Cajun country is a land of big appetites, but perhaps the biggest appetite of all is the one for parties. Cajuns (and Louisianans in general) rarely need an excuse to gather their friends and family to enjoy good food, good drink and good company. For such gatherings, it’s not uncommon to put a charcuterie board together for guests to enjoy. Though they’re not exactly a recent invention, the rise in popularity of charcuterie boards has been evident for the last decade. These days, virtually no party is complete without an array of meats, cheeses, and other festive treats for snacking on. There is a crucial flaw in charcuterie boards, however: they can be quite boring. After years of eating the same cured meats and deli-aisle cheeses, charcuterie boards have lost their flair for many a party-goer. Fear not, however; Billy’s is here to save the day with some tips on how to put the “Cajun” in your next occasion. Next time you’re preparing a butcher’s block of finger foods for your friends and family, consider some of these items to shake things up a bit!
Pork Charcuterie
Perhaps the most Cajun protein available and a cornerstone of southern cuisine, a healthy selection of pork products is essential to a successful charcuterie board. In lieu of the usual prosciutto, salami, and other cured pork products, try a Cajun twist with these Acadiana icons:
- Tasso, sliced or cubed
- Mini boudin balls
- Cracklins
- Pepper jack roll-ups
- Sliced green onion sausage (with toothpicks)
Any combination of boudin products would work, of course; but you’ll want to have a variety of pork based bites just in case anyone gets tired of it. Just kidding; that won’t happen!
Chicken Charcuterie
While poultry isn’t a typical staple of charcuterie boards, its versatility and popularity means you should make room for at least a couple of chicken products to go with your meats and cheeses. When considering bite-sized chicken items, one’s natural instinct would be along the lines of wings, chicken tenders or even nuggets—there are much more fun ways to bring a little poultry to your party, and they’re likely to hold up better over time, too. Consider making space on your board for the following:
- Spicy chicken salad (served with Hobi’s Bites Seasoned Crackers)
- Chicken balls
- Chicken cracklin
Cheeses and Miscellaneous
For many, the centerpiece of a charcuterie board is the selection of cheeses. The best arrangements consist of cheeses that are not only varied in flavor and texture, but also appropriately complementary to the other offerings on the board. In addition to a sharp cheese like fontina, a small side of salty olives, and a mild cheese like fresh mozzarella; consider adding the following to your selection:
- Spicy hog’s head cheese
- Brie w/ creamed honey
- Quail eggs
- Gator pickles
- Porter cheese
Feel free to experiment with different cheeses of the same profile, and a selection of pickled peppers such as jalapenos wouldn’t go amiss either! The most important thing is to get plenty—they tend to go pretty fast and need restocking before long.
Seafood Charcuterie
Much like poultry, seafood is a less-than-common sight on the average charcuterie board. In Louisiana, however, it would be a virtually criminal offense to not include the fruits of the Gulf, rivers, bayous and lakes that so define the region in manners culinary and otherwise. To bring a bit of seafood flair to your charcuterie board, make room for the following:
- Crawfish pistolettes
- Shrimp roll-ups
- Frog legs with cocktail sauce
- Chilled boiled shrimp with Dat Dip
Prepare for Your Party
If you’re hosting a party or just a get-together in the near future and want to show off your Cajun charcuterie, you don’t have to run all over town to pick up the necessary supplies. Billy’s Boudin & Cracklins carries many of the elements you need to throw a delicious Cajun shindig together. Furthermore, if you’re far away from Cajun country, you need not settle for inferior substitutes! You can order directly from the Billy’s website and we’ll ship the good stuff straight to your door—lightning fast!
If you’re throwing together a Cajun charcuterie board in the future, tag us on Facebook or Instagram so we can take a look! We might even feature it! In the meantime, keep enjoying the finest boudin, cracklins, and Cajun specialty meats Cajun country has to offer at billysboudin.com.