Charcuterie

Definition: Charcuterie is the art of making sausages and other cured, smoked and preserved meats. In addition to sausages, classic charcuterie items include pâtés, terrines, galantines, ballotines, confit and crèpinettes.

Charcuterie is one of the principal categories of garde manger, which encompasses various classical techniques for preserving foods that date from an era before refrigeration.

Originally, the word charcuterie was used to refer only to products made from pork. But today, the word charcuterie is used to describe any product prepared using these traditional methods, even ones made from poultry, fish, seafood or other meats.

One of the characteristics of charcuterie recipes is its use of forcemeat. But familiar smoked or cured meats such as ham and bacon are technically within the purview of charcuterie