Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Caring For Wooden Cutting Boards - 9 Tips

By Kent Dinsmoor

You may add years to the life of your wooden cutting board by following certain care basics. Here are some tips to follow to insure you get the most life from your butcher block or cutting board.

1) Use mineral oil on the work surface of the cutting board. Sponge it on and repeat every several weeks depending on use.

2) You must not allow any type of moisture such as brine, water or blood to stand on the block for long periods of time. Also, be sure that wet meats do not stay on the board any longer than necessary. When moisture soaks into the wood, the wood expands, softens and effects the strength of the glued joints.

3) Do not use a steel brush on the cutting surface of your board. A good steel scraper or spatula is preferred as necessary.

4) After cutting fish or fowl, the work surface must always be cleaned thoroughly. Follow the instructions in Step 1 to insure the moisture barrier is in place before cutting fish or fowl.

5) Insure that your block wears evenly by not cutting continuously in the same place on the surface. Instead, distribute the cutting over the entire surface of the block. Avoid chips, splinters and soft spots by not using a razor-edged cleaver. Best results are obtained by using a cleaver with a dull sharpened edge.

6) Never use any type of harsh detergents when cleaning your block and never wash your butcher's tools on the block.

7) To prevent quick deterioration of the work surface, scrape your block which will remove 75% of the moisture. Then dry with an absorbent towel. The next time you use your block it will be odorless and clean.

8) Maintain the same bevel on the edge of your block to prevent chipping or splitting on the outside of the board.

9) Insure even usage on both work surfaces by turning the block over periodically.

Dishwashers and wooden butcher blocks or cutting boards are not compatible. Don't use dishwashers for cleaning them.

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