The Duck’s Digest
How to Choose Charcuterie for Boards, Sandwiches & Cooking
A practical shopping guide
A charcuterie selection becomes easier to shop when you separate products for serving from ingredients for cooking. Start with Cold Cuts & Charcuterie, then choose the product type and format for the occasion.
Choose a few different textures
For a board, compare a ham, a cured sausage and a prepared spread, selecting products whose directions identify them as suitable to serve. 18-Month Italian Heritage Ham, Salami Milano and the Pâté selection offer different starting points. You do not need several nearly identical sliced meats to create variety.
Add cheeses that bring a different texture, then leave space for bread and accompaniments. Choose the amount according to whether the board is a small starter or the main food for the gathering.
Sliced packs and whole pieces serve different needs
A sliced pack can simplify a small gathering or sandwich preparation. A whole piece offers portioning flexibility but may require the right knife, slicer or carving setup. Check the actual selected format and pack weight; two sizes of the same sausage are not two different flavours.
For a ham-focused selection, explore Jamón Ibérico. Read the individual designation instead of assuming every Spanish ham has the same breed or feeding description. Serrano, Ibérico ham and cured loin are different choices.
Separate cooking ingredients from board-ready products
Guanciale is cured pork jowl. Pancetta and ventrèche are pork-belly selections. Choose between them for the intended recipe, and follow the exact product's preparation directions. Curing by itself is not an instruction to eat a product uncooked.
For pasta, compare Guanciale Al Pepe Block or Italian pancetta, then choose a suitable grating cheese. ’Nduja adds spicy pork character to cooking; try the existing ’Nduja Mussels recipe for a seafood dish built around it.
Use country as another route into the selection
Browse Italian meats and cold cuts, Spanish meats and cold cuts and French meats. These broader pages may also contain raw cooking meats. Let the individual product instructions determine its use.
Follow the selected product's packaging for storage and use after opening. Keep the shortlist focused on the occasion, compare current prices and portion sizes, then browse Wines for a pairing.