Have you heard about Jarcuterie? It’s a party in a jar—or at least the start of it. If you’re planning an elegant Mother’s Day brunch, a great graduation party, or just a fun get-together, you’ll want to know about this latest craze in entertaining.
What is Jarcuterie exactly?
Jarcuterie is a new twist on Charcuterie boards, traditionally a platter of meats and cheese offered as an appetizer or part of a meal. However, instead of a board or platter, Jarcuterie is served in individual jars. The contents don’t even have to be meat and cheese—in fact, the more creative, the better.
Why is Jarcuterie so popular?
It’s pretty to look at, easy to serve, and you can customize it for your guests’ dietary needs. But the main reason for its growth in popularity is due to the pandemic. Rather than touching a platter that others touch too, you can enjoy this socially distant snack safely. And you’ll feel more comfortable as a host that you are doing your part in keeping everyone healthy and safe.
How do I create a Jarcuterie?
The options are endless, which is why a little forethought and planning will make a difference. Do you want savory or sweet? (Yes, dessert Jarcuterie is a thing!) There are no rules, but keep simplicity in mind; generally, Jarcuterie features small finger food and sometimes dips.
Start with a clear container. Popular choices include a mason jar, plastic cup, or small bowl. Choose a size that’s easy to hold because this snack is portable.
Choose a flavor or theme. An Italian-themed Jarcuterie could feature antipasto ingredients such as meats, cheeses, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and breadsticks. A Mediterranean Jarcuterie could include fresh vegetables with hummus, olives, and feta cheese. A breakfast Jarcuterie might feature mini-muffins, bacon strips, yogurt, and fresh fruit.
Dips go at the bottom. If you include them, dips are best at the base. That way, guests can dip the items into the bottom without getting their fingers messy.
Include a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. This will create a beautiful display that also balances with its ingredients. Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of cheese or other items. Roll meats and cheeses together for a festive look. Keep wet snacks away from crunchy ones or assemble the crunchy ones at the last moment so nothing gets soggy.
Keep height in mind. Display food on skewers or cocktail sticks for varying heights. Vary the items on the skewer such as meat, then cheese. Try 1-2 skewers per jar. Add some tall vegetables like celery, which are great for dipping.
Fill in the gaps with tiny treats. Add nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, or other items to fill in the gaps.
Garnish and decorate. Tie the Jarcuterie glass with a bow. Garnish the food with a fresh herb that goes with the flavor palate.
Still not sure what you’re going to make? We scoured the Internet for some popular Jarcuterie recipes. Here are some of our favorites.
Basic Savory Jarcuterie
This basic Jarcuterie recipe combines meat, cheese, crackers, nuts, fruit, pretzels, and more. It’s kid-friendly and they can even help with the preparation!
Flower Garden Jarcuterie
This recipe uses broccoli flowers and radish roses to create a beautiful garden on top of a base of peanuts. Switch out the nuts for some salad dressing dip or hummus for a different sping.
Disney Jarcuterie
This recipe requires a Disney cookie cutter to create Mickey Mouse ears and any other shape for your child’s favorite character. Definitely a dessert version, this Jarcuterie features M&M candy as the base with fresh fruit and cheese displayed on spears.
Colorful Spring Jarcuterie
For those who like to go over the top, this Jarcuterie comes with suggestions on how to dye your vegetables and even spell out the word, spring, with tiny vegetable cutters.
Sweet Ending Jarcuterie
What’s better than a mason jar filled with your favorite sweets? This dessert Jarcuterie pairs mini marshmallows with chocolate drizzled pretzels and strawberries. You can even add your own candied fruit. Pro Tip: use different colors of chocolate for the drizzle to make your Jarcuterie look extra festive!
DIY Charcuterie Bouquets
This Jarcuterie isn’t in a jar, but its single-serving paper bouquet wrap has the same idea. Deli meat roses pair with strawberries and herbs for a beautiful presentation.
For more JARcuterie ideas, check out our Pinterest Board, “JARcuterie” and be sure to follow us on Pinterest for every other fun idea we find!
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