How to Choose, Clean and Care for Your Cutting Board

If you are cooking a number of dishes, you will need to cut, cut and slice, which means that you will need a surface on which to do all of these slices, slices and slices. Cutting boards come in a wide variety of materials, and choosing the right one can be critical.

Choose your material

First you need to decide what material is suitable for your kitchen. I am partial to wood for both aesthetics and functionality, but each type of board has its own time and place. A slim case can even be made for glass.

• Wood: Wood chopping boards not only look their best, but when handled correctly, they can bounce back from all kinds of abuse and have natural antimicrobial properties, according to a UC Davis study . Hardwoods such as acacia, teak, and maple are best suited , according to Food52 , as they are the least porous and therefore less prone to water and bacteria. And if all of this isn’t enough for you, keep in mind that wooden cutting boards are also best for your knives as they absorb the impact of the blade without dulling them.
• Bamboo : Like wood, bamboo has natural anti-microbial properties, but is slightly harder and therefore slightly rougher on your blades. However, this extra density also means your knives are less likely to scratch and scratch, resulting in fewer nooks and crannies for water to seep into. Dry planks are less likely to warp than wet ones, and if you don’t soak bamboo planks in the sink, they can last a very long time. Bamboo is also a renewable resource , which isn’t bad.
• Plastic: I used to think that plastic was the safest and most hygienic choice for cutting boards, and left my wooden board for “cleaner” tasks like chopping vegetables. It turns out I did everything wrong . Although plastic boards can be dishwasher-sanitized quite effectively, dents and dents plastic boards cannot be disinfected by hand washing , but they can be easily thrown into the dishwasher, which is a good advantage . However, I still keep a few with me for chopping vegetables and other foods besides raw meat, simply because they are lightweight, easy to store, and easy to move around the kitchen.
• Glass and marble: Do not use glass or marble cutting boards for cutting. They may be unattractive to the eye, but they will rip your knives straight. However, I don’t like the look of the marble planks, and I keep one for business purposes. (Plus, if you’re photographing food for some reason, marble looks very bright.)

After you have chosen the material, you will need to choose the size. There are some adorable mini cutting boards out there, but I call them “fucking gimmicks.” As the video above from Epicurious demonstrates, bigger is always better, at least when it comes to cutting boards – and a large work surface is not only easier to work with, but makes the entire food prep process a neater, more organized affair.

Prepare your surface

Plastic planks do not need to be cracked, but wood planks are best prepared before first use. Although wood-based panels have inherent germ-fighting properties, it is still helpful to apply a good coat of protective oil to keep out as much moisture and bacteria as possible. Check out Serious Eats’ complete guide to sealing a board, but it’s a fairly straightforward process:

1. First, buy a food safe mineral oil that can be found at the grocery store, drug store, or even IKEA. You can also make your own wood oil as a charged beeswax and mineral oil blend for a beautiful, durable, hydrated and protective finish. (Do not use olive oil or anything similar, it can get rancid and make your board smell strange.)
2. Then pour a lot of oil all over – a lot , for example – and rub it all over with a tea towel that you no longer plan to use. Set aside for a few minutes and let the oil soak. Repeat a couple of times if you are doing this with a new board.
3. After the last layer of oil has been soaked in, the board is ready to go. In terms of maintenance, Kenji has a quick test you can run to see if your board needs a quick update:

How do you know when to grease with oil? Sprinkle a few drops of water on the board with your fingertips. If the board has been properly and freshly seasoned, drops of water will appear on its surface. This is a good sign that nothing will penetrate it. Over time, its water repellency will begin to deteriorate, and water droplets will spread further and further, clinging to the tree. In the end, the water will look like it is about to soak into the wood, even when it first hits it. This is a sign that you are ready for another layer of oil.

Assuming you did a good job with the first oiling, you will only need to re-oil the board three or four times a year .

Clean up your mess

Taking care of your chopping board every day is pretty simple, which is great news as you will be using it so often. How you clean your board depends on what it is made of.

• Wood and Bamboo: If you are using a chopping board for bread or vegetables, a full cleaning is probably not necessary, and usually a quick wipe with a damp cloth is sufficient. But if you are dealing with meat or juicy, colored fruits, you may need to take a little more aggressive action. To clean wood or bamboo, wipe with warm soapy water and dry immediately . To remove stubborn berry stains, sprinkle the board with coarse salt and rub well with half a lemon .
• Plastic: If you have a dishwasher, then you’re in luck, because all you have to do is toss the board in there to clean and sanitize. However, if all you have is a sink, you can sanitize it as much as possible by washing it with hot soapy water, rubbing it with the cut side of a lemon, and placing it in the microwave for a minute .
• Glass and marble: You shouldn’t cut anything on any of these surfaces, but they still need to be cleaned if you use them as trays. Just wash them like any glass dish, by hand or in the dishwasher if the board is strong enough.

Even with regular cleaning and maintenance, the best cutting boards can show signs of wear. Your board may need a little extra help from time to time.

Give them some attention

Unfortunately, there is little you can do to repair the damage done to the plastic board, so discard and replace them as soon as they get very marked and cut. Wood planks are a different story, however, and can usually be brought back to life with a little extra care and elbow grease.

• Scratch- free: Knife marks are unavoidable, but fairly easy to get rid of. If your board starts to look a little scratchy to your taste, sand it with a fine wet / dry sandpaper, wipe off any dust and re-oil.
• If it is deformed : Wood may warp if it gets wet, but a cutting board that is completely curved is not a disaster as you might think. To smooth it again, place a damp cloth over the deformed area and iron until it flattens . Place something heavy on top of it to keep it flat while it dries, and be sure to let it dry completely before using it again.
• If it stinks: Scrub the cutting board with coarse salt and half a lemon to get rid of a lot of odors, but you may need a little extra help to get rid of stubborn odors like garlic. Luckily, you can use the enzymes found in potatoes or apples to get rid of bad odors on your board. Simply rub a couple tablespoons of any of these on a surface, let it hang for ten minutes, and rinse.

With proper cleaning and maintenance, a good cutting board will last you for many years, potentially even turning into a valuable family heirloom that you can pass on to your offspring. (Obviously, this does not apply to plastic. A vintage plastic cutting board is useless.)

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