Cutting board information

All you want to know about cutting boards plus handy maintenance tips

A good knife deserves a good cutting board. The right board gives a pleasant cutting feeling and ensures that your knives don't get blunt easily. They are available in different shapes and different materials.

After reading this article you know the main differences and it will be easier for you to find the right cutting board.

Wood or plastic?

This is the first choice you have to make. Both have advantages and disadvantages and there is no clear winner. We prefer wooden cutting boards. Many people think they are less hygienic but that is not true.

Wood is antibacterial

Wood has a natural antibacterial effect. This was recently extensively researched by Dr. Cliver at the University of Wisconsin http://www.news.wisc.edu/releases/1107.html.

He contaminated a wooden cutting board and a plastic cutting board with bacteria. After 3 minutes, 99.9 percent of the bacteria on the wooden cutting board were dead. On the plastic cutting board, they were all still alive. At room temperature, there's even a good chance they'll multiply.

In another study, the risk of salmonella was found to be twice as high on plastic and glass cutting boards.

So, wood is good for your knives and bacteria cannot live on it. So why do plastic cutting boards still exist?

Ease of use

The main reason for choosing a plastic cutting board is the ease of use. You can put them in the dishwasher after use. Other than that it is virtually maintenance free.

This is different for a wooden board. It should absolutely not be put in the dishwasher. If you do, it will warp, crack and/or split. Keeping a wooden board in good condition is not that much work but it is important that you do it regularly.

The main differences between wooden and plastic cutting boards

Plastic cutting boards

These can be put in the dishwasher after use to clean them thoroughly. There is also a choice of different colors which is useful because of cross contamination. So they use in the catering industry a red cutting board for raw meat and a green one for vegetables.

But beware. Because plastic cutting boards are soft you get very quickly slices / grooves in the board. Here bacteria can nestle. The colour of the cut food can also stick to these grooves. This results in stains that are difficult to remove.

The really cheap ones are quite hard and make your knives blunt faster. The better plastic boards do not have this. This means the thin sharp edge doesn't get constantly tapped while cutting and stays sharper.

Dishwasher safe

Hardly any maintenance

Lightweight and easy to store

Cheap

Bacteria can survive on it

Becomes unsightly over time (cuts, discoloration)

Too cheap boards are too hard for knives

Ok, so no plastic instead?

We prefer wood. But if you prefer plastic shelves, there are two brands we can recommend: the shelves from Stericare and those from Candl.

Most plastic cutting boards with antibacterial properties have an antibacterial coating on the outside of the board. The Stericare boards have silver ions mixed through the plastic. This ensures that the effect remains as long as you use the board.

TPU cutting boards

Candl cutting boards are made of TPU: thermoplastic polyurethane. This material is very flexible and easy to make sterile. It bounces along with your knife, preventing you from making grooves on the board. It also prevents bacteria from settling in these grooves.

Hasegawa cutting boards

For Japanese knives, Hasegawa boards are our absolute favorite. They keep your blade sharp longer, and thanks to their texture, food stays put.

Hasegawa cutting boards are a combination of plastic and wood. The plastic outside is antibacterial and bounces along while cutting. The internal wooden core provides the board with more strength. The plastic completely encases the wood on all sides, so you don't have to worry about moisture. The plastic also has a microstructure that keeps food from moving while cutting. Not for nothing are these the official cutting boards of the Japanese Sushi World Cup.

Wooden cutting boards / chopping blocks

Wooden cutting boards are the best choice for your knife. A good board springs, as it were. This makes for the best cut and keeps your knife sharp longer. They have the advantage of being naturally anti-bacterial and have a very long life.

The only real disadvantage we can mention is that they are not dishwasher safe. And they need occasional maintenance to keep them beautiful.

Natural anti-bacterial action

Pleasant cutting comfort

Durable

Lies firmly on your countertop

Provides a higher work surface, great if you want to raise the working height

Cannot be put in the dishwasher

Must be maintained with oil

Is heavier than plastic

Is more expensive than plastic

Difference between the wood species

When you choose a wooden cutting board you have the choice between different types of wood. Contrary to what you might think there are differences in cutting comfort and convenience.

Bamboo

Bamboo cutting boards are made of bamboo strips that are glued together. The big advantage of bamboo is that it grows quickly, making it a durable and reasonably cheap solution. The disadvantage is that it is hard, actually harder than ideal for your knives. Bamboo also contains silica, which is a very hard substance. An expensive (and thin) knife will clearly stay less sharp when using a bamboo board.

Beech or cherry wood

It is better to choose a board of beech or cherry wood. Robert Herder has beautiful cherry wood cutting boards. Also a nice solution, recommended by Japanese knife makers, are the Hinoki boards by Kai. These are made of Japanese Hinoki wood, which is very light and tough. Tough so that the knife does not immediately cut deep grooves in the board and by giving the board some give, the knife is spared.

For a good price/quality ratio the Birch cutting boards of Il Cucinino are a good choice.

Pressed wood chips

There are cutting boards made of pressed wood. For example the boards from Epicurean or Sage. These boards have several advantages. They are maintenance free, dishwasher safe and heat resistant.

Yet we are not big fans of these boards. They are actually too hard to call them friendly to your knife.

Kopshout

A cutting board made from Copperwood is the best. These are also the priciest boards. With an end grain wood board, the surface of the board consists of the end grain of the wood. Therefore you don't cut across the fibers of the wood like with long grain wood, but you cut along the fibers. The fibers close again after you've gone through them with your knife.

The board is as it were self-healing and therefore has a very long life. And these boards are also gentle on your knife.

Wood in professional kitchens

Looking for a cutting board for professional use? According to HACCP guidelines, the use of a wooden cutting board in a professional environment is prohibited. Fortunately, there are some very good plastic alternatives: the boards from Stericare and the TPU cutting mats from Candl.

Frequently asked questions

How do I clean a wooden cutting board?

After use, wash your cutting board with warm water and a little suds. Do not leave the chopping board in the water as this may cause it to crack.

Dry the board immediately and store it upright if possible. By putting it away upright you prevent the wood from warping.

Clean it thoroughly once in a while (to prevent discoloration and bad smells).

Squeeze half a lemon over the board and spread the lemon juice all over the board. Keep the squeezed lemon. Sprinkle sea salt on the board and spread this evenly over the board. You can now use the half lemon to rub the lemon juice and salt over the board. Let it stand for half an hour and then rinse the board clean with water and a sponge/brush.

Why sea salt?

Sea salt has a coarse structure. This is why you sand the top layer of a board, as it were. You don't sand away a noticeable amount of wood, but you do clean up the top layer.

How to maintain a cutting board?

A cutting board should be oiled regularly. This reduces the chance of cracks and makes the board moisture-resistant. Do not use olive oil or any other kind of vegetable oil. It's best to choose a mineral oil, because it doesn't give off any odors or flavors and it doesn't stick.

How should I oil my cutting board?

Put a layer of oil on the entire board and rub it in with a piece of kitchen paper. Leave it for between 12 and 24 hours and then remove any remaining oil. Do this every time your cutting board looks dull. Is the board new and want to give it the best preparation? Repeat this process 4 times.

How often should the board be oiled?

It depends on how you are using it. In a dry house, the shelf will need to be oiled more often. Do you always wash your board with dish soap? Then you'll need to oil it more often because detergent will attack the coating. And avoid placing it near the heating.

Is your shelf getting lighter in colour and does it feel rougher? Then it's time to oil it.

Which oil should I use?

You can't use just any oil on a cutting board. Often people think that olive oil is a good choice, but this oil creates a sticky layer that turns rancid.

We recommend the following oils;

Mineral oil

This is an oil that does not dry up and is neutral in smell and taste. The beauty of this oil is that it really soaks into the board. We sell bottles with a handy dosage spray so you do not use too much.

Beeswax

This cream from Boos is made of beeswax. You use it after you have treated the board with mineral oil. This wax forms a protective layer that seals the wood. This way the board stays more beautiful and you don't have to oil it as often.

Pure linseed oil

Suitable for rubbing onto a board. It is a food-safe oil that does not become sticky. This oil polemiseert what means that it is a hard layer. The wood gets this a dark (antique) color. However, the board must dry for at least three days before it may be used.

Another good choice is mineral oil. This is a neutral oil that does not go rancid.

Can you cut raw meat on a wooden cutting board?

Yes, that's not a problem. It is important to rinse the board with hot water after cutting raw meat or chicken. If you want to be absolutely sure the board is clean, you can rinse it with some vinegar.

What do you think of marble or glass cutting boards?

Never use them! They look hygienic but they are disastrous for your knives. Your knife will become blunt very quickly. It also turns out that bacteria are hard to remove from these boards.

Are the Epicurean cutting boards good?

Epicurean cutting boards are made from wood chips. Because they are compressed at high pressure, these cutting boards can even be put in the dishwasher. And they are heat-resistant, so they can also be used as a trivet for hot pans.

But there is also a disadvantage. The boards are very hard and don't bounce while cutting. So they are actually too hard for fans of sharp knives.

Are bamboo cutting boards good?

These are very popular cutting boards at the moment. They are affordable and fairly easy to use. However they are much harder than wooden boards. So your knife will get blunt faster compared to a good wooden cutting board.

What is the purpose of the groove on some boards?

The groove catches the juices of meat and fish. So you don't have to worry about it dripping off your board.

Is there a special cutting board for a bread knife?

Yes, these cutting boards consist of multiple boards with a notch in between. During cutting the crumbs fall into the notches. After cutting you can easily remove the crumbs.

What is the difference between a cutting board and a chopping block?

Chopping blocks are usually much thicker and often made of end grain wood. This makes them more expensive to buy but they can take a lot more. And not unimportantly, they look cool on your kitchen counter.

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