A Grilled Charcuterie Board Is What You Need To Wow Your Guests

There are plenty of ideas to keep in mind when building a charcuterie board, but if you want to take it to the next level and truly wow your guests, we suggest you consider offering an assortment of grilled items. Knowing what to grill can be tricky, so to learn everything we need to know about making this happen, Daily Meal spoke with an expert: Celebrity chef Robbie Shoults, the third-generation owner of Marshall, Texas-based Bear Creek Smokehouse,  Marshall Mercantile, and High Horse 1898.

To start, know that two staple charcuterie board ingredients are perfect for grilling: bread and cheese. With cheese, Shoults explains some options are better for grilling than others. "Make sure you pick [a cheese] with a high melting point, or it will wind up in the bottom of your grill!" Shoults suggests options like provolone, adding, "The grill gives cheeses a crusty, caramelized texture on the outside and a gooey, warm center." Other cheeses with high melting points include halloumi and feta.

Grilled figs are perfect for accompanying your meat and grilled cheese options. Shoults recommends cutting them in half, brushing both sides with olive oil, then grilling cut-side down for about 4-6 minutes. Then, he notes, "You can add things like sea salt, honey, or balsamic," adding, "Figs pair well with meats like prosciutto and peppered pork tenderloin." Prosciutto has notes of sweetness to match that of the figs, while also bringing in some saltiness for more depth of flavor. Meanwhile, the figs' sweetness balances out the earthiness of the tenderloin.

For your charcuterie board, Chef Robbie Shoults also suggests grilling olives for a tangy-savory element and apples for a lighter, sweet choice to balance out the saltier options on the board. Shoults recommends choosing pitted green olives instead of their black counterpart — green olives have a bigger shape and a firmer texture, making them the better fit for the grill. Olives can also bring some spiciness to the board for more variety of flavor. "If you want them extra spicy, toss the olives in chili paste for an extra kick," Shoults advises.

Meanwhile, apples make a sweeter, dessert-like option on your board. Shoults recommends cutting them into rings and brushing them with butter before grilling. To finish, dust the apple rings with cinnamon and sugar.

As for what charcuterie items to avoid putting on the grill, Shoults says to bypass cured meats; "They are usually very lean and would probably not fare well on a grill without drying out," he offered.

Instead, stick with smoked sausage, which Shoults suggests pairing with hot honey or honey mustard, reminiscent of the classic baseball food. Shoults says that any of these items can be served either hot or at room temperature, so you won't have to worry about re-grilling items that have been resting on the board for a little while. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your grilled charcuterie board.