The Tartan Plaid Appetizer (Printable View)

Savory jerky and smooth cheeses layered to form a colorful tartan plaid for an eye-catching starter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Jerky

01 - 2 oz beef jerky, cut into thin strips
02 - 2 oz turkey jerky, cut into thin strips
03 - 2 oz pork jerky, cut into thin strips

→ Cheese

04 - 2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into thin strips
05 - 2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, sliced into thin strips
06 - 2 oz smoked gouda, sliced into thin strips

→ Garnish

07 - Fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Arrange a clean cutting board or serving platter as your workspace.
02 - Lay out half of the jerky strips vertically, alternating colors to create a plaid effect.
03 - Starting at one edge, weave strips of cheese horizontally over and under the jerky, alternating cheese types for a woven pattern.
04 - Continue weaving the remaining jerky and cheese strips, alternating directions and colors to mimic a tartan plaid.
05 - Gently press the woven layers to help hold the shape together.
06 - Trim edges if desired for a neat presentation.
07 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives for added color and freshness, if using.
08 - Serve immediately as part of a charcuterie board or cut into squares for individual portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours on it, but honest truth is twenty minutes and zero heat required.
  • That satisfying interplay between chewy jerky and smooth cheese hits a textural sweet spot that keeps people coming back for more.
  • Gluten-free and low carb without feeling like you're sacrificing anything.
02 -
  • Cold ingredients hold their shape infinitely better than room-temperature ones, so don't skip chilling your cheese and jerky strips beforehand.
  • The tighter your weave early on, the more confident your whole pattern will look once you step back—loose weaving falls apart faster than you'd think.
03 -
  • Chill your knife between cuts to keep cheese strips from dragging and falling apart mid-weave.
  • The most foolproof approach is laying everything out in a loose grid first, then tightening the weave once you know where everything needs to go.
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