Charcuterie meat is often included in a meat platter.
A meat dish or feast is a mixed plate of cold cuts that can be served at a buffet or feast. Meat platters are usually paired with platters of cheeses, sauces, crackers, breads, fruit, and other snacks for guests, and are often garnished with vegetables. Many delicatessens make meat trays that can be stocked with custom foods for special events, and you can also create your own meat tray with sliced meats, cheeses, and other ingredients from a local deli.
Sliced pastrami for a meat dish.
The layout of a meat platter is usually designed to be at least vaguely artistic and to minimize hand contact with the food. Meats are often rolled up and skewered with chopsticks so that people can grab them instead of touching the meat directly, for example, or tongs will be provided to pick up desired pieces of meat. Meats can be fanned, stacked, or creatively arranged to make the tray attractive to people approaching it.
Meat dishes often include garnishes such as parsley.
The meats used in a meat tray vary widely. Cured meats are commonly offered, along with roast meats like beef, chicken, and turkey. The tray is often lined with lettuce or other foliage in addition to parchment paper, and garnishes such as vegetables cut into fancy shapes, carrot sticks, sliced tomatoes, and chopped parsley are common; Many people use garnishes to separate the different types of meat on the tray, making it easier to identify. Edible flowers are also acceptable, and sometimes make quite nice garnishes.
A meat platter may contain turkey.
In an ideal world, laying out a tray of meat on a bed of ice will help keep the meat fresh, reducing the risk of foodborne illness. Some cooks also avoid mixing meats and cheeses, and often encourage guests to heap the foods of their choice onto plates rather than eat them directly from trays. Leftovers can be refrigerated if they haven’t been out for more than two hours; otherwise they should be discarded.
Deli stores often offer apple-smoked turkey or other meat specialties.
If you’re planning to bring a meat platter to a party, you may want to order it in advance from your deli to ensure they have the meats you want in stock. This is especially true during the holiday season when meat dishes abound at parties large and small. If you want to make your own, pre-order the sliced meats you need several days in advance and follow the handling and refrigeration instructions to ensure they are safe to eat.