Is It Ever Okay To Eat Charcuterie With Your Fingers? (2024)

FAQs

Is It Ever Okay To Eat Charcuterie With Your Fingers? ›

Charcuterie boards are the epitome of finger food. That means lots of fingers touching the food throughout your party. No host wants to play hand-washing police, so give your guests multiple options for picking up their food selections.

Charcuterie boards are the epitome of finger food. That means lots of fingers touching the food throughout your party. No host wants to play hand-washing police, so give your guests multiple options for picking up their food selections.

Besides the artful presentation that photographs so well on social media, charcuterie brings together all your favorite finger foods in one place. What used to be called a fancy "meat and cheese board" is now a star of tapas menus.

Creating Interest with the 3-3-3-3 Rule

Choose three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three accompaniments for a perfect and balanced board, every time!

The term charcuterie comes from two French words: “chair” which means “flesh,” and “cuit” which means “cooked.” While you may travel around Europe and find charcuterie-type shops serving cured meats and accompaniments, the trend and appreciation hadn't really taken off in the United States until more recently.

These boards are not recommended for those susceptible to food borne illness, including the elderly, the very young, pregnant, or immunocompromised. Once the board has set out and been used, leftovers need to be refrigerated or thrown away.

Any classic charcuterie board recipe is typically filled with a plethora of delicious but highly processed meats and cheeses that can run on the unhealthy side. For instance, cured meats and sausage-style meats include additives for preservation, which increase the risk of disease.

Charcuterie boards aren't typically considered healthy foods because they often contain high amounts of fat and sodium content; but they can still become quite healthy if they are well-portioned and balanced.

What should you not put on a charcuterie board? You'll want to avoid overly juicy fruits whose juices will run across the board and turn your crackers and bread soggy. Skip fruits like watermelon, pineapple, and tomatoes and stick with grapes, berries, and apples or dried fruits.

Do you eat charcuterie with your hands? ›

Yes, you can use your fingers for charcuterie

In the absence of toothpicks or co*cktail forks, The Guardian also approves of making use of your digits when grazing on these communal snack platters. In the end, Sherman's main takeaway about the best way to enjoy charcuterie is — don't worry about it too much!

Charcuterie is best enjoyed on its own, naked (the charcuterie, not you).

Sliced bread, crackers, fruit, pickles, spreads and nuts often round out the board for variety and contrasts in flavor and texture. A board is typically served as an hors d'oeuvre or appetizer, although more involved boards can be a casual meal in themselves.

Although you can eat the cheese with your fingers, always use the utensils provided to transfer the piece of cheese to your fingers rather than picking the cheese directly off the plate.

The only tools you really need are sharp knives, spreading knives, spoons, and forks or picks. You don't need a knife for every cheese or a fork for every pickle, but remember that not everything mixes well, and things get messy without at least a few forks and knives.

A charcuterie platter can sit out for around 2 hours at room temperature. To maintain freshness and safety, ensure perishable items like meats and cheeses are kept chilled before serving. After 2 hours, it's advisable to refrigerate or consume the platter to prevent bacterial growth and maintain quality.