The Frozen Ingredient You Should Add To Your Next Charcuterie Board

When it comes to arranging a great cheese board or charcuterie platter, pickles play a key role. They cut through the richness of the meats or creamy dairy, as well as add a crunchy contrast of textures. But if you're looking for a new way to serve pickles with your board, try freezing them first.

Freezing pickles concentrates their flavor, making them even more intensely tangy. As for how to serve them, rather than keeping the frozen pickles whole or trying to slice them when they're solid, it's best to grate them. Similar to the trend for grating frozen fruit to make hassle-free shaved ice, it's easy to use a microplane or cheese grater to produce a flavorsome frozen topping — though, in this case, it's savory, rather than sweet. 

Using a pickle like this, as a kind of seasoning or garnish for the finished dish, is a deliciously different way to top cheese, meats, or salads. It's a great umami-rich ingredient, and it would work just as well grated into sandwiches, or onto juicy homemade all-American cheeseburgers as well as with charcuterie. In addition to elevated flavor, it also brings a delightful frozen crunchy texture that adds extra interest to every mouthful.

To freeze the pickles, simply take however many you want to use from the jar, and lay them on a baking sheet. Freeze them for at least four hours, or overnight. Alternatively, you could place the pickles in a zip-top plastic bag to freeze them if you prefer. Kosher dill pickles work well, or you could also use smaller cornichons, which taste slightly different and are a little less tart.

When you're ready to use the frozen pickle, all you need to do is grate it straight from the freezer. A microplane works well, or you could use a fine grater. Just grate the pickles directly over your charcuterie board or else grate them into a small bowl and then sprinkle the savory seasoning exactly where you want it.

To add another frozen element to your charcuterie board in addition to pickles, consider frozen grapes. The fruit takes on a subtle sweetness when frosty, and they match very well with cheeses and meats — just take them out of the freezer around 20 minutes before serving. Or, if you want to take the frozen pickle idea to the next level and you have the necessary tools, you could also try freeze-drying jarred pickles to create a flavorful powder. This can then be used as a punchy seasoning for popcorn, deli sandwiches, or dips.

When you're assembling a charcuterie board to dress with frozen pickles, richly flavored meats and cheeses stand up especially well to the acidity. Go for buttery and nutty Swiss cheeses such as emmental, gruyère, or raclette, or grab creamy French options like brie or camembert with frozen cornichons. Sharp cheddar and aged Gouda go great with frozen dill pickles. Savory meats (think salami or prosciutto) work well with dill pickles, and cured hams or hearty pâtés can be elevated with zingy cornichons.

Frozen pickles also work well on salads, especially those involving milky cheeses such as mozzarella or luxurious burrata. Add some sliced fresh, juicy tomatoes for a mixture of sweet, savory, and tangy flavor in every bite. You could also grate pickles onto creamy pasta or potato salads; just as vinegar is a tart ingredient that gives macaroni salad an electric bite, the briny sourness of frozen pickles acts as a foil to the creamy mix.

You could use the frozen seasoning to enhance other rich dishes, too. Try it with tartiflette, a French twist on cheesy potatoes. Cornichons are a traditional accompaniment, but you could serve it with a green salad topped with frozen grated pickle for a welcome sharpness. Or grate a little frozen pickle onto creamy soups for a burst of fresh flavor. However you use it, the dill-icious frozen topping is incredibly versatile and sure to become a new favorite.