Charcuterie

Charcuterie is the branch of culinary practice concerned with preparing and preserving meat products, especially pork. Traditional charcuterie includes sausages, hams, bacon, pâtés, terrines, rillettes, confit and other cured, cooked, smoked or preserved preparations. A charcutier is a specialist who produces these foods.

Classical and modern practice

Charcuterie combines butchery, seasoning, curing, grinding, emulsification, stuffing, cooking, fermentation, drying and presentation. Modern charcuterie also includes carefully controlled products made from poultry, fish and other ingredients. In English-language foodservice, “charcuterie” can also refer to a board or platter of cured meats and accompaniments.

Common charcuterie preparations

• Whole-muscle cured meats: prosciutto, jambon de Bayonne, bresaola and coppa.
• Sausages: fresh sausages, cooked sausages, salami and saucisson sec.
• Forcemeat preparations: pâté, terrine, galantine, ballotines and crépinettes.
• Slow-cooked preparations: rillettes and confit.

Service and presentation

A charcuterie board is assembled with attention to variety, texture, salt, fat and acidity. Pair cured meats with suitable bread, pickles, mustard, fruit, cheese and condiments. Slice products according to their style and protect them from drying and cross-contamination during service.

Example: a charcuterie selection may include saucisson sec, pâté, rillettes, cured ham, pickles, mustard and bread.

Food-safety note: curing, fermentation, drying and storage require validated processes; traditional methods should not be improvised without appropriate controls. Keep ready-to-eat products protected and refrigerated as required.

Key distinction: Charcuterie describes a professional craft and a family of preparations; a charcuterie board is one way those products are presented and served.