trader joe's meat and cheese board
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You all recently voted on Instagram that you wanted a meat and cheese board that contained only items you can get from Trader Joe’s. Well, today you are getting it!
This board fed about 20 people as an appetizer and was such a crowd pleaser — even the kids loved it! I wanted to use everything I bought so the board is a little overflowing but it works. I also didn’t have to replenish anything throughout the night which was v nice.
First start by cutting up all your fruit and cheese. I like to cut each one differently so it adds more texture and dimension to the board. Also, if you have two cheeses that look similar (like this Havarti and Gouda) it’s a great way for people to tell the difference between the two.
When you are ready to assemble, I start by placing my bowls on the board since they are the largest and they stand up on their own. I like to use them as a base so that I can lean other items against it to hold them in place. Next I made the salami river. This is a statement piece on the board and it runs across the entire thing, so you want to make sure you have it where you want it. I started from one bowl and snaked my way around to the other bowl.
Then start placing your cheeses, other meats and fruit. I like to place at least one of each next to each other on each side of the board — this not only helps with presentation, but it also makes the board user friendly because two people can be grabbing from either side and won’t have to reach over each other.
The last things I do are the fillers, so use your nuts and dried fruit to fill up any empty spaces you see. Good rule of thumb — you don’t want to see the board by the time you are done. Finalize it with rosemary sprigs placed sporadically around the board. This add a little more color and it makes it look super fancy without really doing any extra work. You’re welcome.
Now it’s your turn! I would love to see your boards so if you post them, remember to use #cerriouslyimadeit so I can follow along.
For more meat and cheese board inspiration, check out the 15 Minute Meat and Cheese Board or How To Make the Ultimate Charcuterie and Cheese Board.
PS: If you are transporting this — crisscross two long pieces of tin foil on the table, place the board in the center and wrap up and over. This keeps the items on the edge of the board secure so they don’t try to wonder off during the car ride.
tools
Cheese Board — I use this one from Amazon and I love it so much. It’s the perfect size to make big and small boards and the handle makes it very easy to transport.
Small Bowls — This set from Williams Sonoma comes with 4 bowls and I use them for everything. I love that they are simple so they don’t take away from the ingredients on the board.
Cheese Knifes — Although I don’t photograph with these on the board they are essential for digging into it. Make sure you have at least one knife per cheese that isn’t pre-cut.
ingredients
Fruits:
Honeycrisp Apples
Strawberries
Seedless Medley Grapes
Dried Apricots
Other:
Chunky Artichoke & Jalapeño Dip
Greek Olive Medley
Truffle Marcona Almonds
Rosemary
Meats:
Salame
Del Duca Prosciutto
Capocollo
Cheeses:
Creamy Danish Havarti
Dutch Gouda
Double Gloucester with Onion & Chive
Garlic & Fine Herbs Gournay Cheese
