Sealing Butcher Block Counters/Wood Cutting Boards

[torakris]

I think I have tried every type of cutting board imaginable. Those "unbreakable" glass ones were awful, they were so noisy and impossible to mince on. I really liked the plastic one I had used for years until one day I spilled a pot of coffee on it and was really able to see how deep and how many scratches there were. I don't have a dishwasher and keep my hot water turned down pretty low (for the children's saftey), so I was worried about getting it really clean.

I now stick with wood, one for meats, and a large one for veggies and breads and for rolling out dough. I gut fish fish and clean seafood directly onto newspaper.

[maggiethecat]

My mother was so overjoyed when she read the article nightscotsman quoted that she immediately..then and there!..tossed her plastic boards and was at the housewares store within half an hour to buy two wood boards.

We prefer wood just because they seem to be much kinder to knives. We have a smaller plastic board we keep around because it's smaller and a good size for cutting bread, slicing a little fruit, etc.

Our big wood board is twenty years old. Hot soapy water, rinse, air dry. The mineral oil idea is good too, though we usually forget to do it.

[Fat Guy]

Being a furniture maker, I have made several beautiful cutting boards

You're a furniture maker?

[Bouland]

I've got about 30 years on this board. I've cut everything imagineable on it. I clean it with just hot water and a brush. To my knowledge, no one has ever gotten sick from my board.

[Niall]

I make my own boards aswell... Usually out of an Australian Hardwood called Jarrah or American Myrtle. Although I do have a couple of plastic boards. The last one I made was about 50cm by 25cm by 3cm; it cost me about AU$15 (about US$8).

As far as hygiene goes, there is no reason to not use wood; I just scrub mine with very hot water and steel wool. About once a year I sand them down and re-oil them. And I haven't poisoned anyone yet.

[oraklet]

hmm. ikea cutting boards. i don't know really. i've got a few of those. they seem to be made of not properly seasoned wood, so if they are not already warped when you buy them, they will warp when you have cleaned them a few times. (and i'm not being tough on them) they will skate around on your counter top, and make fine chopping difficult if not dangerous.

and how many should one have? taste and smell may easily transfer, as i see it, and cleaning in between tasks may be troublesome - so one should have at least 4:

onion, leek etc.

bread/greens

fish

meat/poultry

which is also fine if you're more than one person preparing a meal - i've started involving the two big boys in preparing dinner.

but a butchers block/board made of end wood(?) like the one on bouland's photo might absorb less, so that you can do with one in most situations. i don't know, really. do any of you?

[Elizabeth Ann]

I like to use a bench scraper to get rid of stuck on ckicken. An occasional scrub with salt and a used lemon half get rid of odors. Otherwise, just soap and hot water. I use a separate board for chopping chocolate.

[Double 0]

I've always used a wooden board(I flirted with ploastic, but it dulls your knives terribly). I do use those extra thin plastic "covers" that you can find at Trader Joes. They cover the board nicely and are cheap enough to throw away(1.50). They also go in the dishwasher with no ill effects. I recently say one use plastic "covers" at Shoprite.

I'm afraid I don't see the point of using a wooden cutting board if you're just going to cover it with plastic anyway. How is this different from using a plastic cutting board other than being cheap enough to throw away?

I guess I wasn't really clear. I use the plastic covers when I'm cutting poultry or fish. It keeps my board clean so I can cut and chop vegs without dulling my blades so quicly.

[steverino]

Fat Guy - yes, I am a furniture designer / maker, with more emphasis of late on the design aspect.

Woodworking is a labor of love, and like so many others, (cooking included) a difficult way to make a good living. Not to mention the harsh reality of a 100 degree shop, a sweaty body, and insane amounts of sawdust and shavings.

[John Whiting]

they will skate around on your counter top,

Any smallish board will do this, but a wet kitchen cloth between the board and the counter is as good as nailing it in place.

[tommy]

I've always used a wooden board(I flirted with ploastic, but it dulls your knives terribly).

does anyone have any thoughts on this? i've never heard that plastic dulls knives. and if so, what types of plastic? i'm assuming several different types of plastic cutting boards are on the market.

also, there is a flexible plastic cutting "board" that i've seen used on TVFN. when you're done chopping, you just make a half tube of it and slide the stuff into wherever it's going. brilliant i say.

[g.johnson]

We use a single wooden board for everything. I rinse it under hot water after cutting chicken, and when finally cleaning up, otherwise I wipe it with a rag or paper towel. Never unintentionally poisoned anyone.

[Dave the Cook]

they will skate around on your counter top,

Any smallish board will do this, but a wet kitchen cloth between the board and the counter is as good as nailing it in place.

This stuff also works very well.

Find it here.

[phaelon56]

I purchased an Ikea board that is relatively thin with a trough around the edges - designed for cutting cooked roasts and the like and allowing the juice/blood to drain. If the other regular Ikea cutting boards are made fo the same wood and finished the same way I would not use them. Not sure if it's the type/grade of wood used or that it's just not sanded smooth enough but it doesn't seem to absorb the oil properly when I oil it and never feels smooth enough on the surface. It was cheap and I use it only on rare occasions but similar material would not suffice for me as a cutting board.

[oraklet]

john whiting, or just any of you,

"Any smallish board will do this, but a wet kitchen cloth between the board and the counter is as good as nailing it in place. "

well, what is "smallish"? (i wouldn't call my ikeas smallish, they're c. 18"x14")

i know the wet cloth trick from one of malawry's threads (i think), but i would like to be able to do without it. to be able to chop in all directions with a sabatier knife, the board should be plane, really. what kind of boards should i buy to be sure it doesn't warp, given that i can't afford or find room for several of the bouland style? must it be end wood? exotic hardwood?

(no advice pointing me to american shops, please. remember, i don't live in usa...)

[ChefJeff]

Hi folks -

I'm making slight alteration to our kitchen, expanding the size of our island. This is not a major enhancement, just an attempt to gain more counter/work space. I plan on redoing the kitchen, with all the troubles, challenges, and rewards that has to offer, in a year or two.

Anyhow - I'm considering making the investment in a butcher block countertop but I'm a bit hesitant on how it will hold up over time. Does anybody out there have one ? Do you still use a cutting board, or do you just use the butcher block work surface ? Would you do it again if you had the chance ?

The countertop is 6'X4'.

Thanks in advance -- Jeffrey

[thebaker]

I like my block to stay nice.

I would always use a cutting board because i want to keep it clean and looking good.

i oil it once and a while and it's looking good.

[Fat Guy]

You shouldn't work directly on any counter surface. Cutting boards are cheap. Countertops are expensive. It's like braking with the engine on a standard transmission vehicle: Brakes are cheap. Transmissions and engines are expensive.

[Jinmyo]

I agree with Steve. You need to be able to move your cutting boards to where you need them and be able to clean them easily.

[Fat Guy]

What kind of cooking do you do, Jeffrey? Do you bake bread, roll dough, or work with chocolate? If so, you might want to get a stone (marble or granite) or synthetic (Corian or Silestone) countertop. That way you can work right on the cool surface for pastry and baking, and you can throw down cutting boards for all your other work.

[Dave the Cook]

If it's the idea of a streamlined countertop that appeals to you, you can cut the new top to allow a cutting board to be inset flush with the rest of the top, but removable for cleaning. This lets you exchange wooden boards for marble when appropriate. Just be sure you anticipate things drifting beyond the edge of your boards and falling through the cracks, either with a lined inset or surrounding flanges.

[Jinmyo]

And make sure that the inset board is at the correct height for anyone using it. Bwa ha ha haaaaaa.

[ChefJeff]

posted on Nov 4 2002, 03:38 PM

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What kind of cooking do you do, Jeffrey? Do you bake bread, roll dough, or work with chocolate? If so, you might want to get a stone (marble or granite) or synthetic (Corian or Silestone) countertop.

All of the above. Current thinking is granite or synthetic stone would not look good unless all the countertops were replaced. I also want to give the butcher block a try so when we do the complete demo of the kitchen I will have this experience before replacing all the countertops.

Just spoke to the folks at Boos Blocks, who advise to use the block as it is intended....to CUT, Chop, Prep, you name it. I'm just not there yet. Once I get this beautiful (now up to 4'X7') island in place, I'll want to keep it looking new and use my cutting boards to protect the surface.

Or, maybe not !

[tommy]

You shouldn't work directly on any counter surface. Cutting boards are cheap. Countertops are expensive.

i just bought this, to increase work space in my kitchen. while searching around egullet for info on how to oil it, i ran across steven's comments and now i'm thinking twice about actually cutting directly on it (which seems so romantic). i suppose i can put a cutting board on top when i'm working on it, but that's so lame. it's made of maple.

any thoughts on how this thing might look after repeated use, or if it's worth just using a cutting board on top.

any advice, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Edited February 8, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Jim Dixon]

tommy,

I'd cut right on yours. It'll be easier to keep clean than a counter top (that backsplash joint can get funky). Any wood cutting surface will show knife marks before long, but then they actually look like butcher blocks. If it gets too cut up you can always spend a few minutes with a belt sander and get it looking brand new again.

I have friends with maple prep surface counters, and they cut right on them. You get some marking but it can be like a patina of sorts...you will want to spread the cutting around if you go that route or you get one spot with a lot of wear.

Setting a hot pan on the wood is a bigger problem. Then you will need the belt sander.

We used 12-inch granite tiles when we did ours a few years ago. Much cheaper than slab stone...I put a piece of maple across the front edge.

Jim