat your egg while this is heating up. Cook until done. 

In another bowl smash the avocado .

Toast your bread, top with avocado and then egg. (Add a little Tabasco if you like heat)

BON APPETIT!!!