The Best Meat and Cheese Combinations

Serving a meat and cheese platter is probably the easiest way to entertain your guests and look like you’ve exerted a ton of effort in cooking and preparing, when in reality, you’ve just put some basic tricks and designing knowledge altogether. Just like how you would pair wine and cheese, certain types of cheese and meats complement each other a lot better than others. That is why in this article, we decided to put together a comprehensive list of the best pairing meat and cheese. We are also going to teach you a little bit about setting up a charcuterie board. What are you waiting for? Read along so you can start planning your next party today.

What do you call a meat and cheese platter?

A meat and cheese platter is known as a charcuterie board. Charcuterie, pronounced as shar-koo-terry, is a French word that refers to cured and cold cured meats. A charcuterie board can only consist of a different assembly of cured meats and cheeses. But today, most people like to include other foods that accompany meats and cheese, such as nuts, fresh fruit, and cornichons.

How do you design a charcuterie board?

If you want to go for the traditional rustic charcuterie board, you can place and arrange your cheese and meat on a wooden board. Remember, odd numbers are usually the most aesthetically pleasing, which is why we suggest that you try to put about five kinds of cheeses and three kinds of meats. You can roll or fold the meat slices on your charcuterie board to make them look pleasing, and at the same time, it allows your guests to grab some servings quickly. To fill the board’s gaps, you can use frills such as dried apricots, nuts, fresh figs, cornichons, and olives, and it also gives your charcuterie board the appearance of lush abundance.

Must-Try Meat and Cheese Combinations

We know that some of you might find it hard to pair meats and cheeses. We know that dreadful feeling of standing in the grocery store aisle and looking at dozens of different soppressata and salamis while googling different articles such as this one. While all cured meats and cheeses are delicious, they can be quite overwhelming, especially if they do not complement each other. Here are some of our favorite must-try cheese and meat combinations.

Salami and Gouda

Salami is definitely a charcuterie crowd-favorite. To be honest, you really cannot go wrong pairing it with gouda cheese. Gouda is a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands. It comes in several varieties, such as flavor-infused, aged, and smoky. All these types of gouda will suit whichever mood you’re in.

Soppressata and Havarti

Soppressata is dry salami that is either made of port or beef. Whichever kind of soppressata meat you choose, you cannot go wrong by pairing it with Havarti, which is a semi-soft and creamy cheese. Havarti’s buttery and supple taste perfectly complements the herbs and spices in the soppressata. This mix of flavors also gives out the nutty, earthy notes of the harvati.

‘Nduja and Alpine-Style

‘Nduja, pronounced as “en-doo-yah,” is probably the missing link in your charcuterie board that you never know you needed. ‘Nduja is a soft, spicy pork spread which is a Calabrian specialty that is why it will definitely add a kick to your cheese feast. On the other hand, the Alpine-style cheese’s creaminess will help even out the flavor by covering the kick of ‘Nduja’s red hot peppers. We’d be lying if we didn’t say that ‘ndjua is also the perfect meat to help spice up grilled cheese.

Prosciutto and Parmesan

The combination of buttery prosciutto and the salty, crumbly parmesan will have a sensual dance of flavors on your tongue. Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham that is often sliced ultra-thin. Both parmesan and prosciutto are usually aged, which gives them that super flavorful and salty-sweet taste that creates a fantastic taste in your mouth.