3 Preserves for the Perfect Summer Charcuterie Board
I have a confession to make…
A charcuterie board might be my favorite thing in the whole world to put together. Every year on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, my family gathers around a giant spread and grazes for hours. My dad picked up the tradition when he lived in Canada for a couple of years, and it stuck, and now it is the day I look forward to most all year. So when summer rolls around, I cannot help myself. I build a summer charcuterie board too.
What I love about a board is that it is completely yours. You get to put your own style on it, and you can build it so that everyone at the table has something they can eat. That part matters a lot in my family. We have folks who eat gluten free and folks who keep an eye on their sugar, and a good board means all of them get to dig in together instead of sitting one out. Cornaby’s makes that easier than you would think. Our thickeners are gluten free and non-GMO, and you can sweeten the preserves however works for you.
The heart of my board is two homemade raspberry preserves, and I will be honest, making them gets me right in the feelings. It takes me straight back to being a kid on our farm, eating fresh raspberry jam by the spoonful when I was supposed to be helping. In the video I make that same raspberry preserve two ways, with two different Cornaby’s thickeners, so they turn out completely different. E-Z Gel is our instant thickener, so that one stays bright and fresh and never touches the stove. Thick Gel is the cook-up version, so it simmers down deep, dark, and glossy like an old-fashioned preserve. Then I add a jar of our Cowgirl Kisses cowboy candy for a little sweet heat and build the whole board around those three.
Give it a watch to see how each preserve behaves and how the board comes together, then scroll down for all three recipes written out, plus the questions I get asked most.
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RECIPE 1
No-Cook Raspberry Preserves with E-Z Gel
This is the one I reach for when I want fresh raspberry flavor with zero fuss. No stove, no waiting around. You stir it together and it sets while you slice your cheese. Because it never gets cooked, it tastes like ripe summer raspberries straight off the cane, and it is bright enough to cut through a rich, creamy cheese.
The magic here is E-Z Gel, our instant thickener. It whisks right into cold fruit and thickens on its own, no heat and no slurry required.
No-Cook Raspberry Preserve
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 to 3 Tbsp Cornaby’s E-Z Gel
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups Servings: About 12 (2 Tbsp each)
Instructions
Crush the raspberries to the texture you like, chunky by hand or smooth in a blender. Stir in the water and lime juice. Whisk the E-Z Gel into the sugar first so it spreads out and does not clump, then gradually stir the sugar mixture into the berries. Keep stirring until smooth. It will start to thicken in 3 to 5 minutes and reach full thickness in about 10. If you want it thicker, whisk in another tablespoon of E-Z Gel. It holds for days in the fridge and freezes without weeping or thinning.
Pro Tip
You can whisk in the E-Z Gel without adding it to the sugar first. Just add it slowly while whisking. The lime does two jobs at once: it brightens the flavor and makes that red color pop.
RECIPE 2
Cooked Raspberry Preserves with Thick Gel
Same berries, completely different personality. This one gets a little heat, which deepens the color and the flavor into something rich and jammy, like a preserve that simmered all afternoon, even though it did not. This is the one you want sitting next to sharp aged cheeses and salty cured meats.
The difference is Thick Gel, our cook-up thickener. It needs heat to activate, so it gives you that deep burgundy, glossy finish you cannot get from an instant preserve.
Cooked Raspberry Preserves
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 to 2 Tbsp Cornaby’s Thick Gel (about half what you would use of E-Z Gel)
- 2 Tbsp cold water, for the slurry
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups Servings: About 12 (2 Tbsp each)
Instructions
Put the raspberries, the 2 tablespoons of water, and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring, until the berries break down and deepen in color. In a small cup, whisk the Thick Gel into the 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering fruit and bring it up to a near boil, stirring, until it turns thick and glossy. Stir in the lemon juice and take it off the heat. Let it cool before serving.
Pro Tip
Always mix Thick Gel into cold water first to make a slurry. If you sprinkle it in dry, it will clump the second it hits the hot berries. And keep it at a near boil for a minute after you add the slurry, since Thick Gel needs that heat to fully thicken.
RECIPE 3
Summer Charcuterie Board
Here is how I turn those two preserves into a board that makes people reach for their phones before they take a bite. The whole thing comes together in minutes, and the trick is to start with anchors and build out from there so it looks intentional without a lot of fuss.
Ingredients
- No-cook raspberry preserve (Recipe 1)
- Cooked raspberry preserve (Recipe 2)
- Cornaby’s Cowgirl Kisses
- Soft cheeses, such as brie and a creamy spreadable cheese
- Aged cheeses, such as sharp cheddar and Havarti
- Cured meats, such as salami and prosciutto
- Crackers and fresh bread
- Fresh fruit, such as grapes, apple slices, and berries
- Fresh herbs, such as rosemary
Yield: One board Servings: About 8
Instructions
Start with three anchors spaced out across the board so it looks balanced: your bright no-cook preserve, your deep cooked preserve, and a little bowl of Cowgirl Kisses. Pair each one with the cheeses that suit it. The fresh preserve loves soft brie and creamy cheeses. The cooked preserve stands up to aged cheddar, Havarti, and salty meats like salami and prosciutto. The cowboy candy adds a pop of green and gold and a little sweet heat that works with both. Build out from the anchors with your meats and cheeses, then scatter grapes, apple slices, and fresh berries through the open spaces. Fill any last gaps with crackers, bread, and sprigs of herbs. You want it to look wild and abundant, like a garden in summer. Add anything good you have from the garden or a fresh loaf you baked.
Pro Tip
Three anchors balance a board far better than one or two. Keep the fresh preserve with mild, creamy cheeses and the cooked one with sharp, salty pairings, so every bite has a match made for it.
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Use Coupon Code: 92UAD89U
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between E-Z Gel and Thick Gel?
E-Z Gel is an instant thickener, so you whisk it straight into hot or cold liquid and it sets in a few minutes with no cooking. Thick Gel is a cook-up thickener that you mix into a cold-water slurry and heat to a near boil to activate. They are the same family of waxy corn starch doing two different jobs. Reach for E-Z Gel when you want fast and fresh, and Thick Gel when you want a cooked, glossy finish. You also use about half as much Thick Gel.
Can you make raspberry preserves without cooking?
Yes. The no-cook version in this post uses E-Z Gel, so you just stir it in and it thickens on its own. Because the fruit never gets heated, it keeps that fresh-picked raspberry flavor that cooked preserves lose.
What is the difference between jam, preserves, and a glaze?
It mostly comes down to the fruit. Preserves keep larger pieces or whole fruit, jam uses crushed fruit, and a glaze is thinner and pourable. These raspberry recipes land somewhere between jam and preserves depending on how much you crush the berries, and you can thin either one with a splash of water to use it as a glaze.
Can I use frozen raspberries?
Yes. Thaw them first and use the juice too. Frozen berries give off a little more liquid, so you may need a touch more thickener to reach the consistency you want.
How long do homemade raspberry preserves last?
Both keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks and freeze for up to a year without weeping or separating, since E-Z Gel and Thick Gel are both freeze-thaw stable.
Is this a low sugar jam?
Yes. Jam in a Jiffy is a low sugar mix, which is a big reason the fresh fruit flavor comes through so clearly. You are not burying the strawberries under cups and cups of sugar the way traditional cooked recipes do.
Can I can these preserves on the shelf?
Both E-Z Gel and Thick Gel are approved for home canning when used according to tested recipes. If you want to can raspberries for the shelf, follow a trusted canning recipe and its processing time. For fridge or freezer storage, no canning is needed.
What cheeses pair with raspberry on a charcuterie board?
The fresh, bright preserve loves soft, creamy cheeses like brie. The deeper cooked preserve pairs beautifully with aged cheddar, Havarti, and salty cured meats like salami and prosciutto. A little sweet heat from cowboy candy ties the whole thing together.
How do I build a summer charcuterie board?
Start with three anchors, here the two preserves and the cowboy candy, spaced across the board. Add your cheeses and meats around them, then fill the gaps with fresh fruit, crackers, bread, and herbs. Aim for abundant and a little wild, and it will look like you spent far longer than the 20 minutes it takes.
What is Cowgirl Kisses cowboy candy?
Cowgirl Kisses is our candied jalapeno relish, a sweet-and-spicy mix that adds a pop of color and gentle heat to a board. It plays well with both the fresh and the cooked
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Naomi learned to cook before she could see over the counter. Growing as a Cornaby meant learning to put up jam before summer ended, making and canning homemade pie filling, and feeding a family with ingredients you could name. Five generations of tradition show up in every recipe she shares. Nothing fancy. Nothing artificial. Just food worth making.
