7 Best Trader Joe's Meats For A Showstopping Charcuterie Board

There's always an occasion for a charcuterie board, whether you want a chic snack for yourself or prefer to set up an impressive one for guests. It's the perfect way to pop a few tasty items in one convenient platter. And while Trader Joe's may be known for its selection of assorted snacks and prepared foods, it can be the ideal place to get charcuterie meats, too.

And so, we're here to compile the best meats to level up your board. We've tried most of these ourselves, or they have been mentioned positively in a previous Tasting Table article. We also backed up anything our team hasn't tried with information garnered from public reviews — and we sometimes included reviews for items we have tried, just so you can get more insights. 

We picked out some stellar options that not only taste good, but also look the part; you can fold and display the cured meats in many ways to mix up your entertaining. There are different meat types, shapes, and overarching flavors, giving you the flexibility to build your platter around any other additions: fruits, cheese, etc. You don't have to go to a specialty store to find some incredible meats; these Trader Joe's options will impress just about anyone who eats them.

If you want something that'll be the talk of your party, don't leave Trader Joe's without grabbing at least two packs of the Sliced Bresaola Uncured Beef Prosciutto. It's one of the most interesting and tasty options you can get at the grocery chain. The meat is thinly and evenly sliced, which makes entertaining incredibly easy to prepare — simply take them out of the packaging to display as desired. The deep red hue means they'd be perfect for a meat rose shape, and they're thin enough to fold however you want. 

The meat stands out on a board thanks to its deep beefy flavor, but it doesn't seem out of place. It's dry-aged with a dynamic salty taste that transforms on the tongue; after chewing, you can pick up notes of white pepper, nutmeg, and clove. If you want a unique offering for your board that perfectly combines flavor, texture, and looks, then the bresaola's beef base sets itself apart from other cured meats. You get a lighter portion here — 3 ounces — but it's enough to make an impact on the board.

Trader Joe's offers multiple prosciutto options for your board. There's the classic TJ's brand sliced prosciutto, which comes with 4 ounces of meat. This option is aged up to 12 months and has a perfectly salty taste with a hint of sweetness and a delicious ratio of fat to give it a luxurious mouthfeel. Not only that, but it brings a beautiful visual element to your board too — pink meat with white marbling. While the truth is that the meat has a fair amount of sodium, you don't need to eat much to enjoy its rich flavor. 

We've seen other brands of prosciutto in the store that might not be visible on the TJ's website; it may be worth scouring the refrigerator for prosciutto di Parma, a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product from Parma, Italy. Prosciutto's extreme thinness means you can find stunning ways to display it on the board; try doing a meat rose, or folding it into a ribbon by creating wave-like folds in the meat. Simplify the entire process by purchasing Trader Joe's prosciutto wrapped around a small piece of mozzarella pearls — it still elevates the board, while minimizing prep time.

Parma is not only known for prosciutto; you can also get incredible salami from the Italian city. Salame di Parma Mild Salami features 4 ounces of meat with a striking deep red hue and speckles of white fat, making it an eye-catching option for your board. Trader Joe's imports the meat from Parma to the United States, where it is then processed (sliced and packaged). The slow-aged meat has a clean, distinct pork meat flavor that's heightened with spices like black pepper, cinnamon, clove, and garlic. You can catch the peppery punch toward the end of the bite.

It's rich, complex, and can make your board seem fancier than it is. Try adding them to a skewer with mozzarella pearls (one of the top TJ's cheeses for a charcuterie board) or delicately folding them onto the board. It's slightly oily, so it pairs really well with mustard or pickles to add a tangy, vinegary brightness. Others think it's one of the top salami options for a board, so you can't go wrong with the thinly sliced, delicious meat.

The 6-ounce package of Spanish Inspired Charcuteria is a fantastic item to include in your next grazing board. It gives you a convenient trio of meats: serrano ham, uncured salchichon, and uncured chorizo. Each is thinly sliced, making it not only easy to style on your board, but also a breeze for guests to bite into. Their sizing means they give just the perfect salty taste and chewy mouthfeel without overwhelming the senses. 

The ham is somewhat comparable to prosciutto, with a simple, yet deeply salty, pork flavor. But the chorizo is the standout, thanks to its multidimensional notes of pepper and garlic. If you have a smaller board, you could simply buy this Spanish pack and call it a day. They're slightly different colors, too, so they can add a visual focal point to your board — from longer pinkish ham slices to the deeper red chorizo. These are incredibly tasty and decadent, but still versatile enough to pair with things like briny olives or buttery crackers.

When you're busy planning an elevated gathering, it's helpful to minimize stress as much as possible, so the Spicy Uncured Charcuterie Collection reduces prep time. You'll get a hefty 9 ounces of spiced meat, including coppa, sopressa, and cooked capocolla, with this Trader Joe's charcuterie essential. They all bring a touch of heat with ingredients like paprika, cayenne pepper, and white pepper, but each one has its unique seasoning blend. All are fermented and dried to create a memorable selection of meats. "It's the best packaged presliced charcuterie I've had!" said one fan on Reddit. 

The bold colors help it stand out on your board, too, from the dark red spicy coppa with the occasionally artful fat swirl to the lighter pink capocolla. Folding it in half or quarters keeps the colors and fatty portions front and center. People will be captivated by the appearance, but will keep coming back for the savory, spicy quality that we find pairs really well with Gouda. They have a balanced heat level, though some find them too spicy. If you plan to put this on your board, include an additional meat options to give people more variety. You could also mellow it out with a mild, creamy cheese like provolone.

You might not think of basic ham as a particularly charcuterie-centric meat, but it can bring a much-needed familiarity to the board. A lot of the meat we covered is quite chewy and salty. The Sliced Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham offers a softer profile, but still brings delicious flavor due to the notable applewood smoked notes. If you don't want something as soft or moist, try toasting it very quickly in a pan to remove a little bit of the moisture. 

You'll get a reasonable 8 ounces per pack. However, since the slices are somewhat large, we recommend cutting them. They're already folded in half, so simply take the meat out of the packaging and do a straight horizontal cut. After that, you may arrange them on the board so they're not so flat. A ribbon-like fold works well, but you could also wrap them around a piece of cheese for a convenient meat and cheese combination. Or try spreading a bit of cream cheese on the meat, adding a small pickle like a cornichon, and securing it with a toothpick for a flavorful, eye-catching addition. A smoked meat is one of the best options for a charcuterie board because it brings a new flavor profile to the table; these TJ's ones provide a tantalizing depth of flavor and slightly lighter hue to your creation.

Pepperoni isn't just for your pizza or a sub sandwich. The Sliced Uncured Pepperoni can offer a commanding visual element to your board because of its slightly smaller size. They look a little more delicate, but still draw attention as a focal point, contrasting with some of the larger slices of meat. But the simplest reason to add them to the board is that they are a fan favorite. People really love using this pepperoni for charcuterie boards, and we can vouch for the incredible taste of this TJ's version.

Based on our hosting experience, adding a familiar meat can help guests feel more comfortable selecting options for their plate. You'll get 5 ounces of meat, but it still fills out the board because there are around 40 pieces per package. They offer a peppery, complex mouthful of ingredients, such as red pepper, fennel, brown mustard seed, and more. Since they are small, there's no need to fold them; instead, you can simply layer them onto the charcuterie board. The meat is very tasty, and if you have any trouble opening the package, people suggest using kitchen scissors.

We selected these cured meat picks based on our experience as long-term Trader Joe's patrons, previous Tasting Table reviews and articles, and other positive general insights/reviews about the meat itself. We've tried many of the options on this list to vouch for the overall quality of taste, texture, and appearance for your charcuterie board. Flavor is imperative, but they must look the part on the board as well — whether that means you can fold them or find another way to elegantly display.