Purchasing Your Cutting Board
Buy the best board you can afford, take
care of it, and it is likely that your grandchildren will be using it.
Even as they age, or especially as they age, good wooden cutting boards
become more and more attractive.
Size of Cutting Board: Your first consideration should be how much
counter space you have. Every kitchen should have
at least one large cutting board. The bigger the board, the less you
will find yourself fussing as the larger surface area
of a cutting board gives you more space to work with. You are likely
to leave it where it sits, as a good-size cutting board weighs a good deal.
So buy a cutting board that fits your counter space. A stylish wood cutting
board may also enhance the look of your kitchen.
Small cutting boards are convenient for clean up and cutting small things
quickly (for example a garnish or some cheese).
Shape and Thickness of Cutting Board: The second question is which shape works best for you.
Your main choices are rectangular, square, or round. And be sure that if
you buy a cutting board that's several inches thick, its surface doesn't
sit so high on your countertop that you can't cut on it comfortably.
Types of Cutting Boards
 End-Grain Cutting Boards
(reversible)
The best to be found and will meet the needs of the most discerning
customer. More durable than regular cutting boards, these end-grain
boards look beautiful on your countertop. An end-grain is a much harder
surface and has a greater tolerance for the chopping motion. These
boards give a truly resistant cutting surface while being kind to the
blade’s sharp edge.
The old fashioned cutting boards were
always end-grain design (the chopping block) for a reason, it keeps the
knives much sharper. Instead of crushing against the wood fibers the
blade goes between them much like cutting into a firm brush. You will
find that your blade edges last much longer, and you'll see no knife
marks on the board.
When the individual boards of wood are
arranged so that the grain of the wood runs vertically (up and down),
this puts one end of each board up so that the cutting surface is
actually the end of many individual pieces of hardwood. With the grain
aligned in this manner (up and down), when the knife strikes the surface
during cutting, the grain of the wood actually separates and then closes
when the knife is removed. This accounts for the self-healing aspect of
the end-grain surface. The wood itself is not cut, but instead you are
cutting between the fibers.
Flat-Grain (Edge) Cutting Boards
(reversible)
One of the best-selling cutting boards for the kitchen - excellent value
chopping board and the perfect companion in the kitchen. The majority of
wood cutting boards you can buy today are flat grain design. The main
reason for this is that they are significantly easier to manufacture.
Seasoning A Cutting Board
Before using a new butcher block, season it
to prevent staining and absorption of food odors and bacteria. Proper
surface treatment is important to guard against germs and/or mold growth on
both new and older boards. The wood surface needs an oil that can be
repeatedly applied to fill the wood pores and repel food particles, liquids,
and oils. Never use any vegetable or cooking oils to treat or finish a
cutting surface, as in time the wood will reek of a rancid spoiled oil odor.
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 USP-grade mineral oil
is a popular choice as
it is the cheapest pure food-grade oil you can buy (do not use vegetable
or olive oils because they can turn rancid).
Mineral oil remains safe throughout its life.
There are various oils available for
cutting boards and butcher blocks. Some are called "Butcher Block
Finishes" or "Mystery Oil." Save some money by visiting the local
hardware or drug store and purchasing Mineral Oil. (not mineral spirits
- this is paint thinner).
When you see the
words "food safe finish" in a description of a wood product, this
generally means mineral oil has been used. Simply wipe mineral oil on
the surface of your board and watch it soak in. When the wood won't take
any more oil, you can wipe off the excess with a clean dry cloth. Don't
worry about applying too much oil - more is better.
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 Beeswax is often added to mineral oil and walnut oil to give a
tougher finish. The wax of bees has been used for centuries for
waterproofing and sealing materials from baskets to cloth and for
preserving foods and other perishable materials, including wood. It will
make wood water-resistant (though not water-proof) and will help protect
the wood surface from use and wear. It will also give a wood surface a
nice smooth feel to the touch and leave a gentle, sweet fragrance.
Simply shave about 1/2 teaspoon beeswax into a microwave safe dish with
a cupful of mineral oil; microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Apple
to the cutting board or butcher block while still warm. Save or dispose
of the remainder of the oil.
Beeswax Top Coat - A beeswax top coat is an optional addition to
the re-finishing process, but is well worth the time. The beeswax sits
on the surface of the wood in contrast to the oil that soaks into the
wood. As a result the beeswax fills in pores and gaps that thin oil
can't bridge. This helps to keep moisture, bacteria, and other
contaminants from getting into the wood surface. To apply the finish,
simply wipe it on with a clean cloth. The beeswax is a soft paste that
has a similar consistency to that of a shoe polish. Excess finish can be
easily buffed off with the cloth. Once the finish has had some time to
dry it can be buffed to a shine.
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 Walnut
or Almond Oil. These are all-natural oils and are one of the few oils that do
not turn
rancid as easily as other oils. However, all vegetable oils will go
rancid eventually. I, personally, don't recommend using these oils.
These oils are available in grocery stores and some mail order woodworking supply
stores. NOTE: If anyone in your family has an
allergy to nuts or nut products, do not use these oils.
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Coconut Oil. I recently did some
research and experimentation and found out that food-grade coconut oil/butter
also works great. I also use it for seasoning my
Cast-Iron Pots & Pans.
Coconut oil is one of the most
stable oils and is highly resistant to rancidity. It is stable because
of its high proportion of saturated fats. Coconut oil has a long shelf
life of two or more years, and does not
have to be refrigerated. Coconut oil should be stored out of
direct sunlight, however. If you live in a hot climate, I recommend
storing unused coconut oil in the refrigerator.
Before
applying oil to butcher block, warm the oil slightly. Apply oil with a
soft cloth, in the direction of the grain, allowing the oil to soak in
between each of the four or five coats required for the initial
seasoning. After each treatment, wait about four to six hours and wipe
off oil that did not soak into the wood (oxidation or hardening of the
oil will take approximately 6 hours). Re-oil the butcher block monthly
or as often as needed.
Maintaining and Sanitizing Cutting Boards
Caution must be
taken when using any type of cutting board. Here are some safety tips to
keep in mind:
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Whichever
kind of cutting board you use, all cutting boards should be cleaned and
sanitized frequently. Some of the various techniques recommended
for cutting boards are as follows (you decide which is best):
Hot water and soap - Scrub board with hot water and soap. Rinse
and dry thoroughly. NOTE: NEVER
submerge cutting boards in a sink of water! Wood is porous and will soak
up water causing the cutting board to crack when it dries.
Vinegar - To disinfect and clean your wood cutting boards or butcher
block countertop, wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each
use. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a good disinfectant, effective
against such harmful bugs as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus.
Vinegar is especially good for people with chemical allergies. Keep a
spray bottle of undiluted vinegar handy for easy cleaning and
sanitizing.
Hydrogen Peroxide - 3%
hydrogen
peroxide can also be used as a bacteria-killer. To kill the germs on
your cutting board, use a paper towel to wipe the board down with
vinegar, then use another paper towel to wipe it with hydrogen peroxide.
Bleach - Sanitize both wood and plastic cutting boards with a
diluted chlorine bleach or vinegar solution consisting of one teaspoon
of liquid chlorine bleach in one quart of water or a one to five
dilution of vinegar. Flood the surface with a sanitizing solution and
allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry or pat dry
with paper towels.
To learn more about studies using vinegar for
disinfecting cutting boards, check out this very interesting scientific article:
The Microbiology of Cleaning and
Sanitizing a Cutting Board by O. Peter Snyder, Jr., Ph.D.
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All cutting boards, and other food
surfaces, should be kept dry when not in use. Resident bacteria survive
no more than a few hours without moisture. Keep moisture of any type
from standing on the block for long periods of time. Beware of moisture
collecting beneath the board if you leave it on the counter. If you can,
prop one end up when not using your board.
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To eliminate
garlic, onion, fish, or other smells from your cutting board,:
Coarse salt or baking soda - Rub the board
with course salt or baking soda. Let stand a few minutes and wipe salt
or baking soda from board, and then rinse. You may need to re-season
after rinsing your cutting board/chopping block.
Lemon - Another very easy technique is to rub fresh lemon juice
or rub a cut lemon
over the surface of the cutting board to neutralize onion and garlic
odors. You may need to re-season after rinsing your cutting
board/chopping block.
Vinegar - Keep a spray bottle of undiluted vinegar handy
for easy cleaning and sanitizing. You may need to re-season after
rinsing your cutting board/chopping block.
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Wooden
boards need oiling or reseasoning once a week to seal the grain against bacteria. An
oil finish helps to prevent the wood from cracking or pulling apart at
the seams. See
Seasoning A Cutting Board above (top of page).
Before applying oil to butcher
block, warm the oil slightly. Apply oil with a soft cloth, in the
direction of the grain, allowing the oil to soak in. Allow oil to soak
in a few minutes, then remove all surface oil with a dry, clean cloth.
When applied, mineral oil seals the pores of the wood blocking the
penetration of moisture.
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When
refinishing a butcher block, you may wish to sand the surface of the
wood to remove old stains, scratches and marks. When sanding out kicks
and scratches, remember that if you don't sand the top evenly you will
end up with "hills" and "valleys" in the top.
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Comments and suggestions from readers:
I am a
professional chef, and at work (unfortunately) we use plastic
cutting boards. BLUE for fish, YELLOW for poultry, RED for
mammals, and GREEN for vegetables.
At home I
use a thick round end grain hard wood cutting board. I branded a
small “V” on one side and an “M” on the other. V for veggies
and M for meat. ALWAYS prep your RAW vegetables first, and then
flip it over to prep your meats. Then, of course, sanitize when
both sides when you’re finished prepping. You should never have
to worry about cross–contamination if you use my method. -
Hope this helps others! (4/28/08)
John
Paa
Production Chef
Whole Foods Market (Harbor East)
Baltimore,
MD
I was looking
at your site, very informative. The
research done on the wood board "where all bacteria dies off in
3 minutes" has been replicated with varying results. Basically
the wood wicks the bacteria just below the cutting surface, so
yes, you can do a swab test and come up blank. If the board is
wet though, or if you are cutting something juicy, all bets are
off. The board can only wick away so much, then it will
obviously keep the bacteria on the surface. That original
report gives people the wrong impression, that the board will
kill off bacteria, it just hides some of it, under very ideal
situations.
Basically,
either board (wood or plastic) is good to use, but
neither is a substitute for good washing and avoiding cross
contamination. If either board is sanitized properly, they are both really good
at what they do. - Thanks
Tony
(2/01/07)
Thank you for publishing the
cutting board care info. I'm about to 'invest' in a good
cutting board, and have been hesitating due to lack of knowledge
on the care and feeding of such an item. Your article is very
straight forward and easy to understand. Furthermore, I'm now
definitely going to buy a separate one to use for raw meat, and
a separate one for baked goods, which is what I'd suspected I'd
be doing all along. Right now I'm going to go measure my counter
top to make sure I get the right size...Thanks again -
Bernadette (9/03/05)
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Wood
vs. Plastic Cutting Boards
Which is better - wood
or plastic?
There is much debate on this topic, and I,
Linda Stradley, can make no claim one way or the other on this subject.
It is said that bacteria have a tougher time
surviving on wood boards. Most people are surprised to hear that a wood
cutting board may be more resistant to bacterial buildup than plastic
ones.
Research has shown that bacteria, such as
the salmonella often found on raw chicken, will thrive and multiply if
not removed from plastic boards (because germs that cause food poisoning
can hide out in the knife-scarred nooks and crannies that develop on the
surface of a plastic cutting board). Hand scrubbing with hot water and
soap can clear microbes from the surface of new or used wooden cutting
boards and new plastic ones, but knife-scared plastic boards are
resistant to decontamination by hand washing.
Research and Studies to read:
One study reported that new wooden boards
had antimicrobial qualities while plastic cutting boards trapped bacteria. For more information, read the article
Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards, by Dean
O. Cliver, Ph.D
Although the Food and Drug Administration has long recommended plastic
cutting boards, based on the observation that it not as hard to clean
plastic as porous wood, new information shows that wood cutting boards are
actually safer than the plastic or so-called anti-bacterial kind. Check out
more of this article by the
University of Florida, College of Health and
Human Performance.
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of
Agriculture has concluded that the use of plastic cutting boards over those
made of wood is still the best approach.
Yes, the conflicting studies are confusing!
The following is what I, Linda Stradley, do
to maintain food safety in my kitchen:
When cutting up meat, seafood,
or poultry, I place a plastic cutting board on top of my wood cutting board.
I do not cut meat, seafood, and poultry directly on my wood cutting board. I use my
wood cutting board for everything else. Please read Cross Contamination
of Food below.
I can also place
my plastic boards in the dishwasher for cleaning. No matter what type or
types of cutting boards you use, keep them clean! Please read the section
Maintaining and Sanitizing Cutting Boards.
Cross Contamination of Food
Cross-contamination of food can expose a safe food product to contamination by
harmful microorganisms.
The
Meat and Poultry Hotline recommends that consumers use plastic or glass
surfaces for cutting raw meat and poultry. However, wooden cutting
boards used "exclusively" for raw meat and poultry are acceptable. Use a
different board for cutting other foods such as produce and bread. This
will prevent bacteria from a meat or poultry from contaminating another
food.
To prevent cross contamination of food, use
separate cutting boards for raw meats and produce or clean/sanitize cutting
boards when switching between types of food products (e.g., from raw meats to
produce, from raw foods to cooked).
Color-coded plastic cutting boards are a useful
way to prevent cross-contamination (e.g., red for meat, green for produce,
yellow for poultry).
 NOTE:
I like to use the small flexible plastic cutting/chopping mats on top of my wood
cutting board when cutting up raw meat. These plastic mats can be put into your
dishwasher after using.
They
can also be easily bent, used as a funnel, or cut to any desired shape.
Guidelines To Increase Food Safety
When Using Cutting Boards
From the
Food Safety and Inspection Service
USDA - Basics for Handling Food Safely -
USDA:
Choose a board with a smooth, hard surface. It
should be approved for contact with food.
Replace cutting boards that become deeply
scratched, carved or grooved.
Do not chop salad, vegetables or other
ready-to-eat foods on an unwashed cutting board that's been used to
trim raw meat, poultry or seafood. If possible, always use a clean,
separate, color-coded cutting board for fresh vegetables, fruits,
breads, and other food that will not be cooked prior to eating.
Scrape off any stuck food and scrub all cutting
boards completely with hot soapy water after each use. Dishwashers
are usually very good cleaners for most cutting boards. However,
thin plastic or wooden boards may be damaged.
Sanitize cutting boards from time-to-time with a
mixture of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water.
Flood the board with the mixture; let it stand a few minutes. Then,
rinse completely with fresh water. For better food safety, sanitize
washed cutting boards after using with raw meat, poultry, and
seafood. This may be especially important for households with ill
family members.
Let cutting boards dry completely; do not stack
together or with other kitchen gear so that they remain wet.
Store cutting boards so that they stay clean,
dry, and do not touch raw meat, poultry or seafood or their
drippings.
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