Charcuterie skewers are one of the newest ways to feed a crowd without the mess! Plus, since everything is on a skewer, people can simply grab one and keep up with their conversations. Now, if you haven’t made your own charcuterie skewers before, you may be wondering how it is done. Well, it is similar to skewers you would make for the grill. You just use foods that would be on a regular charcuterie board instead. Today, we are going to share everything you need to know about charcuterie skewers, so you are ready the next time you have a gathering of family and friends.
What is Charcuterie?
Charcuterie is an easy way to feed your family, friends, or partygoers. Simply pile meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, and even sweet treats onto a charcuterie board or tray and serve.
You can even serve main courses, or a dessert tray, on a charcuterie board.
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What are Charcuterie Skewers?
Like we mentioned above, charcuterie skewers are a simply way to serve charcuterie with less mess. We recommend using meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables, and even green or black olives on your skewers.
For obvious reasons, crackers will not be able to be part of your charcuterie skewers. You can set an assortment of crackers to the side though.
Foods to Use on Charcuterie Skewers
There is no limit to the variety of foods you can place on your charcuterie skewers. To get you started with ideas, we recommend trying:
- Slice of Salami
- Slice of Pepperoni
- Cubes of Semi-Hard or Hard Cheeses like Cheddar, Babybel Cheese Wheels, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, and Fresh Mozzarella Balls – Basically, any of your favorite cheeses
- Artichoke Hearts
- Black or Green Olives
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Dried Fruits
- Mini Dill Pickles
- Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes
- Marinated Mushrooms
- Slices of Prosciutto
- Chorizo
- Sopressata
- Slices of Capicola
- Apple Slices
- Grapes
- Baguettes – Cut in Cubes
- Fresh Basil Leaves
You can easily use a variety of meats and other foods on your skewers to really make a flavorful appetizer for everyone to enjoy.
Other Items to Make Charcuterie Skewers
You will need some type of wooden skewer to thread your food items onto. We love bamboo skewers. However, if you cannot find those, other wooden kabob sticks will work just as well.
You can even choose to use mini skewers for some items people don’t need a lot of. Or to make mini appetizers to serve before the main course.
How to Prepare Foods for Your Skewers
Prior to assembling your skewers, you will need to prepare your food items. Some foods, like roasted red peppers, olives, and dried fruits will not require any work from you.
However, all the different cheeses you use will need to be cut into small cubes. We love using 2-3 cheeses on our skewers. We find the different cheeses enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients. It is best to make sure all your cheeses are the same size, because it will be easier to make the skewers.
Your deli meats will also require a little attention. Instead of threading the skewer through the center of your deli meat, we recommend you fold the meat in half and then in half again. This will create a nice ruffle that will make your skewers look amazing!
We also use 2-3 meats on our skewers to match the different cheeses.
Assembling Charcuterie Skewers
Assembling your skewers will be simple. All you need to do is add the foods you are using in order. Some people start with cheese cubes, because it holds everything in place. Then add your fruit, deli meat, vegetable, olive, another cube of cheese, fruit, etc. You can see where we are going with this.
Leave some room at the end of the skewer, so your guests have a place to pick it up and hold it.
We recommend creating different variations of skewers for those people who may not want meat or other items you are using.
Another option for these skewers is to create a fruity version for fondue. Strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and other fruits can be skewered and then be dunked into melted chocolate by your guests. Feel free to drizzle these skewers with chocolate to avoid the dipping mess!
How to Serve Charcuterie Skewers
You can easily place your skewers on top of a charcuterie board or another tray. Garnish them with fresh herbs or even pine branches for the holidays.
If you have the time, and your skewers are for a holiday party, create a charcuterie wreath with them. Your guests will be wowed by the sight and wonder how long it took you to make. (It won’t take long at all!)
Setting crackers nearby will allow people to grab them if they want them. Other small bowls of nuts or dips can be set out nearby too. Dressing for dipping vegetables is always a hit!
How Much Time is Needed to Make Charcuterie Skewers
You can easily create amazing skewers in less than 30 minutes. Approximately 15 minutes is needed to gather all your ingredients. The other 15 minutes is assembling the skewers. Of course, you may require more time if you are making quite a few of these.
When Should You Serve Charcuterie Skewers?
You can easily serve these skewers for game nights, movie nights, happy hours, picnics, and a holiday party. The list could go on forever actually, so use your imagination and serve these party appetizers for any occasion.
Tips for Prep and Storage of Charcuterie Skewers
It is simple to make these skewers the night before you need them. Simply place them on a tray, cover them with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until your guests are arriving.
Let them sit out at room temperature for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off.
Making charcuterie skewers instead of a charcuterie board can be a nice change for your guests. They can easily hold a glass of wine in one hand and their skewer in another. Conversations won’t stop. Dirty dishes won’t be piling up in every corner of the room. And you won’t have tons of clean up when everyone goes home.
