Dull, Listless Board Needs a Home Makeover.

There are times at the shop when the culinary geekiness of Kitchenboy is brought to the surface. Case in point. A man was buying a wood cutting board and did not know how to do proper maintenance. I thought most people knew how to properly maintain a wood cutting board…I was wrong. So I dutifully explained to him what I will tell you now.

Wood cutting boards like all shaped wood products, need to be oiled to help them last a long time. So this raises the first question, “How often does it need to be oiled?”

According to the best cutting board manufacturers, you are supposed to oil a new cutting board once a day for a week, after that, once a week for three weeks and once a month thereafter. This will ensure the board lasts as long as possible. There are many variables to consider here. How dry is your home and the climate where you live? What time of year is it?

My advice is to take your new cutting board home, wash it with hot soapy water, dry off with a towel and let it finish drying on the counter. When fully dried, apply a good coating of food grade mineral oil (more on that in a minute) to the whole surface using a clean rag or your hands. Let stand for at least a day. If you feel it looks dry again, apply another coat.

Can you tell which part of this brand new salami board wasn’t oiled?

Also, compare the newer salami board to the well oiled pizza peel on which it sits. The pizza peel (16 years old) is scarred and well used but the wood has a nice healthy color, while even the oiled portion of the salami board is still in need of more oil.

As for long term maintenance, you should judge when to oil your boards or wooden tools by how dry they look. You may have to oil your board more frequently, you may need it less frequently. However, always remember, a well oiled board prevents bacteria growth. Here in the mid-Atlantic region, winter is the worst time because the air is so dry.

How can you sanitize a board if you fear raw meat has been in contact too long with it?

You can sanitize the board with a diluted mixture of 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. To prevent cross contamination, just don’t cut anything on a wood cutting board immediately after cutting meats. If possible, turn the board over or use another board. To avoid confusion, many people use certain boards exclusively for meats.

The cutting board stinks of garlic and other stuff. What can I do?

To remove strong odors, rub salt on the board with a sliced lemon.

There are splinters on my cutting board. Is it time for a new board?

From time to time, you may notice some splintering or fraying of the wood. This can be easily remedied by using a fine sand paper to smooth the rough spot out and then applying a new coat of oil.

What sort of oil should be used on cutting boards?

You should only use food safe, mineral oil. Do not use olive oil, vegetable oil or nut oils of any kind as they will go rancid and could create problems.

Another question comes up concerning bamboo cutting boards; “Do these same maintenance rules apply?”

In general, yes.

With these caveats…

a) Bamboo is less porous then deciduous hard wood cutting boards, so it will generally require less frequent oiling. Being less porous means they absorb less odors and in theory less bacteria. Keep in mind less bacteria is relative when talking about contamination. Don’t take a chance, always use safe hygiene practices.

b) Bamboo, being less porous, will absorb less oil less quickly, so be judicious in applying oil to bamboo boards.

c) As with hard wood cutting boards, the thinner the board the more apt it will be to warping. So keep a close eye on them and keep them well oiled.

My cutting board is cracked. What can I do about it?

Don’t worry if a small crack appears on a cutting board. It may simply be a sign of age and if the board is very dry, a result of poor care. Make sure the board is oiled regularly and keep an eye on the crack. If it doesn’t grow too big, keep using the board. Cutting boards can be used until they fall apart. After that, throw them on a blazing fire.

Isn’t plastic safer than wood?

There was a movement among health departments to force professionals to get rid of the wood cutting surfaces in their kitchens. We were told that wood harbored bacteria, but the truth is it was the unsanitary conditions in the kitchens that harbored bacteria not the cutting boards. In fact, several university studies have shown that hard maple cutting boards actually inhibit bacteria growth. The key is to keep them clean and well oiled and the board will do the rest. In fact, data indicates that plastic cutting boards actually harbor bacteria in the cuts and scars of the surface; as a result, they can resist hand washing decontamination efforts.

While there are conflicting studies, the most reliable independent ones support wood over plastic. Even though the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA still promotes plastic over wood. I don’t know anyone who uses wood cutting boards – and treats them properly – who has any problem with bacteria growth or contamination.

Additionally, and almost as important for the home chef, wood boards are better for your knives. Plastic will dull the edge of your knives much more than wood.

In the end, just as I am convinced of wood’s superiority, there are those whose minds are made up in favor of plastic.

Now, if you don’t like the maintenance of wood, or the negatives of plastic, you can try something that is a bit of both. They are easier on knives than plastic, require no oiling, can be used in the dishwasher, and are heat resistant. These cutting boards, by Epicurean, are a blend of paper (wood pulp) and phenolic resin. Phenolic resin sheets are a hard, dense material made by applying heat and pressure to layers of paper injected with synthetic resin. Phenol has antiseptic properties and was used by Sir Joseph Lister in pioneering antiseptic surgery. This is why Epicurean cutting boards claim to inhibit bacteria growth.

While I prefer wood boards, I do have a couple of these blended material boards from Epicurean and find they are easier on my knives than plastic.

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