Minnesota Knows Meat

The charcuterie board has had a major moment over the last few years — but Minnesotans have been building elaborate meat and cheese spreads for decades. At every lake cabin opener, deer opener party, or holiday gathering in the Northwoods, there's a wooden board somewhere covered in summer sausage, cheese curds, and crackers. It's in our DNA.

The difference between a forgettable board and an unforgettable one? Start with exceptional smoked meats. Here's how to build a Minnesota-style smoked meat board that will have your guests talking all night.

The Foundation: Great Smoked Meat

Every great charcuterie board starts with high-quality protein. For a Minnesota board, we're building around three Stittsworth staples:

Summer Sausage

Stittsworth summer sausage is slow-smoked with real wood — no artificial smoke flavor, no fillers, no organ meat. The Wild Rice & Cheddar flavor is the crowd-pleaser: subtle earthiness from the wild rice, creamy pockets of cheddar throughout. The Original is a classic — clean, smoky, and deeply savory. Slice both into 1/4-inch rounds and fan them out in separate sections of your board.

Ring Bologna

A Northwoods board staple. Ring bologna — sliced thin and served at room temperature — has a deeper smoke and a slightly firmer texture than summer sausage. It adds variety in both flavor and color. Slice it into rounds and interleave with cheese slices.

Beef Sticks

Stittsworth Pepper Beef Sticks add crunch, snackability, and visual height to the board. Bundle 4–5 sticks together and lay them diagonally across the board. Guests can grab them individually as they graze.

The Cheese Selection

With smoked meat as the hero, you want cheeses that complement rather than compete:

Aged Cheddar — The classic pairing with any smoked sausage. Sharp and firm, it holds its shape on the board.
Smoked Gouda — Echoes the smokehouse flavors. Cut into cubes so guests can stack a cube with a meat slice.
Wisconsin Cheese Curds — They're not just for squeak — they're a perfect salty, fresh counterpoint to the rich smoked meats. Stittsworth even sells Pepper Sticks & Cheddar Cheese Curds as a bundle for exactly this reason.

The Accompaniments

These make the board into a meal:

Stone-ground mustard — Non-negotiable. The acid and heat cut through the richness of smoked meat perfectly.
Honey — A small bowl of local Minnesota honey is magic with smoked sausage and aged cheddar.
Cornichons — The tiny pickles provide a bright, acidic counterpoint.
Artisan crackers and bread — Go for a sturdy cracker (not too delicate) and a sliced sourdough or rye.
Dried cranberries or cherries — A nod to the North Country, plus they add color and sweetness.

The Assembly

Start with your anchor items — the sausage fans and cheese blocks placed in different quadrants. Add the beef sticks for height. Fill in small bowls of mustard and honey. Scatter crackers around the edges. Then fill every gap with nuts, dried fruit, and pickles. The goal is abundance — no bare wood showing.

Make It Minnesota-Authentic

Want to really lean into the Northwoods theme? Serve on a live-edge walnut board. Add a small bundle of fresh spruce tips or cedar sprigs. Use local Minnesota craft beer as pairings — a märzen or amber ale alongside the Wild Rice Cheddar sausage is a transcendent combination.

Shop the Board

Everything you need to build this board ships directly from our Turtle River, MN smokehouse:

The Ultimate Smoked Meat Charcuterie Board (Minnesota Style)