Cutting Blocks

A

ALAMEDA

Joined
Nov 26, 2005
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I made an attempt to search this topic, before I asked....but struck out.

In the kitchen when using fine expensive knives, is there a cutting board that should absolutely not be used against the blade of a great knife?

There are butcher blocks of wood (most widely used).....and versions of plastic boards.....and even glass boards.

I happen to have a glass cutting board!

This probably is a stupid question to knowledgeable knife people, but should I get rid of a glass cutting board when using top quality kitchen knives?

Thank You

Dan
 
There are some very hard cutting boards on the market, probably because they don't get cut or scratched up like the plastic or wooden ones and are easier to clean, however you will do a lot of sharpening if you want to keep your knives cutting well with frequent use on a glass cutting board.

-Cliff
 
get rid of the glass board. Get a plastic board; you can bleach contaminants off of it. Wood boards are great, but if you keep them as clean as I like, they age poorly (repeated washings).
 
Get a nice pretty bamboo or hardwood to keep on your counter, but get several soft plasticky ones. I have a couple of large ones and several small ones (only cost a few bucks) and I just toss 'em in the dishwasher.
 
This is what I expected.

Glass cutting boards are designed for purely cosmetic purposes.

Even a non knife person like myself suspected that the very "dreadful" sound of a blade, (after it going through whatever material it was slicing/cutting, and then hitting the glass): would tell even a total idiot, that the knife (any knife) did not like the experience.

But I could have been wrong, about that. I have been wrong about sure things before!

Anyway, I will get rid of the glass when cutting stuff. And then bring it back out, when I want the counter top to look "magazine like".

Thanks, Guys.

Dan
 
Yes, getting rid of that glass plate is a good idea. In regards to a wooden cutting board, as you know there are many proliferations out there and some are just jaw dropping nice looking. On the contrary, I have not seen any plastic plate type board that was nice looking. Some may look Ok in that they don't necessarily take away from your kitchen counter aesthetics but, they don't do anything to improve it either. They also mar and scratch - and look worse and worse.

I think it's best to go ahead and buy a wooden board that strikes your fancy. They are a pleasure to look at as well as use. Yes, they will take a beating during repeated washings but, I find that they still last a reasonably long time. I mean a really nice one can cost $100 or more however, I see no reason that it would not easily last a minimum of two years - and probably much longer. And $100 for something that will last two years while providing you something to admire, and be proud of, for at least two years.......well it's a bonafide bargain.

Verdict: Go shopping (take your wife if you're married) and buy the one that speaks to your soul(s), and complements your kitchen. You will not regret it.
 
I think the best bet is a good end grain cutting board. You won't damage knives since you are cutting on the end grain of the wood, not the edge grain like most cutting boards are made of. Wearability is a non issue as long as you are smart about it - Never put into a dishwasher or submerge in water, Clean with soapy water and only rinse lightly. When dry make sure you oil it with regular mineral oil(very important). If you feel its really dirty you can also wash in a diluted bleach solution then re-oil. As far as your kitchen looking "magazine like" I don't think you can get better looking than a 2" thick oiled cutting board - it really makes a statement that says your serious about your kitchen tools. Look for some made by catskill- I even think Home Depot carries some.
 
GarageBoy said:
which is the end grain? Thanks
Click to expand...

The end with the little circles, the annular rings. The boards are normally made from blocks about 4 cm square. They look OK, but I favour boards made from hardwood in blocks, long grain. These blocks are full length of the board and about 6 cm wide. Mine is Canadian Maple.

Like the man says (LWW), no dishwasher and no soaking, just a rinse with a bit of detergent under a running tap. I use olive oil to oil. Plastic boards have been shown to harbour germs, plus the fact they take longer to dry, so the bacteria lingers longer.

And yes, get rid of the glass board unless you like sharpening knives!
 
I was looking into maple, thanks! The chinese butchers just use the peeled logs (yea, the whole thing)
 
Thanks AT for the endgrain description. One caution about using olive oil is that it may go rancid on you in the fibers of the wood. Thats why I use mineral oil. Its chemically innert, and pretty much flavorless and odorless. I also heard walnut oil is ok to use as it won't go rancid either, but you have to be careful if someone you know has a nut allergy.
 
On cooking forums, I'm heard that bamboo boards are too hard, as are some other woods if they're long-grained....can roll a knife's edge.

I've also read that there are differences of opinion on which is more sanitary: wood or plastic. I always figured plastic was, but some studies have found that wood boards have less germs.

My own board is an end-grain teak one, that is still in excellent shape, after 28 years of steady use. It has virtually no wear on its surface; just light scratch marks. I never oil it. (Teak has its own oils to keep it preserved, hence it's fantastic durability for boats.) After every use, I clean it in the sink with hot water and dish detergent, the same as I do for dishes. Occasionally I scrub it with a metal pot scrubber. After I use it for raw meat or fish, I wash normally, then soak it for awhile, face down in a sink with bleach added to water. With the way this board has stood up so well, I do not hesitate in recommending one.
 
Modern plastic boards are the way to go for most professional chefs. Cleanup is easy, they're cheap, and not too hard on your knives, and easily sanitized.
 
warden41272 said:
Modern plastic boards are the way to go for most professional chefs. Cleanup is easy, they're cheap, and not too hard on your knives, and easily sanitized.
Click to expand...

I agree. To me, wood is more aesthetically pleasing, but more maintenance. Our cutting boards (all plastic) are not stored out in the open and I make sure that whatever sizes we buy, they fit in the dishwasher. Between the heat of the dishwasher and the fact that there is bleach in the detergent, I feel very comfortable that everything is sanitized.

OTOH, if the board was being stored on the counter top, I would probably opt for wood. I do know that glass cutting boards are a big NO-NO.

Interesting thread.
 
LWW said:
Thanks AT for the endgrain description. One caution about using olive oil is that it may go rancid on you in the fibers of the wood. Thats why I use mineral oil. Its chemically innert, and pretty much flavorless and odorless. I also heard walnut oil is ok to use as it won't go rancid either, but you have to be careful if someone you know has a nut allergy.
Click to expand...

Thanks I never considered the oil going rancid. In fact I just threw out a little bottle of truffle oil that had gone off. What type of oil (brand name) do you use? My board was new at Christmas. My wife's existing one was a bit small for a chef's use. Walnut oil is nice with sauteed wild mushrooms. Fry in a mix of butter, olive oil, and garlic, add a splash of walnut oil at the end for flavour. Ditto chicken livers same way over salad greens.

Garageboy. Maple is pretty, but your old Chinese log is a good and cheap alternative. At my Inn we had a piece of twisted burled, knotted stump that we used for firewood. Even using a felling axe to split logs, it never gave out. If you are wandering around NYC and see someone felling a tree, ask nicely for a 6" slice.

Pocket knife. I have heard that about bamboo. Apparently Rubber Tree wood is good and also a renewable resource. Also it is a fitting end to a tree that have made rubber rather than being burned.

Tim8557. Wood was proven to by more hygenic because it dries quicker. Bacteria can't survive without moisture, food and warmth. The problem with plastics is that deep cuts partially seal over with the 'food' trapped underneath. Normal polyethylene boards a cheap enough to replace when they become scored. Nylon boards can be refaced with an electric plane. However, as you say with the heat of a dishwasher and the bleach, you are pretty safe with your cleaning routine.
 
LWW said:
Thanks AT for the endgrain description. One caution about using olive oil is that it may go rancid on you in the fibers of the wood. Thats why I use mineral oil. Its chemically innert, and pretty much flavorless and odorless. I also heard walnut oil is ok to use as it won't go rancid either, but you have to be careful if someone you know has a nut allergy.
Click to expand...


....but mineral oil is sold in drugstores as a laxative! Why would you put that into your cutting board? :confused:
 
The laxative type mineral oil is exactly the kind you want to use. It is considered food grade and is also sold for higher prices by some manufacturers labeled "butcher block oil," its all just white mineral oil. It may be a laxative but only if you take more than a spoonful at a time- way more than what would get on your food by contact with even a freshly oiled board. Remember, the oil soaks into the fibers of the wood to keep the board from drying out, its not going to be pooled up on the surface soaking into your food. Oh, and all oil can be considered a laxative. Ever eat too much deep fried food in one sitting?

And to all you guys recommending plastic - C'mon, I'm assuming you take pride in your cutting implements or you wouldn't be on this forum. Wouldn't you want to compliment them with a board that looks as good as your knives while not being harsh on them? Go with a good quality wood board, it may be a bit more maintainance but if you don't mind taking care of your knives, why would you mind taking care of what they cut on as well?
 
Geez.....now y'all have started another obsession for me. Most probably I'll be at Cooks' Wares this afternoon buying up a bunch of different wooden boards. But then having that frugal Midwesterner in me, I'll still keep the 4 plastic boards we use. Don't ever want to throw anything away.

Thanks
 
stormdrane

Glad I started this thread! Never thought for a second that it would bring more than a couple of "noways" to glass boards.

Thanks for the links!

And to everyone else: you have all been over the top in being informative!

P.S.

Stormdrane: You'll be hearing from me on those sharp looking lanyards.

Standby!

Dan
 
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