3 Principles of Cheese and Charcuterie Pairing Perfection

Cheese and charcuterie are delicious on their own, but when combined, often with another ingredient (think dried fruit, chocolate or mustard) Charcuterie Director for Columbus, Evan Inada says you might experience what he calls “the perfect bite.” Charcuterie boards can have cheese on them, and cheese boards can have charcuterie on them, yet for all their ease, when it comes to assembling a board, do you worry or wonder which cheese to pair with which meat? The short answer is that you really can’t go wrong by simply selecting a smattering of your favorite salami, cured meats, and cheese. There are, however, a few tips you can follow to ensure thoughtful pairings that will elevate your next cheeseboard.

What is Charcuterie?

Like cheese, charcuterie making is an ancient method of preservation. Dry cured meats, or salumi, are salted and air-dried whole muscle pieces of meat, and are often served thinly sliced. The meat tends to be lean, salty, and mild in flavor, and may also be smoked. Salame are sausages, which are ground meat that are stuffed in casing, which is an efficient method to use the most of every bit of meat. The texture of salami ranges from hard to soft, lean, or fatty. The flavors vary depending on the meat source, such as pork, beef, duck, boar, and venison, as well as aromatics, such as wine, garlic, fennel, herbs, chili, and truffle. With such variety, it helps to have a few charcuterie and cheese pairing tips that will complement and enhance their flavors and provide a well-balanced tasting experience.

What Grows Together Goes Together

Choose cheese and charcuterie that share a provenance or terroir. Pair an alpine cheese with dried meat from the same region. Chances are that the flavors of the meat and milk sourced from animals that roam the same meadows will be harmonious when eaten together. “A very classic cheese pairing with Bayonne ham is to use a fresh sheep cheese,” says charcuterie expert and Chef Aurélien Dufour of Dufour Gourmet. “The Bayonne ham is from the Basque region, so it is often paired with sheep cheese from the region and especially the Ossau d’Iraty.”

Opposites Attract

Choose contrasting flavors and textures for balance. Pair supple, floral slices of air-dried ham with an aged, nutty, hard cheese. Or balance a sweet and creamy cheese with a hard aromatic salami. Inada recommends pairing a Finocchiona with fresh mozzarella, so “the creaminess, sweetness, and herbaciousness all come in to play” or to pair a smoky chorizo with a Spanish Mahon or Manchego for “smoky, savory, sweet” contrast.

Presentation Matters

Don’t forget that we also eat with our eyes. “Include different diameter sizes of salame with a variety in texture and color,” recommends Inada. Use a combination of salami and cured meat. Pre-slice some of the sausages, or partially slice and provide a knife for guests to slice. Choose a variety of cheese shapes, such as wedges, blocks, rounds, and choose a variety of colors as well, such as orange, blue, and bloomy white.

And finally, don’t overthink. Select cheese and meats that appeal to your palate and you like to eat. It’s a great starting point and always a good choice.

Pairing Examples:

Calabrese and aged Gouda

The medium-grind salami spiced with crushed pepper is complemented by the smooth, caramel notes of an aged Gouda.

Serrano Ham and Etorki

Salty, nutty Jámon serrano complements the grassy, nuttiness of a smooth Pyrénées sheep’s milk cheese, such as Etorki.

Saucisson Sec and French Triple Crème Germain

A dry French salami seasoned with garlic and black pepper pairs with the soft and creamy triple crème Germain, providing a contrast in textures and shared provenance.

Chorizo Iberico and aged Manchego

A hard, salty Manchego stands up to the robust and spicy chorizo.

Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano-Reggiano

This traditional pairing exemplifies “what grows together goes together.” In addition, the texture and flavors of mild, sweet-salty, and supple prosciutto slices are balanced by crumbly shards of piquant Parmigiano-Reggiano, speckled with salt crystals.

Bresaola and Gorgonzola Dolce

Beef and blue cheese are a classic pairing, including on a charcuterie and cheese board. Sweet, tangy, and mild Gorgonzola dolce complements the mild, sweetness of the lean beef.

Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board — Columbus tasting board

Looking for a super easy way to pair cheese and charcuterie? Columbus has put together a truly impressive selection called the Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board, designed to allow you to mix and match and create a board for entertaining. Available through Walmart, it includes a variety of cured meats and cheeses (white Cheddar and Sartori Merlot BellaVitano) as well as other accompaniments including fig spread, olives, corn nuts and peanut butter cups.