Charcuterie Vs Snack Board: Is There A Difference?

A well-organized charcuterie board is one of the quickest ways to a foodie's heart. On a simple wooden slab would be every flavor and smell imaginable from the savory cold cuts, rich (and pungent) cheeses flanked by fresh fruits and all manner of crackers, bread, spreads, and dips. Pair with a good bottle of Cabernet, and you're guaranteed to have a flavor-fest no matter if you planned it as an appetizer or a meal all by itself. But here's where it gets interesting: as you browse for ideas on how to arrange your very own charcuterie board, you might also stumble across recipes for "snack boards." And naturally, you're left wondering if they're one and the same.

Well, kind of. First, we have to take a look at the word "charcuterie." In French, it means "cooked pork meat," so for an arrangement to get this name, it must contain things like prosciutto, chorizo, and pancetta. If your board only features cheeses, fruits, nuts, and so on, the better term for it would be a "snack board" (and yes, that means there's technically no such thing as a vegan charcuterie board). Think of the latter as an umbrella term to refer to every and all sorts of food boards that don't fall under "charcuterie."

Most people tend to use these words interchangeably, and to be honest, that's perfectly fine — so long as you know what you're referring to, it's not that big of a deal. But if being specific and accurate is your goal, then the rule is this: a charcuterie board must contain cured meats, and a snack board is any board without!

Decided to finally try out that pretty charcuterie board idea you found on Pinterest? You're bound to come across something called the "3-3-3-3 Rule". This rule is simple: in order to have a good-looking charcuterie board, you must have three of a kind for each element on your board. So, three types of meat, three types of cheeses, three kinds of starches (such as crackers and breads), and three accompaniments or other special additions. This will give your guests a nice variety of flavors and textures to explore, plus ensuring that there's not too much or too little of one kind of ingredient on the board.

But do you have to follow this rule to get a charcuterie board? No! It's not a rule at all, rather, you should treat it as a guideline. Let's say, for instance, you like yours with more than just three kinds of cheeses? Not a problem — load 'em up. Got several kinds of cold cuts stocked in your fridge that you'd like to use up all at once? Throw it right on there. So long as you arrange them neatly and not just throw your cold cuts and other ingredients haphazardly onto the board, your arrangement can still be called a charcuterie board (and a snack board without the meat!)