American Flag Charcuterie Board
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Get ready to impress your guests with an incredible American flag charcuterie board that not only looks amazing, but also tastes absolutely delicious. This 4th of July charcuterie board is perfect for hosting parties, especially during Independence Day celebrations or any other patriotic gathering, like for Labor Day or Memorial Day.
This charcuterie board has a captivating spread of vibrant reds, white and blues, created with a medley of juicy berries, creamy cheese, cured meats, and crunchy crackers. It is super easy to make and looks like the American flag! It doesn’t get much more festive than that!
Charcuterie boards are a fun and interactive way to enjoy the festivities and great for hosting. These meat and cheese boards are easy to make ahead, so you can spend more time having fun at the party and less time in the kitchen.
We’ll share our best tips and tricks with you to help you make the perfect charcuterie board this 4th of July that will really impress your guests!
You’ll love this recipe because:
Here’s what you’ll need:
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Ingredient Notes
- Blueberries and blackberries – To make the blue section of the American flag, I used both blueberries and blackberries to give the board some variety. I love using blueberries because they are a true blue when dry, so they trick the eye to thinking other ingredients, like the blackberries, are also blue. If you don’t want to use blackberries, you can just use blueberries. Blue corn tortilla chips are another option for this area of the board.
- Capocollo – For the top row of red, I used capocollo, which is also known as coppa or capicola (or gabagool if you’re on the Sopranos). It’s a dry-cured meat that is often served on charcuterie boards. If you don’t have it, use another cured meat, like prosciutto.
- Brie – The second row and star shaped cheese on my board is brie. I cut a brie round into a star shape and then used the outline for a row of white. I just cut the outline into small bite sized pieces so no part of the brie would go to waste.
- Dried cranberries – The second row of red is made up of dried cranberries. I put them on a shorter row rather than a longer one on purpose, because you only need so many dried cranberries on a charcuterie board if you ask me. You can use dried cherries instead if you prefer, but I find dried cranberries have a slightly redder hue.
- Crackers – I used Simple Mills sea salt crackers to make my board gluten-free, but use your favorite crackers that are light in color for the board. Place the crackers in one of the longer white stripes so that there is plenty to pair with all the different cheeses and meats. Don’t be afraid to double up on the layers here to make sure you have enough on the board.
- Dry salami – I cut a log of soppressata salami into thin coins and layered them for a row of red. I’ve found that spicier salami logs will be redder in color, so keep that in mind when shopping. You can also do a mix of different sausages here to add more variety to your board.
- White cheese – I have two different cheeses in this row – a white sharp cheddar (the cubes) and a blueberry rind semi-hard cow’s milk cheese (the triangles). I like the contract of the different shapes in this row, but you could always keep it simple with just one type of cheese. You can cube the cheese or slice it for a simple presentation.
- Raspberries, cherries and strawberries – I used a combination of fresh red berries for a row of red stripes. I think the combination gives the row some variety and adds more flavor to the board. If you don’t have all three of these, feel free to pick just 1 or 2.
When it comes to arranging the ingredients on your American Flag Charcuterie Board, start by placing the blueberries and blackberries in the upper left corner of the board first. This will provide a good basis for the stripes. Then, work from top to bottom to ensure the spacing is correct for all of your stripes.
Step-by-step instructions
This American flag charcuterie board is very simple to make. The below photos with matching steps are not the full recipe, but are meant to help you see the charcuterie board made at various stages so that yours can look just like mine!
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Expert Tips
FAQs
While I recommend assembling the board closer to your party to ensure maximum freshness, there are some things you can do to make this board in advance. Wash and dry the berries, cube or slice the cheese, and slice the meats ahead of time. You can store these separately until ready to assemble or assemble the board up to 24 hours in advance and cover tightly so that no air gets to it. You can add things like crackers at the last minute that may suffer from being refrigerated.
Yes, definitely! I used a large piece of brie to make a single star, but you can use other ingredients for this section. Thin slices of white cheese can be cut into mini stars to place over the blueberries. If you have a star-shaped bowl, you can place that in the center of the berries and fill it with white nuts, like macadamia nuts, cashews, or marcona almonds.
When selecting crackers for your American Flag charcuterie board, opt for a variety of shapes, textures, and flavors to provide an interesting mix. Choose sturdy crackers that can hold up well with the weight of the other ingredients. Consider options like water crackers, pita chips, or multigrain crackers. You can also include gluten-free or vegan crackers to accommodate dietary restrictions, ensuring everyone can enjoy the board.
Yes, very easily. This board in the photos was made gluten-free since I have celiac disease. I used Simple Mills sea salt crackers and then ensured all of my cured meats were gluten-free. Use your favorite gluten-free crackers.
Yes, remove all the meat from the board and instead use additional red ingredients, like fresh produce.
Storage Instructions
If you have any leftovers from your American Flag charcuterie board, it’s important to store them properly to maintain their freshness. Any perishable items that have been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be discarded.
I like to make a smaller charcuterie board so that I can refill it as my event goes on, ensuring that the board ingredients are as fresh as possible. Remember to always use your discretion and judgment when consuming stored or reheated items, ensuring they are safe and still in good condition.
Related recipes
More 4th of July recipes, printables, and more!
American Flag Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces brie cheese round
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 8 ounces salami, sliced
- 4 ounces capocollo, sliced
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed
- 4 ounces mild white semi-hard cheese, cut into triangles
- 10 oz crackers of choice
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup cherries, pitted
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved
Instructions
- Start by selecting a rectangular board or platter as the base for your charcuterie board. I used a jelly roll pan that was about 9×13-inches, but a regular sheet pan works just as well!
- Then, place the brie in the freezer for approximately 10 minutes to firm it up slightly. Take a star-shaped cookie cutter and press it firmly into the center of the brie.
- Gently lift the cookie cutter to remove the star-shaped portion from the center of the brie. You can now use the star-shaped brie cutout as a decorative element on your American Flag charcuterie board. Set aside.
- Cut the outline of the brie star into small bite sized pieces to become one of the white stripes. Set all of the brie pieces aside.
- Start with the blue section of the flag, placing the blueberries and blackberries in a square in the upper left corner of the board.
- Start at the top of the board to create the red and white stripes, starting with a red stripe. You’ll have 7 stripes total – 4 red, and 3 white for this board. Of course, if you want to get really fancy, you can go for all 13 stripes, but you’ll need a really large board to do so.
- Layer the ingredients in rows, from left to right, ensuring that each row is straight and of even size to get the full American flag effect. You can follow the order I did, which was a row of capocollo, then the brie pieces, dried cranberries, crackers, salami, a combination of white cheddar cubes and semi-hard cheese triangles, and finishing with fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherries.
- Place the brie star on top of the blueberries and blackberries.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Freezing the brie for a few minutes helps create cleaner cuts when using the star-shaped cookie cutter. It allows for a neater presentation of the star-shaped brie cutout.
- Don’t discard the star-shaped brie cutout! Enjoy it as an additional component on the charcuterie board for one of the white rows.
- Adjust the quantities of each ingredient based on the number of guests you are serving or the desired portion sizes. Feel free to scale the recipe up or down to accommodate your needs.
- To maintain the freshness and quality of the ingredients, store the charcuterie board in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. This will ensure that the flavors and textures are at their best when enjoyed.
