I used to think nothing could beat the elegant simplicity of a plate filled with cheeses, crackers, and an assortment of other junk. It’s the centerpiece of any party that’s worth attending, and I feel personally offended when there isn’t one. But now that I’ve learned about the butter board, my entire reality has shifted. What are butter boards? Please, come on this buttery journey with me.
What is a butter board?
The butter board is a relatively recent culinary creation, making its first appearance in 2017. Chef Joshua McFadden created it and included it in his cookbook Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables. The dish features good quality butter spread onto a wooden cutting board and adorned with a variety of herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, and even edible flowers.
The butter board is served in conjunction with sliced bread, which you use to scrape the decorated butter off the board, effectively buttering your bread. The whole thing is a fun, communal twist on the traditional bread and butter you might get at a restaurant or even a replacement for the standard charcuterie board or fondue pot you may have at a party. It is, after all, much easier to slap some butter on a cutting board than it is to cut a bunch of different cheeses.
What is the viral butter board trend?
Like many modern food trends, the butter board gained popularity on TikTok during the pandemic. Food blogger Justine Doiron posted her own version of the butter board in 2022 and it went viral, garnering over a million likes. If you browse butter boards TikTok, #butterboard brings back hundreds of options; each butter board different than the last.
The important thing is to start with softened butter, otherwise you won’t be able to artfully spread it across a big board. After that, it’s all jazz, baby. McFadden mentions the versatility of the butter board, saying that no two butter boards you make should taste the same. That’s because the combination of ingredients, breads, and even butters is completely modular and can be made to fit any occasion. Here are some ideas:
Halloween: butter of your choice, roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh or pickled button mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, fig, edible viola flowers, served with a heavily seeded bread (or even a pumpkin flavored bread).
Thanksgiving: butter of your choice, dried cranberry, cinnamon, walnut, finely chopped roasted butternut squash, shredded brussel sprouts, served with classic dinner rolls.
Harvest: butter of your choice, granny smith apple, pickled beets, roasted chestnuts, arugula, a drizzle of honey, any bread you want.
You can make a butter board for any season or holiday. It’s a great way to express your creativity and surprise friends with something different at your next party.
In place of the cheese and meats on a charcuterie board
charcuterie board
A charcuterie board is an appetizer typically served on a wooden board or stone slab, either eaten straight from the board itself or portioned onto flatware. It features a selection of preserved foods, especially cured meats or pâtés, as well as cheeses and crackers or bread.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Charcuterie_board
The "butter board" is basically a serving surface inspired by the classic charcuterie, made of charcuterie, soft butter spread across the wooden surface and then seasoned with salt, herbs, honey, nuts and many other creative ingredients.
Thankfully, the trend seems to have died down, and the TikTok home cook who introduced the world to butter boards, Justine Doiron, moved on to a new vehicle for spreadable food: a bowl. From our standpoint, this makes much more sense.
What is the 3-3-3-3 Rule for Charcuterie Boards? No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.
There are a few that I would stay away from eggplants, brussels sprouts, turnips, beets, zucchini and mushrooms. Many of these vegetables taste best when cooked, and Charcuterie boards generally don't include steamed or cooked veggies.
The original idea is credited to chef Joshua McFadden. While visually appealing for a crowd, these beautiful butter boards are loaded with saturated fat and create an environment where you can very easily overeat too much butter. Which is problematic if you follow a heart healthy diet or are trying to lose weight.
The butter board is the latest internet food trend to take off and it was popularised by New York influencer Justine Doiron who added salt, lemon zest, honey, coriander and edible flowers to a slab of butter. Her original post has been viewed 8 million times on TikTok.
In place of the cheese and meats on a charcuterie board, a butter board is softened butter spread out on a wooden board and then covered in herbs to serve over bread.
The risk of getting sick from a butter board still seems relatively low, according to other experts. “This is not something that would make my top 20 list or top 50 of risky things,” food safety specialist Benjamin Chapman told The New York Times.
Charcuterie boards have long been a staple in the food world, offering a visually stunning and versatile appetizer option. In 2023, charcuterie trends are evolving in new and creative ways, providing ample opportunities to showcase your culinary artistry and impress your customers.
Briny, pickled or marinated: olives, co*cktail onions, cornichons, dill pickles, pepperoncini. We love green olives stuffed with garlic or feta, and I also like including olive tapenade and bruschetta. Savory Dips and spreads: Whole ground mustard, hummus, ranch, balsamic dip. Veggies – cold cut, if desired.
Cheese is usually sliced much thicker than meat, both by the store and by your guests, so you'll need a little more than the meat. So pick one cheese from each category, but don't sweat if you want fewer than four cheeses. Even if you only choose two, that just leaves more room for bread, grapes and other extras.
Many ingredients used in charcuterie boards are high in sodium, including deli meats, dry sausages, cheeses, salted nuts, pretzels and crackers. The recommendation for daily sodium intake for adults is 2,300 milligrams or less. To reduce the sodium load on your board, add more fresh or dried fruits and raw veggies.
And while they can have healthy components, it's recommended that the namesake itself—charcuterie, or processed meats—be eaten only in limited quantities, or avoided, as they may increase your risk of certain cancers.
Thankfully, per MarthaStweart.com, you can use your hands to eat the delectable assorted cheeses and meats. Amy Sherman finds that charcuterie boards are typically made to be eaten by multiple people, which is why it's perfectly acceptable to use your fingers.
The table butter dish is not a preservation tool but simply a way of presenting the butter during a meal. It is simply a small container or saucer in which you put butter to present it during the meal.
These butter dishes were made to hold the traditional round shape of butter at the time and came with an "ice chamber" to keep the butter cold. Another type of butter dish, a French butter dish, keeps butter fresh by using water to keep the butter away from the air, thereby keeping it fresh.
The Original Butter Bell® Crock is a modern version of the authentic French beurrier, and safely keeps butter at room temperature --on the counter or tabletop -- without spoilage, refrigeration, or odors.
There's nothing quite like getting together with friends to share an appetizer, and charcuterie boards are the most easily shareable appetizer we can think of. Gathering around a charcuterie board to pick out your favorites, try new combinations and discuss your preferences is almost as fun as the eating itself!
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