Cutting Board 101
There are a lot of cutting boards out there now. Tons of styles, materials, shapes, and sizes are available at any number of places. Here are my humble thoughts on boards.
Styles:
Charcuterie/Serving Style - These boards are often the most attractive from the wood grain perspective. I have seen boards that utilize highly figured woods, sturdy handles and some even have gorgeous epoxy sections. When you have a face grain board, I don’t recommend actually cutting on them. This is the softest grain that a board has to offer and it will show traces of the cuts you make. You can get away with wedge style cheese slicers, but stay away from using your fine knives here. I like these for primarily for serving only. In regards to epoxy, I think the epoxy boards are very attractive and offer so many beautiful option. My concern is that most of the epoxy manufacturers I have seen skirt around the issue of being food safe. I’m sure there are options out there, but at this time, I’m not comfortable serving/prepping with these options. That is just my preference.
Cutting/Chopping - The best boards in this category can be side/edge grain or end grain. Face grain is beautiful, but will show every cut made. Edge and End grain boards utilize the tougher surfaces of the wood and won’t show the knife marks as much. You have to be aggressive with your blade for it to show on an end grain board. These boards are equally at home for food prep and serving. It is the best practice to have separate boards for raw meats and ready to eat food items to prevent contamination.
Plastic - This is where I prep and butcher some of my raw meats. I have a huge one for butchering. They are durable and can be put in the dishwasher. These can be hard on your knife edge though.
Woods I use: I prefer to use birch, cherry, maple and walnut. These boards have the best characteristics for making the best and most durable boards. There are other woods that will work but these standbys are my first choice. Many woods like oak or ash don’t do well because of their open pore structure. You don’t want a board that has open pores where
Wood board care: I typically treat my boards with food safe mineral oil and then coat them with Woody’s Board Butter which is a blend of the food safe mineral oil, beeswax, and lemon oil. I recommend coating your board monthly with Woody’s Board Butter or similar. Wipe it on and then wipe off the excess the next day. Boards are not dishwasher safe. You can use hot water and mild soaps to sanitize. They shouldn’t be submerged or soaked. Wipe them with a clean towel and then air dry. Do not use any cooking oils on your boards.
Please understand that these are just my recommendations. There are lots of ways to skin a…well you know what I mean. I’m not saying my way is best, just sharing my preferences and experiences. I have no food or cutting board certifications, but I love a good board and I love a good meal.
If you have any other questions that I haven’t covered, please use the contact me page or feel free to ask in the comments section.
If you take care of your Woody Board, you should be able to pass it on for future generations to enjoy.