How Long Can Your Charcuterie Board Safely Sit Out? Food Safety Experts Spill

Food safety is a tricky topic. Some of the best practices vary based on your own risk tolerance and cultural norms (say, washing turkey), while others rely on our best guesses based on scientific estimates and predictions (we’re looking at you, expiration dates). Fold in the fact that the microorganisms we’re worried about aren't visible to the human eye, and it’s often tough to know if you’re putting yourself—and others—at risk for an infection.

Because it’s better to be safe than sorry, food safety experts have some across-the-board recommendations to reduce the risk for foodborne illness. This includes avoiding what the USDA calls the “danger zone,” a temperature range of 40°F and 140°F in which bacteria tend to proliferate on perishable foods.

But what about something like a meat and cheese platter, that includes shelf-stable items, condiments, as well as refrigerated fare? How long can a charcuterie board safety sit out? We spoke with food safety pros to find out.

How Long Can Your Charcuterie Board Safely Sit Out?

“It’s complicated,” admits Rutgers University professor of food microbiology Donald Schaffner, Ph.D..

Whether you’re assembling a classic charcuterie board or a platter of viral Charcuterie Nachos, the various elements have different unique qualities that impact how long they can safely sit out on the counter. According to Dr. Schaffner, there are two main factors that can turn the dials and impact how long a food can hang out at room temp:

• pH: Acidic foods might have a pH so low that bacteria can’t grow.
• Water activity: Bacterial growth rate increases as water activity increases.

“The sensitivity of microorganisms to pH and water activity also varies by bacterial species. This means that the parameters you need to control the growth of Staphylococcus aureus are different from parameters to control the growth of the Listeria monocytogenes,” Dr. Schaffner says.

As a general rule, foods that are stored at room temperature can generally remain at room temperature as long as you’d like to serve the spread. Foods that are normally stored in the refrigerator should be returned there within 2 hours if you’re serving the board inside or al fresco with temperatures below 90 °F. If the mercury rises above 1 hour 90 °F, refrigerate within 1 hour, says USDA food safety specialist Meredith Carothers.

We’re often told to “take the chill off” cheese before serving. Keep in mind that “the clock starts once the cheese or meats are taken out of the refrigerator. For sliced fruits and veggies, the time starts once they are sliced,” Carothers explains.

Food Safety Guide For the Most Popular Charcuterie Board Components

Since there are a few exceptions to the food safety rules here, Carothers and Dr. Schaffner walk us through how long common charcuterie board ingredients can sit out:

• Cured meats: Water content and pH varies widely in this category, Dr. Schaffner admits. The location where you purchased the specific meat can offer a clue. “Items that are stored at room temperature, like pepperoni, can be stored safely at room temperature for extended periods of time. For best quality these items should be refrigerated within a few hours,” he says. For other types of meat with more water activity (which will allow the potential growth of pathogenic bacteria), such as mortadella or prosciutto, refrigerate within 1 to 2 hours following the guide above.
• Cheeses: Soft cheeses will adhere to the same 1- to 2-hour limit. Due to their low moisture content, hard cheeses can stay out longer. For optimal quality, however—and since these may have touched other more perishable ingredients—it’s wise to follow the same 2-hour maximum.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Wash and slice just before serving, and aim to consume or refrigerate within 1 to 2 hours.
• Jams, Jellies, and Preserves: These fruit spreads are low in pH but high in water activity, a complicated combo. The pH should be low enough that it’s unlikely that pathogens will grow. But due to their water content, “eventually jams will start to mold either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.” Refrigerate within 1 to 2 hours, based on the environmental temp.
• Honey: Honey should be safe at room temperature indefinitely. (For robust flavor, aim to polish off the container within 5 years, honey pros recommend.)
• Bread, Pretzels, Nuts, and Crackers: Eventually, bread will grow stale and get moldy if it is out for days or weeks. But for as long as you might be serving a charcuterie board, these items are ready to party at room temp without limits.

The No. 1 Tip For How to Safely Serve Charcuterie For As Long As You’d Like

If you do this one thing, it is possible to safely serve charcuterie items past the safe 2-hour (or 1-hour) timeframe, Carothers admits: Place the charcuterie items on ice. Consider investing in serviceware that looks like a regular cutting board, but has a hidden ice pack insert. Or try the classic tray-and-ice-bowl model. Any chilled charcuterie set-up will “help keep the perishable items at a safe cool temperature below 40°F, which prevents harmful foodborne illness bacteria from multiplying,” she says.

If you’d prefer to stick with your signature board, you can also safely serve charcuterie by putting out smaller portions and refilling them more frequently, Carothers adds.

Lucky enough to have extra after the party wraps up? Here are 10 clever ways to reuse charcuterie leftovers.