Present A Deli Meat Plate

Separate meat into sections.

Deli meat plates are great to present at events like parties or work functions. Presentation of a meat plate with regards to aesthetics will make it all the more appetizing to guests, and can help to make the food at your next function a big success.

Instructions

1. Make a guest list so that you can determine how much meat you will need for the plate. A good rule of measure is to plan for a pound of meat per five guests.

2. Select at least four kinds of meat you'll want for your plate. Choose a basic deli meat like turkey or ham and then add more exotic meats such as proscuitto or smoked meats. A good staple for deli plates is sliced salami.

3. Select any accents you want on your plate. Cheese is a popular accent for meat, to layer on crackers or bread. Crackers and vegetables are also good pairings. Your accents will serve as separators to be placed in between meats on the plate, but can also be utilized to give your plate color, using vegetables like carrots or baby tomatoes.

4. Draw a design scheme on paper for the layout of your plate. This will give you a clear idea of how the plate will look. One idea is to have four different meats placed across from each other in a diamond shape and then fill in the areas in between with accents or put a dip in the center of the plate.

5. Head to the deli the night before or the day of the event and purchase meats and any accents. Tell the deli employee that the meats are intended for a meat plate so that they will know to cut them into smaller slices and save you the task of having to carve any meat at home. You want the meats to be at their freshest, so always purchase them shortly before they are to be served.

6. Prepare the meat to be placed on the plate. If you have small slices like salami, then you can leave as is. For larger slices, roll the meats, so you are able to fit more.

7. Lay a liner atop your plate. You can use paper doily or wax paper. For some color, lay out pieces of lettuce to place meats on. Using some sort of decorative liner will give your meat plate a little pop of flair.

8. Place meats on plate in the designated sections. Stack rolls together and overlap small slices in rows. Fill space between meats with your accents. Cover plate with clear plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until it is ready to serve.

Tags: your plate, between meats, give your, meat plate, meats plate