Charcuterie Board Types of Cheese: The Ultimate Pairing Guide

Cheeses are a staple on any charcuterie board, providing a variety of flavors and textures that complement cured meats and other accompaniments. 

When choosing cheeses for a charcuterie board, it’s a good idea to include a variety of types to cater to different tastes and provide a balanced dining experience. Here’s an overview of charcuterie board types of cheese.

Charcuterie board types of cheese

In the following lines, we shed light in detail on the charcuterie board types of cheese:

Hard cheeses:

They are characterized by their firm texture and strong flavors that intensify with age. They are easy to cut and serve. Examples:

• Aged Cheddar: With a sharp, distinctive flavor.
• Aged Gouda: With a caramel and nutty flavor.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: With a salty, fruity flavor.
• Manchego: A Spanish sheep’s milk cheese with a nutty flavor.
• Gruyère: A Swiss cheese with a nutty and fruity flavor.

Semi-hard cheeses:

They are characterized by their soft, elastic texture and ease of cutting. Their flavors are medium-intense. Examples:

• Young Gouda: With a mild, buttery flavor.
• Havarti: A creamy, mild cheese.
• Fontina: An Italian cheese with an earthy, nutty flavor.
• Münster: A cheese with a strong aroma and a mild flavor.

Soft cheeses:

They have a creamy, spreadable texture and mild to medium flavors. Examples:

• Brie: A creamy cheese with an edible white rind and a buttery flavor.
• Camembert: Similar to Brie but smaller and slightly stronger.
• Fresh goat cheese (Chevry): A tangy, sour cheese.
• Burrata: A fresh Italian cheese with a mozzarella rind and a creamy filling.

Blue cheeses:

They have blue or green mold veins, giving them a sharp, salty, and distinctive flavor. Examples:

• Gorgonzola: A creamy Italian cheese with a mild to sharp flavor.
• Stilton: A strong, crumbly English cheese.
• Roquefort: A French sheep’s milk cheese with a sharp, salty flavor.

What’s the best way to arrange a cheese and charcuterie board?

Arranging cheese and charcuterie boards is both an art and a science. Here’s the best way to arrange them, keeping taste and appearance in mind:

Start with the basics:

• Size and shape: Use boards of varying sizes and shapes to add visual dynamics. A large wooden board serves as the base, and smaller boards or plates for some of the ingredients.
• Plates and bowls: Place jams, honey, olives, nuts, and pickles in small bowls to prevent spills and keep the board organized.

Distribute cheese intelligently:

• Variety: Offer a variety of cheeses based on texture (soft, semi-hard, hard), flavor (mild, medium, strong), and milk (cow, sheep, goat).
• Spacing: Place cheeses with strong flavors away from cheeses with mild flavors to prevent odors from interfering.

Arrange charcuterie attractively:

• Variety: Offer a variety of cured meats such as salami, prosciutto, chorizo, or pepperoni.
• Fold and Roll: Fold or roll slices of meat in different ways to add height and visual interest. You can create salami rosettes or wrap prosciutto around pieces of cheese or fruit.
• Distribute: Distribute meats among cheeses to create a balance of taste and appearance.

Add accompaniments to complete the experience:

• Carbohydrates: Offer a variety of breads (baguette slices, toast, crackers), and salty crackers. Arrange them in baskets or directly on the board.
• Desserts and Jams: Fig jam, raspberry jam, honey, or quince paste pair beautifully with many cheeses.
• Pickles and Vegetables: Pickled gherkins, olives, grilled artichoke hearts, and roasted peppers add a fresh, citrusy flavor.
• Fruits and Nuts: Grapes, apple or pear slices, berries, almonds, walnuts, or pecans add sweetness and texture.

Finishing Touches:

• Herbs: Garnish the board with sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, or arugula leaves to add color and a refreshing aroma.
• Utensils: Don’t forget to provide different cheese knives for each type of cheese and tongs or a small fork for serving meats and accompaniments.
• Labeling (Optional): If you’re serving a large variety, you can place small cards in front of each type of cheese and charcuterie.

Baker’s Choice Mozzarella is the best cheese for charcuterie board

Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese is an excellent choice for charcuterie boards, boasting several features that make it a great addition:

• Delightful and balanced taste: It has a refreshing, creamy, milky flavor, not too salty or sharp, making it a great match for a variety of meats and other appetizers on the charcuterie board.
• Soft and pliable texture: Its soft, chewy texture makes it easy to chew and enjoyable to eat. It also holds its shape well on the board without crumbling easily.
• Attractive appearance: Its bright white color and elegant, spherical shape or slices add an aesthetic touch and a distinctive color palette to the charcuterie board.
• Versatility: It can be served on its own, drizzled with olive oil and herbs, wrapped in prosciutto, or even lightly grilled for a distinctive flavor.
• High quality: Baker’s Choice is known for the quality of its products, so you can rest assured that you’re getting fresh, delicious mozzarella cheese. 
• Possibility of combining with other ingredients: Mozzarella cheese pairs perfectly with fruits like grapes and figs, nuts, and jams, allowing you to diversify the flavors on your charcuterie board.

Overall, Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese offers a combination of great taste, perfect texture, and attractive appearance that will enhance your charcuterie board experience.

What to add to a Charcuterie Board?

The Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese charcuterie board includes:

• Cured meats: such as salami, prosciutto, chorizo, and capicola.
• Cheese: A variety of hard and soft cheeses, such as cheddar, brie, gouda, blue cheese, and goat cheese.
• Crustes: such as saltine crackers, toasted French bread slices, and herb bread.
• Olives and pickles: such as green and black olives, cornichons, and roasted peppers.
• Fresh and dried fruits: such as grapes, figs, berries, dried apricots, and dates.
• Nuts: such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.
• Jams and honey: To add a sweet touch that complements salty and rich flavors.
• Vegetables: such as cucumber slices, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes.
• Fresh herbs: such as rosemary and thyme for garnish and aroma.
• Sauces: such as mustard, pesto, and tapenade.

The charcuterie board can be customized with Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese, but these are the basic elements that make it a diverse and enjoyable dish.

How to make a Charcuterie Board?

Here’s how to prepare delicious and varied charcuterie boards:

Choosing Your Board:

Start with a serving board large enough to comfortably accommodate all of your ingredients. This can be a wooden board, a stoneware platter, or even a large tray.

Choosing Cured Meats:

Choose a variety of cured meats to add different flavors and textures. Some popular choices include:

• Prosciutto: Italian dry-cured ham, characterized by its salty and delicate flavor.
• Salami: A type of dried sausage, available in various varieties (such as Genoa salami and Calabrese salami).
• Chorizo: A spicy, smoked Spanish sausage.
• Pancetta: Unsmoked cured ham.
• Bresaola: Dry-cured, cured beef.
• Capicola (Coppa): Cured, seasoned ham.
• Pâté: A smooth meat paste.

Choosing Cheeses:

Serve Baker’s Choice Mozzarella because it’s the best.

Adding Appetizers:

• Add a variety of appetizers to complete the board and offer guests different options:
• Pickles: such as cornichons and pickled peppers.
• Olives: Marinated green and black olives.
• Jams or honey: These pair well with certain cheeses.
• Mustards: Various types, such as hot or sweet mustard.
• Nuts: such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.
• Fresh or dried fruits: such as grapes, apple slices, dried figs, and dried apricots.
• Bread and crackers: Baguette slices, various crackers, and salty crackers.

Arranging and Decorating:

• Start by placing the cheeses on the board, leaving spaces between them.
• Add cured meats; you can fold or roll them to add visual interest.
• Fill in the spaces with various appetizers.
• Place foods served in small bowls (such as jams, olives, and pickles) strategically on the board. Garnish the board with fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme to add a beautiful touch and a refreshing scent.

What are 5 things to avoid on a charcuterie board?

When preparing delicious cold meat dishes, there are some things to avoid to ensure the best taste and quality:

1. Poor-quality meat: Using low-quality cold meat will significantly affect the overall taste and texture of the dish. Look for fresh meat that looks good and smells good.
2. Excessive quantities: Piling too much meat on a plate can make it look unappealing and difficult to eat. Balance is key, so try to offer a variety in reasonable quantities.
3. Neglecting variety: Limiting your cold meats to just one or two can make the dish look boring. Try to include a variety of flavors and textures, such as smoked turkey, salami, and roast beef.
4. Not considering accompaniments: Cold meats alone may not be enough. Neglecting to add appropriate accompaniments such as cheeses, pickles, olives, fruits, and crusty bread will detract from the dining experience.
5. Unattractive presentation: Even the tastiest cold meats can look unappetizing if they are presented in a disorganized or cluttered manner. Take the time to arrange the meats and accompaniments in a visually appealing manner.

FAQ

What cheeses go on a charcuterie board?

There are many delicious cheeses you can add to cold cuts to add a variety of flavors and textures. Here are some popular and distinctive options:

• Cheddar: Available in a variety of flavors, ranging from mild to tangy, it pairs well with most cold cuts.
• Gouda: Characterized by a buttery, slightly sweet flavor, it is also available in smoked or aged flavors.
• Parmesan: A hard, salty Italian cheese that can be served sliced ​​or grated.
• Manchego: A Spanish cheese made from sheep’s milk, it has a rich flavor and a firm texture.
• Gruyère: A Swiss cheese with a distinctive nutty flavor and creamy texture.
• Brie: A soft, creamy French cheese with an edible white rind.
• Camembert: Similar to Brie but smaller and tangier.
• Havarti: A semi-soft Danish cheese with a mild, creamy flavor.
• Muenster: A semi-soft American cheese with a mild flavor and a smooth texture.
• Feta: A salty, crumbly Greek cheese made from sheep or goat milk.
• Fresh Mozzarella: A soft Italian cheese with a mild, milky flavor.
• Gorgonzola: An Italian blue cheese with a creamy, strong flavor.
• Stilton: An English blue cheese with a sharp flavor and a crumbly texture.
• Goat Cheese: Available in soft or hard varieties, it has a distinctive, slightly acidic flavor.
• Ricotta: A soft, creamy Italian cheese that can be served with honey or jam.

When choosing cheese for cold meat dishes, try to vary the flavors and textures to provide a pleasant experience for guests. Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese is the best choice.

Great value mozzarella cheese shredded

Baker’s Choice Shredded Mozzarella Cheese has several features that make it a great choice for a variety of uses:

• Perfect Blend: Made from a harmonious blend of fresh, skimmed cow’s milk and the finest vegetable fats, giving it a smooth texture and excellent melting ability.
• Versatile: Excellent for cooking and baking, it’s ideal for topping pizza, pasta, and even filling desserts.
• Economical: It’s an economical alternative to mozzarella made entirely from animal fat, while maintaining similar quality.
• Grated & Ready: It comes pre-shredded, saving time and effort in preparation.
• Nutritional Value: Contains protein and calcium.

Finally, we talked about charcuterie board types of cheese, as Baker’s Choice mozzarella cheese is a practical, economical, and versatile option in your kitchen and is the best choice for cold cuts.

Also read:

Nutritional Value of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: What’s Inside Every Bite: What’s Inside Every Bite.