A charcuterie board is an appetizer typically served on a wooden board either eaten straight from the board itself or portioned onto flatware. It features a selection of preserved foods, especially cured meats or pâtés, as well as cheeses and crackers or bread.
The term “charcuterie” comes from the French term, and refers to the art of preserving meat. Charcuterie has been around for centuries and, much like cheese, became popular because it kept food around for longer — the heart of charcuterie is frugality.
Typically, Charcuterie boards are made from the “Face Front” of the board. If you need an additional description of types of cutting boards, click the link here.
Follow along with these 5 simple steps in making your very own Charcuterie board.
- Choose your board. Select a large cutting board or serving platter for your charcuterie—anywhere from 9×13 inches to 12×18 inches (or larger, if needed)
- Draw the shape and design. Start with a close-grain hardwood board with a minimum thickness of 3/4-in., and minimum width of eight inches. Walnut, maple, and cherry are good choices. But if you want to step it up a notch, then try using exotic woods such as Zebrawood, Purple Heart, Yellow Heart, and Padauk. Draw the charcuterie board shape on your piece of wood. Minimum recommended dimensions are an 8-in. x 12-in. rectangle with a 2-in. x 5-in. handle, though this board can be made in various sizes. Any shape, any size, is acceptable. The most important thing is to have fun. Be creative!
- Cut the shape. Using a jig saw, or bandsaw will help make the overall shape.
- Sand and clean. Sand the entire surface of your board with an electric sander to remove any rough grain and soften the edges of the board. If you need help finding the right sander, check out my blog article on this link!
- Seal. Seal the charcuterie board with butcher block oil.
But first, you must have some basic woodworking equipment to make this task possible. The below list is my own list. You may be able to make adjustments or come up with other variations. But, for the number of boards I kick out, this has been a blessing in completing them as soon as possible.
Best Equipment to Buy: (My top favorites)
DEWALT Thickness Planer, 13-inch:
- Three knife cutter head of the thickness planer delivers 30% longer knife life and makes knife change faster and easier
- Two-speed gear box of the wood planer allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
- Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chip off of the cutter head and exhausts them out of the machine
WEN Band Saw with Stand, 10-Inch, 3.5-Amp, Two-Speed:
- 3.5 amp motor creates cuts up to six inches deep and 9-3/4 inches wide
- Uses 72-inch blades anywhere from 1/8 to 1/2 inches in size
- Spacious 14-1/8 x 12-1/2 inch cast aluminum work table bevels up to 45 degrees
- Operates at two speeds of either 1520 or 2620 FPM
- 3.0-amp motor of the orbital sander spins the pad at 8,000 – 12,000 OPM
- Shorter height of the hand sander allows the user to get closer to work piece
- Separate counterweight design reduces vibration for improved comfort of the electric sander
- Rubber over-mold in all of the critical areas of the sander
- Improved dust-sealed switch to protect against dust ingestion for longer switch life
Step 1: Choose your board.
You can find lumber at your local lumber store or purchase online. I have used Bell Forst and Rockler in the past. I’d have to say, my favorite was a company called Ocooch Hardwoods. Their website is easy to use and the selection they sent me was above my expectations. If just starting out, I recommend you purchase S4S lumber. Check out my lumber. channel if interested in making your own S4S lumber.
Once you have all your wood laid out. You will need some other basic tools and accessories.
Table saw
Clamps
Wood glue (Titebond III)
Hearing, and eye protection.
Dust mask or Dust collection.
Once the wood is your overall size, you will want to make sure the joints are completely parallel. Buying S4S lumber will make this an easier task. Clamp up your board and leave sitting for 24 hours. Try to keep it as flat as possible. You can use “cauls” for this. Scrape off any excess glue and send it through the planer. You have done the hard part, now its on to step 2.
Tools and Accessories:
24 inch Parallel Clamps:
- Application: using a deep 3-3/4” throat depth for optimized pressure distribution and a powerful clamping force of over 1,100lbs, these parallel jaw bar clamps will make your woodworking, furniture and table top glue-ups much easier
- Premium design: Each clamp features an ergonomic soft grip handle, cold Steel rail, three removable jaw pads that are non-marring and possess Rapid action movement, and an easily convertible Clamp spreader tool
- 90 Degree angle: Clamp provides high precision clamping at 90 Degree angles, keeping your material and work pieces square and free from movement
- Versatility: Whether your project requires evenly applied clamping pressure, A secure locking system, or even the use of a quick bar clamp spreader – You’ll have a firm grip of it all with this convenient tool
Hearing Protection:
- BLOCK NOISE: heat-activated memory foam eartips expand like earplugs to significantly reduce outside noise. ANSI-certified and OSHA-compliant with a 22 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and 85 dB SafeMax Volume Limiter. Comes with 3 pairs of foam eartips (S,M,L) and 3 pairs of silicone double-flange eartips.
- TRUE WIRELESS: ISOtunes FREE introduces a cordless solution for your workshop, jobsite, and home. Remove sweaty cords and muffs for increased versatility and comfort. Utilizes latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology with easy-to-use automatic pairing to your devices.
- ALL DAY BATTERY: 7+ hour battery life gets you through long days without having to recharge. Minimize recharging hassle with our compact, portable charging case capable of 3 full charges for 21 hours of extra use. Expanding foam eartips and thoughtfully designed earbuds hold comfortably and securely all day.
- CLEAR CALLS IN LOUD ENVIRONMENTS: Signature noise suppressing microphone with echo cancellation technology help block steady state noise like engines, mowers, fans, vacuums, and saws for clear calls in loud environments. Isolation for you, cancellation for them.
Eye protection:
- DUST DEFENSE: Foam gasket helps limit eye exposure to nuisance dust and other particles while providing additional cushioning.
- WRAP AROUND DESIGN provides extended eye protection and unobstructed viewing.
- ANTI-FOG LENS COATING and removable foam-lined gasket with airflow vents make this protective eyewear ideal for humid environments.
Dust collection:
- Motor: 1HP, 110V/220V, single phase, prewired 110V
- Motor amp draw: 9A/4.5A
- Air suction capacity: 800 CFM
- Static pressure: 5.67″
- Number of 4″ intake holes: 1
Step 2 & 3 : Draw the shape and cutout design.
I have attached a gallery of some shapes, sizes and designs. You can do about anything you want!
I like to make my own templates. I first use a scrap piece of 1/4 inch plywood. Cut out the design on the bandsaw. Then sand it very smooth. Draw the outline on the charcuterie board, and cut just outside of this line on the bandsaw. Then using CA glue, attach the template to the workpiece. Use a flush trim router bit, and BAM, a smooth edge has been created.
By using a forstner bit, a hole of your choice can be achieved. Clamp the board down to a wasteboard to avoid tear-out.
Step 4: Sand and clean
- Start with a low-grit sandpaper (maximum 80-grit)
- Sand the entire surface of your board with an orbital sander to remove any rough grain and soften the edges of the board.
- Using an air compressor, blow off any dust. Water pop the surfaces and let dry. What is “water pop”? Take a small spray. Lightly mist the surface. Then use a heat gun to blow dry. Once the wood is dry again. Repeat the entire sequence through abrasives (120, 150, 180, 220, and finally 320).
- Once the wood is smooth wipe down using a tack cloth.
Step 5: Apply finish.
After you have removed any residual dust and debris. Wipe with a food-safe finish, such as Odie’s Oil.
