Geoffrey Zakarian's Secret To A Picture-Perfect Charcuterie Board

Making a charcuterie board seems like it shouldn't take too much effort, but crafting an Instagram-worthy plate of meats, cheese, and produce takes a certain talent and a handful of tips. According to Picky Palate, any solid charcuterie spread should consist of a few essentials, including cured meats, nuts, olives, crackers, and a selection of jams. You shouldn't forget the cheeses either, and one expert recommends including three varieties that come in different sizes. Color matters too, and herbs can help your spread pop a bit more.

You also need to account for how many people plan to pick apart the spread. My Recipes recommends that you need to allocate two ounces of charcuterie content per guest, while ensuring that you use a variety of flavors in the meats that you choose to include. You also shouldn't forget the right wine pairing, and selecting the right vino can make all the difference.

Nobody knows his way around a charcuterie board like Geoffrey Zakarian, and the personality recently took to Instagram to share a particular tip that can make anyone's cheese and meat spread shine.

Zakarian shared his number one tip in a recent Instagram post, saying, "TGIF from me and this beautiful charcuterie board! Pro Tip: don't over crowd it." Followers loved this piece of advice and replied in kind. Some users jumped in and said, "Making one tonight with a nice glass of wine!" and, "Yes! No need to over complicate it. Also the dried apricots are a must have for me!" Others replied with, "A beautiful board, looks like mine, altho I also have figs or dates," and, "Most of the boards I see are loaded and covered."

D'Arcy's Meat Market expounds on Zakarian's number one charcuterie rule, explaining that the space allows guests to easily pick up each morsel of food. Additionally, each section should feature a label, and by creating the right spaces, one could assume that guests would have an easier time identifying each meat or cheese selection. With this piece of passing advice, Zakarian helped usher in the weekend and get followers in the right charcuterie headspace.