Game Day Tailgating Charcuterie Board
Game day looks a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be special.
Y’all already know that my version of making something special always includes serving up great food. Any day, any place can become special with the addition of the right snacks!
So, even if we can’t actually go tailgating before watching our favorite football teams play this year, we can still eat all the good tailgating food!
This Game Day Tailgating Charcuterie Board is the perfect edition to every football game, whether you are tailgating at the stadium, or in your own home.
Let’s learn how to make an epic Game Day Meat and Cheese Board for your next football game day party.
The very first, most important thing you need to know about this Game Day Tailgating Charcuterie Board is that you don’t have to make it exactly like this one. Feel free to use your family’s favorite game day snacks!
I’ll teach you how to build an appealing and balanced looking game day snack tray, and then you can change up the snacks using the technique I’m going to share.
While this tray may look very time consuming and intricate, it really only takes about 30 minutes to put together.
Game Day Snack Tray Ingredients:
- Cheese Ball shaped like a football
- Pretzel Bites
- Chicken Wings
- Little Smokie Wraps
- Salami
- Vegetables – celery, green, yellow and red peppers, cucumbers and carrots
- Cheese
- Crackers
- Pretzels
Dipping Sauces
- Buffalo Sauce
- Ranch
- Honey Mustard
- Ketchup
How to Build your Tailgating Snack Tray:
First remember that you can change out any of these items to better fit your family’s preferences!
Begin building your Game Day Tray by creating the cheese ball in the center of the tray. You can use your favorite cheese ball recipe, or use a ready-made, store bought cheese ball.
Shape the cheese ball into the shape of a football in the center of your serving tray. If your cheese ball was stored in the refridgerator, you may need to let it warm up a little to easily shape it. Next, place mini pepperoni pieces around the outside of the cheeseball, pushing them in slightly to secure them to the football. Finally, cut strips of white cheese (Monterey or mozzarella work well) and place them on the football to create laces.
Next add small bowls of dipping sauces near the four corners of the tray. We choose buffalo (or barbecue) sauce, ketchup, ranch and honey mustard.
Next we will add the biggest snacks to the tray in a cross shape.
Place chicken wings on the top and bottom of the tray, as pictured below. You can make your own chicken wings, but I always go the easy route and buy them at the grocery store. That way you’ll just need to heat them up before adding the chicken wings to the tray.
Next you’ll add the pretzel bites to one side of the tray, and the Pigs in a Blankets to the other.
You’ll find pretzel bites in the bakery or freezer section of most grocery stores. Simply heat them according to the package directions before placing them on the tray.
To make Pigs In a Blanket, wrap a small piece of crescent roll dough around a lil’ smokie, then bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Next you’ll make salami fans to place on one edge of the snack tray. Simply take a round salami and told it into quarters. Then place the fans close together on your snack board.
Next gather all the small and medium sized items you want to add to the tray. You’ll want veggies for dipping into the ranch and honey mustard, pretzels and other crackers for the cheese ball, sliced cheeses, and snack mix or nuts.
Begin by placing all the medium sized items in the spaces you have left on the tray. Place celery sticks near the chicken wings, cheese slices near the salami fans, and crackers in any large spaces you still have available.
Finally fill in all the holes with the smaller items. This is a great place for small veggies, pretzels, and small handfuls of snack mix or nuts. You want to get the tray as full as possible.
Now you are ready for game day!