Charcuterie boards are one of my favorite, easy meals (yes, meals!) to do on a laid-back Sunday. These savory, sweet, and beautiful creations have become a monthly staple for me and my husband! This month, I decided to add some fresh French bread to my board and took a stab at making a homemade dipping oil. I had to buy another loaf of bread because it was such a delicious combination! It was the star of the board and elevated it to a new level. Let me share with you my mouthwatering dipping oil recipe and my charcuterie board essentials!
Charcuterie Board with Homemade Dipping Oil
Dipping Oil Ingredients
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of minced jarred garlic cloves (or 2 tablespoons minced fresh)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
A container or oil bottle to store your delicious creation!
Directions
Combine all spices and minced garlic in a bowl. Wish together for a few seconds.
Add 1 cup of oil to your bottle or container of choice. This will ensure that your dry spices don't get stuck at the bottom.
Add your spice mixture, use a funnel if your jar has a narrow neck to prevent spilling.
Add the remaining cup of oil. Give the bottle a good a shake and enjoy your easy, homemade success!
Charcuterie Board Essentials
You don't have to go all out or have the most expensive meats/cheeses to make a delicious board. Here are some of my go-to charcuterie board picks!
Meats
Most stores sell prepackaged sliced meats that are perfect for charcuterie boards! Here are some of my most common go-to picks:
Applegate Naturals, found at Target
Board's Head, found at Smith's and Kroger
Columbus Charcuterie Trio, also found at Target and Walmart
If you're having trouble finding the packages, you could always buy the meat individually. Any type of salami is a great choice, but if you really want to get fancy, try prosciutto! It's thinly sliced, dry-cured ham adds rich flavor and goes great with almost any pairing of cheese and crackers.
Cheeses
With cheese, you can be as safe or as adventurous as you want! Whenever I make my charcuterie boards, I pick two or three cheeses I know I'll enjoy and one new one to spice things up. My normal picks are:
Brie - A soft cheese with a slightly bitter-sweet rind. It's easily spreadable with and has a mild flavor that all can enjoy! If you're trying it for the first time, go with a nice triple cream with a lighter color. The lighter the color, the more mild the taste!
Cheddar - sharp, medium, mild, yellow or white. There are so many options to choose from! Cheddar in any form will always be a crowd pleaser.
Gouda - a smokey cheese that might stretch your comfort zone! Gouda has a stronger flavor, so it can easily be paired with mild crackers or fruits
Port Sault - this French cheese is one of my new favorites! It has a bright orange rind, similar to muenster. Port Sault is a softer cheese with a salty, medium flavor.
Sweets
Now time for the fun part! You can pick almost any sweet treat to put on your charcuterie board. Sweet flavors add a nice compliment to a usually savory display.
Chocolate of any variety is sure to be a hit. White, dark, milk, salted caramel, the list goes on! Don't be afraid to get adventurous
Fruit - try and do fruits that don't require a lot of effort to eat, like grapes, blueberries, and strawberries. Apples, peaches and oranges can also be great if they're cut up and thinly sliced!
Crackers
Every good charcuterie board needs a crunchy element to tie it all together, and crackers do just that! You can keep them neutral or use them to add more flavor to your pallet.
Mini-toasts - super cute and your guests (and you) will fall in love with them! You can try plain or go with flavored ones. Trader Joes has some great options like fig or rosemary flavored.
Triscuits - I LOVE using these for my boards. They're sturdy and filling
Wheat Thins - you can't go wrong adding these savory crackers. You can opt for plain flavors or spice things up with roasted tomato basil or cracked black pepper.
Those are all my tips and tricks! I hope you find them useful!
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