Smoky BBQ Bourbon Platter

I'll never forget the autumn evening when a dear friend brought over a bottle of bourbon and challenged me to create something that would do it justice. That night, standing in my kitchen with smoked meats from a local butcher, creamy cheeses, and dark chocolate, I realized the magic happens when bold, smoky flavors meet unexpected sweetness and richness. This Smoky BBQ & Bourbon Companion was born from that spontaneous moment, and it's become the centerpiece of my most memorable gatherings ever since.

I remember hosting a dinner party on a crisp October evening, and I set this board out with some trepidation—would the dark chocolate really work with smoked brisket? The moment my guests started mixing and matching, discovering their own favorite combinations, the whole table came alive. Someone dipped a candied pecan into the blue cheese, someone else paired bourbon with a chocolate piece beside the pulled pork, and suddenly everyone was comparing their discoveries like we'd unlocked some delicious secret together.

Ingredients

• Smoked brisket, thinly sliced (150 g): This is your anchor—the deep, complex flavor that everything else plays against. Buy it from a quality butcher if possible; the smoke should smell like a whisper of wood, not an overwhelming chemical hit. Slice it yourself if you can for better texture control.
• Barbecue pulled pork (150 g): The pork brings a tender, casual comfort to the board. If you can find it from a good smokehouse, you'll taste the difference immediately. It should shred easily and have that perfect balance of smoke and slight sweetness.
• Smoked sausage, sliced (100 g): These rounds add visual appeal and textural variety. They're sturdy enough to hold toppings and won't get lost between the other elements on the board.
• Bourbon for brushing (1 tbsp, optional): Just a light brush brings warmth and deepens the smoke flavors. Don't overdo it—you want a hint, not a soak.
• Triple cream brie, sliced (120 g): This is your luxe element. The way it melts against warm smoked meat is pure comfort. Keep it cool until the last moment so it maintains its texture.
• Smoked gouda, sliced (120 g): The smokiness in the cheese echoes the meats, creating a flavor bridge that feels intentional and delicious. A knife run under hot water helps you get clean slices.
• Creamy blue cheese, crumbled (100 g): This is where boldness lives. The pungency cuts through the richness beautifully and gives adventurous eaters something thrilling to discover.
• Dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into pieces (60 g): Quality matters here more than anywhere else. The higher cocoa percentage keeps it from being too sweet, and it genuinely transforms when paired with smoked meat and bourbon. Trust me on this one.
• Brown sugar bourbon rub (2 tbsp): This is the magic dust. A mix of brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, and a pinch of chili powder creates this perfect bridge between sweet and savory that makes everything on the board taste better.
• Candied pecans (50 g): They add crunch, sweetness, and sophistication. The slight caramelization on them catches light beautifully on a board, and they're irresistible to reach for.
• Seedless red grapes (1 small bunch): Fresh, juicy, and clean. They're your palate cleansers and they look jewel-like scattered across the board.
• Apple, thinly sliced (1 small): The tartness is essential—it keeps everything from feeling too heavy. Slice just before serving and maybe hit it with a squeeze of lemon to prevent browning and add brightness.
• Fig or cherry preserves (2 tbsp): This is where sweetness gets sophisticated. Spoon it into a small bowl so people can dab it on crackers with cheese, or swirl it with brie. Fig is my first choice for how it complements the smoky notes.
• Small baguette, sliced and toasted (1 small): Toasting gives you crunch and prevents sogginess. The crispy surface holds toppings beautifully.
• Assorted rustic crackers (100 g): Mix your textures—some hearty and seeded, some thin and delicate. Different crackers pair differently with different elements, and that variety is part of the fun.
• Fresh rosemary sprigs: These aren't just garnish; they're aromatic punctuation marks. They smell incredible and hint at the flavors to come.
• Pickled onions or gherkins (optional): A small amount of sharp, acidic pickle is transformative. It cuts through richness like nothing else and adds a professional touch.

Instructions

Warm the meats (if desired):

Brush the smoked brisket and pulled pork lightly with bourbon—and I mean lightly; you're kissing it, not baptizing it. Warm them gently in a skillet over medium heat for just 2 to 3 minutes, until they're heated through and their aroma fills your kitchen. This step is optional but transforms everything by waking up the smoke flavors. Just before serving, dust them with that brown sugar bourbon rub. Watch how people's eyes light up when they catch that scent.

Arrange your foundation:

Take your largest wooden board or platter and start with the meats. Create little clusters rather than a thin scatter—think of arranging flowers, not wallpapering. Leave space around and between them because you're about to build on this base.

Position the cheeses:

Nestle your cheese varieties around the meats, giving each one breathing room. The contrast of white brie against the dark brisket is visually stunning, and spacing them means everyone gets access without reaching across someone else. Sliced cheeses should lie flat or fold elegantly; crumbled blue cheese can cascade a bit.

Scatter the sweets and specialty items:

Now comes the fun—break your dark chocolate into pieces and scatter them between meats and cheeses. Add the candied pecans next, creating little flavor pockets throughout the board. This is where it starts looking intentional and luxurious.

Add fresh elements:

Cluster the grapes in 2 or 3 spots for visual pops of color and flavor contrast. Arrange apple slices in a gentle overlap so they're easy to grab. Pour your preserves into a small bowl and nestle it somewhere accessible—maybe near the cheese, since that's where most people will want to use it.

Fill the gaps:

Tuck your toasted baguette slices and assorted crackers into the remaining spaces. Think of this like filling the negative space in a painting—it should look abundant and thoughtfully composed, not chaotic.

Finish with flourish:

Scatter fresh rosemary sprigs across the top. If you're including pickled onions or gherkins, arrange them strategically in small piles. They should feel like little treasures to discover rather than obstacles to navigate.

Serve immediately:

Bring this to the table with glasses for neat bourbon or your favorite smoky cocktail. The beauty of this board is that there are no rules for how people eat it—encourage them to mix unexpected combinations and make their own discoveries.

Save

I served this board at a dinner where someone's vegetarian friend came despite the meat focus, and I'd prepared alternatives. Watching that vegetarian friend try blue cheese with a candied pecan, then dark chocolate, then a piece of smoked gouda—discovering this whole flavor journey without the meat—taught me that this board isn't really about the proteins. It's about creating moments where people slow down, taste intentionally, and discover unexpected harmonies.

The Art of Building Your Board

There's something deeply satisfying about arranging a charcuterie board that goes beyond cooking. It's composition and color theory, it's anticipating what flavors will speak to each other, it's creating a small edible landscape. The key is thinking in contrasts—smoky against sweet, creamy against crisp, rich against fresh. Step back as you build it and look at the overall picture. Are you creating flow with your eye? Can someone navigate from one element to another intuitively? The best boards look like they happened naturally, but they're actually quite intentional.

Pairing Bourbon with Your Board

The bourbon is more than a garnish or a recipe ingredient—it's a companion to the entire experience. A classic Kentucky bourbon with its vanilla and oak notes complements the chocolate beautifully and echoes the smoke in the meats. A spicy rye adds another dimension, especially if you've included those pickled jalapeños. I prefer serving bourbon neat in small glasses, because you want people tasting it as itself, not as a mixer. The board becomes a sort of flavor adventure where each element—the meat, the chocolate, the cheese, the bourbon—takes its turn in the spotlight, and then the next bite starts the conversation fresh.

Making This Board Your Own

The recipe I've shared is really a starting point for your own creativity. This is where your personal taste and what's available at your favorite shops shapes the outcome. Maybe you substitute turkey for pork, or add a creamy aged cheddar, or swap the figs for apricot preserves. The structure stays the same—smoky, sweet, creamy, fresh, crisp—but the specifics are yours to interpret. I once made this board with a really excellent smoked salmon instead of the meats for a friend's birthday, added some horseradish crème fraîche, and it was transcendent in a completely different way. Trust your instincts about what flavors you want to explore together, and let that guide your choices at the market.

• Don't be afraid to add ingredients that call to you—truffle honey, smoked sea salt, candied ginger—as long as they respect the overall flavor story
• Make a little note of what you served and what people gravitated toward, so next time you make this, you can double down on the winners
• Remember that this board works for any occasion where you want to feel like you've created something special with minimal fuss

Save

This board has taught me that sometimes the most memorable meals aren't the ones requiring six hours at the stove—they're the ones where thoughtfulness and quality ingredients do the heavy lifting. Serve this with confidence and an invitation for people to taste boldly.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ What meats are featured in the platter?

Smoked brisket, barbecue pulled pork, and smoked sausage provide a rich, smoky base for this dish.

→ How is bourbon incorporated into the flavors?

Bourbon is brushed lightly on the meats and enhanced by a brown sugar bourbon rub for a deep, sweet-spicy finish.

→ What cheeses complement the meats?

Triple cream brie, smoked gouda, and creamy blue cheese offer creamy, smoky, and tangy contrasts.

→ Are there sweet elements included?

Yes, dark chocolate pieces, candied pecans, fresh grapes, apple slices, and fig or cherry preserves add sweetness and texture.

→ Can this platter be adapted for vegetarians?

Smoked turkey or plant-based smoked alternatives can replace meats for a lighter or vegetarian-friendly board.

→ What garnishes enhance the overall taste?

Fresh rosemary sprigs and pickled onions or gherkins brighten the flavors and add an herbal and tangy note.