The Perfect Ratio Of Charcuterie Per Guest Depends On How You Serve It

Well-assembled charcuterie boards are not only fun to put together, but they also serve as a visually appealing way to serve guests a variety of bites. While cheese boards don't actually count as charcuterie, select cheeses do stand out when they're strategically peppered into colorful platters of meat, fruit, and nuts. Though, with so many appetizing snacks to choose from on just one board, how can you successfully procure the perfect amount of food for your next platter?

The key is to offer a wide variety of options without overcrowding your serving platter with too much meat and cheese. Amounts may vary depending on the number of guests — when fancy cheeses have a central place on your charcuterie board, allot only one to three ounces of cheese per person (one if it's an appetizer, and three if it's meant to be a grazing meal). Then, follow some easy tips for arranging better cheese boards and choose a small yet impactful selection such as one hard cheese, one spreadable cheese, and one more robust and pungent variety. 

When it comes to your meat selection, choose something mild like salami, a spicier option like pepper-infused summer sausage, and a spreadable pâté. Aim to also have two to three ounces of meat available per person for a meal, and half an ounce if it's an appetizer. Use the same ratio for any protein, such as nuts or seeds — but double it for any fresh produce (think carrot sticks, grapes, apple slices, and more), crackers or breads, and any dips you might serve. The meal-sized ratios are the perfect proportion for summer's trendy micro charcuterie boards as well.

Before you finish adorning your grazing board with meat and cheese, take some time to pre-cut any whole sausages or harder cheese varieties like cheddar or Gouda into bite-size cubes. Avoid using your charcuterie board as a cutting board since the former is more susceptible to cuts and scratches. Using a real cutting board to pre-slice perishable, expensive ingredients ahead of time allows you to better control the serving size of each food. Once you've successfully organized the meat and cheese portion of your charcuterie board, fill in the gaps with many more snack-time favorites.

People usually enjoy foods like sliced deli meats (choose several varieties of cured meats if this is going to be a main) and spreadable cheeses (think goat or Brie) on crostini or a variety of crackers. Since salty snacks are not only economical but popular, make sure to provide your guests with an ample supply. If you're dressing up your board with one or two dip options (honey, mustard, fruit jelly, and hummus are all popular choices but don't overlook tapenades and chutneys), make sure to also have extra crudités on hand. Alternatively, fresh fruit is a sweet and refreshing option for balancing saltier food items. 

To complete your charcuterie board, don't forget to include something briny like kalamata olives and cornichons, and then, fill in any leftover spaces with easy-to-eat snacks like dried fruit and nuts or seeds. Enhancing your board with a wide variety of extras ensures happy guests and extends the shelf-life of your next all-in-one platter whether that's an appetizer or a grazing dinner.