Assembling the perfect charcuterie platter seems like an easy feat.

In fact, most of us dont even do the cutting ourselves, since were already at the deli.

Heres how to go at it.

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via cbslocal.com

Which means that a charcuterie plate or board is going to lean heavily on meat.

Make the meat right and everything else will fall into place.

Heres the steps to do that.

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Determine How Much Meat to Serve

2 or 3 oz.

In those cases, you want to double-down on the meat offering 5 to 6 oz.

a person supplemented with loads of delicious breads.

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You should begin with asimple meat, usually crowd pleasers like prosciutto work well.

Then throw in some hot capicola or other spicy options to help contrast.

You want a broad spectrum that lets everyone pick and choose what they titillate their mouth with next.

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Mix The Cotto and The Crudo

Cotto meatsare cooked, whilecrudo meatsare cured raw.

Lean spirals of black forest ham are always a handy way to flesh it out.

Also think about sweet cheeses, such as Dubliner, to help tilt the scales.

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Grapes and olives go best here, but dont be afraid of mandarin oranges, blueberries, or mangoes.

you’re able to also go with watery vegetables for more texture.

Celery or dried tomatoes can add a nice texture breakup that washes away any biting mouthfuls.

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A light salad with some feta can also be helpful for keeping the decadent feel to a minimum.

Pate, Liverwurst, and Other Spreads

Never unwelcome on a platter is an arrangement of spreads.

The best plate in the world can be taken down a few notches should your presentation suffer.

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Each plate should have a unique and delightful topography that begs viewers to take just one more bite.

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Mix The Cotto and The Crudo - charcuterie plate

What Kind of Meat - charcuterie plate

How Much Meat - charcuterie plate

Jams - charcuterie plate

Meat Presentation - charcuterie plate

Pâté Liverwurst - charcuterie plate

Charcuterie Plate Presentation

Breads - charcuterie plate

Fruits and Vegetables - charcuterie plate

Cheese - charcuterie plate

Begin With The Meat - charcuterie plate