The 4 Finest Charcuterie Boards of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

Social media could have made charcuterie boards (and their variants like snack boards, French fry boards, and butter boards) stylish, however anybody who throws events will inform you a correct charcuterie board is timeless. Grabbing a smidge of brie and a slice of salami whereas chatting with pals? Pure pleasure.

Though any slicing board may be was a charcuterie board, a devoted one is a enjoyable merchandise to have, particularly in case you prefer to entertain. However although a variety of charcuterie boards can be found, not all of them are value their cupboard space. The perfect charcuterie boards look nice, really feel good while you carry them to the desk, and are sturdy sufficient to carry as much as repeated cheese slicing.

After testing 11 common charcuterie boards, I discovered 4 standouts (Word: I solely examined picket fashions right here for his or her versatility, however do acknowledge that marble boards are sometimes advisable for his or her capability to maintain cheeses cool.) 

The Winners, at a Look

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The Finest Charcuterie Board

The Boardsmith Walnut charcuterie board was the most important board I examined. Regardless of its measurement, it wasn’t outrageously heavy or troublesome to maneuver. The flared backside meant it was sturdy and didn’t shift when slicing and it had ample room so that you can serve quite a few cheeses and meats. Its darkish end was good-looking and stylish, too, making something you placed on it party-worthy.

The Finest Smaller Charcuterie Board

The Ironwood Bowery board was compact, however nonetheless match loads of cheese and meat on it for a small gathering or snack dinner. The darkish grain end did not present any marks after slicing and its beveled edges made it straightforward to select up and transfer.

The Finest Medium-Sized Charcuterie Board

The 13 Cooks charcuterie board is a superb medium-sized board made of lovely olivewood. It contains a “dwell edge” that lends a sublime and natural look. The sturdy end and dense wooden prevented lower marks and was straightforward to scrub.

The Finest Bigger Charcuterie Board

The William Sonoma Charcuterie Board is massive and has a singular deal with. It’s made of lovely olivewood and holds sufficient cheese and charcuterie for a celebration. 

The Checks

• Capability Check: I loaded every board with a variety of cheese, charcuterie, and grapes to see how a lot meals every of them held.
• Sturdiness Check: I picked up the loaded board, carried it across the kitchen, and moved it to my lounge and again. I evaluated how straightforward it was to select up, how troublesome it was to hold, and the way securely it held all the meals. 
• Sturdiness Check: I used a pointy paring knife to chop three totally different items of cheese in three locations to see if slicing would harm the board. After I eliminated all the cheese, I additionally hit the paring knife on the board more durable a number of instances to see if a extra aggressive movement would harm the board in any respect.
• Cleansing Check: I cleaned every board by hand and appeared for staining and different noticeable marks.

What We Discovered

Sturdiness: A Query of Supplies

The most important distinction between a fantastic charcuterie board and a mediocre one is its sturdiness. After slicing and slicing cheese and my sturdiness take a look at, I discovered that some boards had marks or nicks on them. In case you’re spending cash on a (considerably single-purpose) charcuterie board, it ought to maintain as much as its namesake use. 

A Easy End Was Finest

I discovered that charcuterie boards that had a {smooth} end held up higher than rougher ones. The graceful end additionally meant sticky and oozy cheeses like Brie cleaned up simpler and oily charcuterie didn’t stain the board as a lot. Boards that confirmed the grain of the wooden or had darkish finishes additionally tended to cover nicks and scratches properly.

Selecting the Proper Measurement Charcuterie Board

Smaller charcuterie boards (eight to 12 inches in size, or roughly 100 sq. inches) are perfect for one or two-person households or for individuals who plan on internet hosting a cocktail party and need to present a lightweight cheese and charcuterie board earlier than dinner.  They’re additionally compact and simpler to retailer. 

A medium-sized board (12 to fifteen inches in size, or roughly 150 sq. inches) is probably going essentially the most versatile and perfect for households of 4 to 6 folks or those that entertain often. Bigger boards (20 to 24 inches in size or 200-plus sq. inches), although tougher to retailer, are glorious for big events, for people who get pleasure from entertaining lots, and for conditions the place the charcuterie board is the centerpiece. I believe most people could be proud of a medium measurement board, however choose one which fits your wants.

Appears Had been Essential

To place it bluntly: You desire a fairly charcuterie board. Meat and cheeses ought to stand out towards the grain of the wooden. The board needs to be a centerpiece, and be aesthetically pleasing sufficient to show when not in use (these items are sometimes saved propped up towards a kitchen’s backsplash). In case you’re shopping for one thing for a selected function, it needs to be eye-catching.

The Standards: What to Search for in Charcuterie Board

Discover a charcuterie board that’s made from wooden and has a sturdy end. Marble, glass, and ceramic charcuterie boards all look nice however can harm and uninteresting your serving knife and are extra fragile. Boards which have a pronounced grain or which might be made from a more durable or darker wooden will present fewer nicks and scratches over time. Lastly, in case you plan on displaying your charcuterie board, search for a good looking one that matches your decor and that can look nice propped up towards your kitchen wall or sitting in your counter. 

The Finest Charcuterie Boards

The Finest Charcuterie Board

What we favored: The Boardsmith charcuterie board is a big slab of stable walnut with a flared backside. Although huge, the board wasn’t cumbersome to maneuver round (it weighed lower than five-and-a-half kilos). The flared backside meant it additionally felt very safe when positioned on the desk. Clear-up was straightforward as properly, regardless of the massive measurement. The board comes conditioned with oil that repels stains and makes oozy cheese easy to wipe off. 

The darkish stained wooden confirmed minimal nicks and scratches, and cheese and charcuterie appeared elegant and exquisite towards it, making this serving board the perfect centerpiece. All in all, it’s a real stunner.

What we didn’t like: The underside of this board flares out, which makes it extra secure when set on a desk for serving. However it additionally means it‘s a bit more durable to select up, and there are not any handles.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 22 x 11.5 x 1.25 inches
• Materials: City salvaged reclaimed stable walnut wooden
• Weight: 5 kilos, 5.5 ounces
• Care directions: Hand-wash and dry totally; periodically apply butcher block or food-grade mineral oil

The Finest Smaller Charcuterie Board

What we favored: The Ironwood Bowery board within reason priced and perfect for small households, starter programs, or of us who need to use it for mild meals. Cheese and charcuterie appeared good-looking positioned on the darker stained, end-grain wooden.

The butcher block-style board additionally hid any nicks and scratches and featured a beveled edge on the 2 shorter sides, making it simpler to select up. Due to the skinny profile and smaller measurement, the board additionally shops simply in a cupboard.

What we didn’t like: The board’s aesthetic makes it appear like you’re serving cheese and charcuterie on a slicing board as an alternative of a devoted cheese board. This may not match everybody’s aesthetic. The board itself can also be on the smaller aspect, making it much less versatile than medium and enormous boards.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 15 x 6.25 x 0.75 inches
• Materials: Finish-grain acacia wooden
• Weight: 1 pound, 6.5 ounces
• Care directions: Hand-wash and dry; oil periodically

The Finest Medium-Sized Charcuterie Board

What we favored: This medium-sized olivewood board contains a dwell edge, making it barely extra rustic and creating an natural, elegant look. This provides to the presentation of the charcuterie, making it an attention grabbing addition to any buffet or dinner desk over the normal sq., rectangle, oval, or spherical board. The buttery-smooth end made clean-up straightforward, too.

What we didn’t like: The dwell fringe of the board meant there have been pure grooves and divots on the sting. If any cheese or different sticky meals spills over, it turns into tougher to scrub.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 16 x 8 x 0.75 inches
• Materials: Dwell-edge stable olivewood
• Weight: 2 kilos, 10.5 ounces
• Care directions: Hand-wash and dry; oil periodically

The Finest Massive-Sized Charcuterie Board

What we favored: The Williams Sonoma board had ample room for a large number of cheeses and charcuterie, creating a good looking centerpiece for any ceremonial dinner or buffet. The oblong deal with is made from dense olivewood and has undulating grain strains that intensify and elevate each event. Cheese and charcuterie appeared elegant and the graceful end was straightforward to scrub.

The board itself is massive, making it troublesome to retailer. That stated, it’s attractive and sports activities a gap within the deal with; in case you can hold it up, it will make for a fairly piece of wall decor. The wooden is dense and boldly grained, which meant cuts and nicks had been hidden. That is the type of heirloom charcuterie board that you need to use for years.

What we didn’t like: As a result of the board is made from dense olivewood, it was surprisingly heavy, making it tougher to select up and transfer round. It’s massive and could be more durable to retailer in a cupboard.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 9 x 24 x 0.75 inches (together with deal with)
• Materials: Strong olivewood
• Weight: 4 kilos, 8.5 ounces
• Care directions: Hand-wash and dry; oil periodically

The Competitors

• Dansk Wood Classic Vivianna Cheese Board with Knife: This cheese board got here with a knife in addition to an awkwardly positioned indention within the board the place the knife’s deal with sits. The indentation restricted the place you would put the cheese and charcuterie, and the board had nicks and knife marks after use.
• Karryoung Wooden Charcuterie Board: This rectangular-handled charcuterie board was a pleasant measurement and fairly priced, but it surely confirmed lower marks after testing. 
• Ayiaren Charcuterie Board: This board appeared nice but additionally confirmed lower marks after serving and slicing cheese on it. 
• Sur La Table Olivewood Cheese Board: This Sur La Desk olivewood cheese board featured a dwell edge (just like the 13 Cooks). It was stunning and sturdy, however was smaller than the 13 Cooks board and price extra. 
• Fox Run Acacia Round Paddle Serve Board: This stunning spherical serving board was straightforward to carry and transfer round and featured an enforced metallic gap on the deal with, making it one thing you would hold and show when not in use. Sadly, it confirmed lower marks.
• John Boos Walnut Edge Grain Serving Board with Feet: This was a good looking, thick, and sturdy serving board with pronounced toes. It was straightforward to select up and transfer round. However it’s an costly serving board that is small and deceptively onerous to retailer because of the thick spherical toes connected to it.
• Terrain Teak Serving Board: This small board was thick and heavy for its measurement and priceier than comparable fashions.

FAQs

What goes on a charcuterie board? 

Historically, a charcuterie board options cheese and cured meat (charcuterie) in addition to complimentary objects for pairing. This will embrace fruit, candy preserves, honey, and salty finger meals like olives, cornichon (small pickles), and nuts. However you possibly can place virtually something on a charcuterie board, like spreads and flatbreads, easy-to-eat desserts like brownies and cookies, and even dips and fries.

How do you pronounce charcuterie? 

Charcuterie is a French time period for ready meat merchandise, like sausage, salami, and different cured meats sometimes created from pork. It’s pronounced shar-KOO-tər-ee.

What’s a cheese board referred to as?

A cheese board is one other time period for a charcuterie board. It’s also generally simply known as a cheese platter or serving board.

What’s one of the simplest ways to scrub and look after a picket charcuterie board?

Wood charcuterie boards, like picket slicing boards, needs to be hand washed with delicate cleaning soap, after which dried with a clear fabric or paper towel afterward to stop warping. Let the board dry absolutely in a single day earlier than storing it. You must sometimes oil the charcuterie boards with slicing board oil or a food-grade mineral oil, letting it soak in utterly, to assist preserve the end of the board and to stop mould or mildew from rising on it.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Irvin Lin is a cookbook writer, recipe developer, meals author, photographer, and ceramicist.
• He runs a weblog referred to as Eat the Love, the place he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010.
• He’s examined and reviewed lots of of kitchen objects together with indoor herb gardens and magnetic knife strips.
• For this assessment, Irvin examined 11 charcuterie boards, arranging quite a few kilos of cheese and charcuterie to seek out the most effective ones.