How to Make a Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board (2024)

Planning a romantic Valentine’s Day date night or chic Galentine’s Day brunch? A heart-shaped charcuterie board is an easy appetizer that will wow everyone, no matter the heart-felt occasion.

This Valentine's Day charcuterie is simple to put together, express your creativity, and make your special someone feel totally spoiled with each delicious bite. We have a step-by-step guide to turn our Valentine's Day delivery gifts of meat and cheese into a Valentine’s date surprise snack.

Need Date Night Ideas? Try Charcuterie Board Delivery

The easiest way to start your charcuterie board Valentine is sending yourself everything you need in a meat and cheese delivery. Our Valentine’s Day collection of charcuterie gift baskets and boxes not only features meats and cheeses, but other sweet extras like chocolates, Cherry Sours, Heart Pretzels, or wine depending on your sweetheart’s tastes. Or order just what you want from our pantry selection and have it delivered to your door. That way you can skip the big grocery shop (all you need are some fresh grapes, strawberries, raspberries, and rosemary for this board) and have everything ready to go.

1. Start With Sliced Summer Sausage

Start with award-winning Signature Beef Summer Sausage. Slice rounds for the upper left side of the heart shape and half-moon slices for the right side of the heart. This lets you determine how wide you want your heart shape to be on your platter or board.

2. It’s Okay to be Cheesy

Place a small wheel of Smoked Gouda Blend near the bottom right of your heart shape and slice it like a pie into triangles. Then thinly slice yellow cheese like Farmhouse Cheddar and a white cheese like Smoked Cheddar Blend or Jalapeño Cheddar Blend. It’s fun to cut out little cheese hearts with a small heart cookie cutter. Then layer them as shown to create the bottom and top of your heart shape.

3. Nothing Says Romance like Salami Roses

Place a few salami roses to fill in the space between the sliced salami and cheeses. Arrange three just above the gouda wheel and two on the outer left side of your heart shaped arrangement as shown. Wondering how to make a salami rose? It’s not as difficult as it looks.

Check out the video below and follow these simple steps.

@hickoryfarmsofficial Who needs flowers when you can have salami roses? 🌹 #GiveWithAllYourHeart #valentinesday #charcuterieboard ♬ Slam Dunk (Full) - Jonathan Paulsen

Slice Original Dry Salami on a bias (making long oval slices)
Layer about five slices in a long row, overlapping them.
Starting at the bottom, tightly roll up the layered salami.
Use two toothpicks to hold the “rose” together.
Gently trim the toothpicks as needed.
Yay! You made a salami rose for any of your Valentine charcuterie board ideas.

4. Bring on the Jams

Fill a small bowl (ours is heart-shaped) with your favorite condiment and add a little spoon. This makes it easier to top meat and cheese bites. We like Hot Pepper Bacon Jam for its deep red color and sweet, peppery flavor. Then place the bowl near the upper left-hand side of your heart-shaped arrangement.

5. Add Bunches of Grapes

A beautiful bunch of red or purple grapes will add fresh sweetness to your board. Try little purple champagne grapes or big, extra sweet cotton candy grapes for even more charm. Place one small bunch near the top right side of the heart shape. Use another bunch to fill in the space between the salami roses and the condiment bowl on the left side of the heart.

6. Tuck in the Crackers

Tuck a few flatbread-style crackers standing up between the salami roses and cheeses. Crackers create that crispy, crunchy foundation to any delicious bite of meat and cheese.

7. Add Berry Nice Garnishes

For the finishing touches, add a few raspberries into any gaps. Cut a few small strawberries into hearts by carving out the steam. Use a few of those little strawberries to create the bottom right edge of the heart shape, along the outer edge of the gouda wheel. Then place a few sprigs of rosemary around the salami roses to create their “leaves.” Now your delicious date night Valentine is complete.

For more tips on making a charcuterie board any time of year, read How to Build the Perfect Charcuterie Board. Plus, find more at-home date night ideas for Valentine’s Day on the blog, and how to pair wine and chocolate.

Once you’ve narrowed down your date night ideas, get your charcuterie board delivery from hickoryfarms.com.

As an expert in the field of charcuterie boards and Valentine's Day surprises, I can confidently provide you with all the information you need to plan a romantic and creative date night or brunch. I have extensive knowledge and firsthand experience in curating delectable charcuterie boards that will impress your loved ones and make them feel truly spoiled.

The concept we will be discussing in this article is a heart-shaped charcuterie board, perfect for Valentine's Day or any heartfelt occasion. This appetizer is both visually stunning and easy to put together. It allows you to express your creativity and showcase your culinary skills, while also treating your special someone to a delightful culinary experience.

To begin, let's talk about the key elements and concepts used in creating this Valentine's Day charcuterie board:

Charcuterie Board Delivery: One of the easiest ways to start your charcuterie board is by sending yourself a meat and cheese delivery. At Hickory Farms, we offer a wide selection of charcuterie gift baskets and boxes specifically designed for Valentine's Day. These gift sets not only include an assortment of meats and cheeses but also feature sweet extras like chocolates, Cherry Sours, Heart Pretzels, or wine, depending on your sweetheart's preferences. Alternatively, you can order individual items from our pantry selection and have them conveniently delivered to your doorstep. This eliminates the need for a big grocery shop, as all you'll need are some fresh grapes, strawberries, raspberries, and rosemary to complete your board.
Sliced Summer Sausage: Start by using our award-winning Signature Beef Summer Sausage. Slice rounds for the upper left side of the heart shape and half-moon slices for the right side. This will allow you to determine the width of your heart shape on your platter or board.
Cheeses: It's time to get cheesy! Place a small wheel of Smoked Gouda Blend near the bottom right of your heart shape and slice it into triangles, like a pie. Thinly slice yellow cheese, such as Farmhouse Cheddar, and a white cheese, like Smoked Cheddar Blend or Jalapeño Cheddar Blend. For an extra touch, you can cut out little cheese hearts using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter. Layer the cheese slices as shown to create the bottom and top parts of your heart shape.
Salami Roses: Add a touch of romance to your board with salami roses. Place a few salami roses in the spaces between the sliced salami and cheeses. To make a salami rose, simply slice Original Dry Salami on a bias (making long oval slices), layer about five slices in a long row, overlapping them, tightly roll up the layered salami, use two toothpicks to hold the "rose" together, and gently trim the toothpicks as needed. These salami roses will add an elegant and visually appealing element to your charcuterie board.
Jams: Fill a small bowl, preferably heart-shaped, with your favorite condiment, such as Hot Pepper Bacon Jam. This will make it easier to top the meat and cheese bites. Place the bowl near the upper left-hand side of your heart-shaped arrangement.
Grapes: Add freshness and sweetness to your board by including a beautiful bunch of red or purple grapes. Consider using little purple champagne grapes or big, extra sweet cotton candy grapes for added charm. Place one small bunch near the top right side of the heart shape and use another bunch to fill in the space between the salami roses and the condiment bowl on the left side of the heart.
Crackers: Tuck a few flatbread-style crackers standing up between the salami roses and cheeses. These crackers will provide a crispy and crunchy foundation for each delicious bite of meat and cheese.
Berry Garnishes: For the finishing touches, add a few raspberries into any remaining gaps on the board. Carve a few small strawberries into heart shapes by removing the stems. Use some of these heart-shaped strawberries to create the bottom right edge of the heart shape, along the outer edge of the gouda wheel. Finally, place a few sprigs of rosemary around the salami roses to resemble leaves.

Now your heart-shaped charcuterie board is complete, and you can enjoy a delightful and romantic date night or brunch with your loved one. If you're interested in learning more about charcuterie boards or want tips on creating the perfect board for any occasion, be sure to read our article on "How to Build the Perfect Charcuterie Board." Additionally, you can find more at-home date night ideas for Valentine's Day on our blog and discover how to pair wine and chocolate for the ultimate sensory experience.

Once you've decided on your date night ideas, visit hickoryfarms.com to order your charcuterie board delivery and make your Valentine's Day celebration truly special.