Boards Around the World Peruvian Charcuterie Board
Around the World
Peruvian Charcuterie Board
A Peruvian-inspired board that mixes Andean staples like corn and potatoes with street-food skewers and three ají sauces, from mild to fiery.
- Serves
- 8–10
- Board
- 18–20 inch
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cost
- $50–$80
- Level
- Intermediate
Open this board in the Board Builder Get amounts for your own guest count, free.
What's on the board
Meat
- Lomo saltado beef strips
- Anticuchos (beef heart skewers)
- Chicharrón (fried pork)
Cheese & spreads
Sauces
- Ají amarillo paste
- Huancaína sauce
- Rocoto salsa
Corn & potatoes
- Choclo (Peruvian corn)
- Yellow potato crisps
- Cancha (toasted corn nuts)
Produce
- Avocado
- Cherry tomatoes
- Limes
Crackers, fruit & nuts
- Soda crackers
- Passion fruit
- Lúcuma caramel
- Brazil nuts
Amounts and prices for each item are in the book, or open the board in the Board Builder for amounts sized to your guest count.
Why it works
The heat on this board comes in three steps: fruity ají amarillo, creamy huancaína sauce that tames it with cheese and milk, and fiery rocoto. Mild queso fresco, avocado and cream cheese sit nearby to cool things down, and aged Manchego adds a nutty, salty note for the fusion side.
Soy-seasoned lomo saltado and ají-marinated anticuchos bring savory, grilled flavor, and chicharrón adds crackling crunch. Corn and potatoes, both native to the Andes, show up as chewy choclo, crunchy cancha and potato crisps, while passion fruit and a drizzle of caramel-like lúcuma give a sweet finish.
Timeline
- 25 min beforeGrill the anticuchos, rest them, then slice or leave on skewers.
- 15 min beforeCook the lomo saltado and blend the huancaína sauce.
- 8 min beforePlace the cheeses, spreads and sauce bowls.
- 4 min beforeAdd the meats, produce, corn, crisps and crackers.
- ServingTop with passion fruit halves and a drizzle of lúcuma.
The seven-step placement plan (what goes where, and why) is in the book.
New book
Build it exactly, with the new book
This board's exact shopping list with amounts and prices, the prep countdown, all seven placement steps, five swaps and five upgrades are in Charcuterie Lab: Around the World in 16 Boards, with 15 more international boards.
Questions
Where can I buy ají amarillo, cancha and choclo?
Latin American markets carry ají amarillo paste in jars, bags of cancha (also sold as corn nuts), and frozen choclo. All three are easy to order online as well.
Do I have to use beef heart for anticuchos?
No. Beef heart is traditional and tastes like lean steak, but sirloin cubes in the same ají-vinegar marinade are an easy swap.
What do you drink with Peruvian food?
A pisco sour is the classic. For a nonalcoholic option, serve chicha morada, a spiced purple corn drink.
Can I make huancaína sauce ahead?
Yes. Blend it up to a day ahead and chill it. It thickens in the fridge, so stir in a splash of milk before serving.
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