Whether you love nothing more than spending the afternoon trying out new food recipes and experiences, or you simply want to try something new the next time that you host a party for your friends and family – then you might currently be asking yourself about the differences between charcuterie and crudité boards.
If you’ve already begun to do a little bit of your own research, then you might have discovered these two words being mentioned quite often together (and sometimes even interchangeably) but it is important to remember that these two words both relate to different things, and this is where we come in to lend you a helping hand!
In this article today, we are going to be talking you through what charcuterie and crudité mean so that you will have a clear understanding of the difference between the two.
In addition to that, we are also going to be sharing with you some helpful tips and tricks that will ensure you are able to create delicious serving boards, regardless of whether you’re making charcuterie and cruidité, time, and time again! Read on.
What Is The Difference Between Charcuterie And Crudité?
Before we jump any further into this article, we are first going to be taking a moment to talk you through what the main differences between charcuterie boards and crudité boards are!
If this has been something that has been confusing you, then we’re sure that you’ll be pleased to hear that the differences between the two are extremely simple – a charcuterie board simply refers to a meat board, while a crudité board simply refers to a vegetable board!
To follow, it is also very common to come across food boards that incorporate the two types to form one big charcuterie board – which is why it is so common to come across these two terms being used interchangeably. It’s as simple as that.
Top Tips To make Your Food Board Stand Out:
So, now that you know what the differences between these two types of boards are, we are now going to be sharing with you some helpful tips and tricks that will help you to ensure that your boards always stand out and make a great first impression – regardless of what type of board you are making.
So, whenever you’re ready, let’s check them out below:
- Pick Your Main Ingredient!
No matter whether you would like to make a meat or vegetable board – if you want your board to stand out, we recommend that you pick your main ingredient and make it a central focus of your board!
Even though all boards are designed to offer people a range of different foods to try out and enjoy, making one ingredient the star of the show will help to give your board the perfect finishing touch, as well as help your guests understand the theme of the board is.
So, if you are making a charcuterie board, then you could make a slice of specific meat the main ingredient, and if you’re making a crudité board, then a certain vegetable of your choice could be the main ingredient.
If you’re making a board that incorporates both food elements, then you’ll be free to make any ingredient from either the charcuterie portion or the crudité portion your main focus point.
- Don’t Be Afraid To Add Cheese!
To follow on, no matter what type of board you are planning on making, we recommend that you don’t shy away from adding in different types of delicious cheeses – as these are often going to be what pulls your guests in!
Besides adding an additional element to your board, adding in different cheeses will ensure that you are able to provide your guests with a more eclectic and delicious experience, especially given the fact that cheese has the potential to elevate both your vegetable and meat portions of the board.
- Make Sure To Only Use Blanched Vegetables.
Okay, so while this one might not be to everyone’s taste, we still recommend that you consider following it.
If you’ve never created a food board before, then it is worth keeping in mind that fresh, raw vegetables don’t typically tend to bring too much to a board – especially given the fact that most people won’t eat their vegetables before cooking them in some way first.
This is why we recommend that you consider using blanched vegetables in your board instead of raw vegetables, as this will provide your guests with vegetables that are easier to eat and have a more delicious, bold, and vibrant flavor that will complement the rest of the board’s contents.
- Always Remember That First Impressions Count!
Even though we’re sure you’re already well aware of this one, we still want to bring it to your attention just in case!
Regardless of what type of food board you are making, it is very important to make sure that you are making sure to focus on making a great first impression – otherwise, you might put your guests off from even wanting to try your food board in the first place!
While we’re sure that you’ll have heard that the key to making a delicious food board is all in the contents of the food that you are adding to the board, it is also important to keep in mind that the appearance of your food board is just as important, too!
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your board and play around with all of the different ingredients that you are incorporating into the board. If you’re really stuck for ideas on how to make your food board look professional and beautiful, why don’t you do a little bit of research online to discover some styling options for inspiration?
- Try And Make Sure That You Are Balancing Your Ingredients:
Last but certainly not least, when deciding which type of foods to include in your food board, another key point to keep in mind is that balance is always going to be best.
If you’re planning on making a food board that incorporates both a charcuterie element and a crudité element, then you should find it extremely easy to create a balanced board, as you will have more types of ingredients to choose from.
So much so, that the general consensus is that for every cured meat that you decide to use inside your board, you should be sure to complement it with either a fruit, vegetable, cheese or jam.
As a side note, if you are planning on making a crudité board that doesn’t incorporate any meat (charcuterie) then rest assured that you can still create a flavorful and balanced board!
For the best results, make sure that you are incorporating a range of different vegetables that each complement each other, while also being sure to incorporate a range of other yummy ingredients, including jam and fresh fruit.
