Because a good set of knives will easily set you back $200 dollars or more, the average home chef can spend hours researching and shopping for the right one. Yet we may never give a second thought about the humble cutting board on which will be spent countless hours of slicing, dicing, mincing and chopping. The truth is that what you cut on is almost as important as what you cut with, especially if you want to protect your knife investment. Using the wrong surface will quickly turn your $100 Wüsthof chef’s knife into a worthless piece of metal good for nothing more than maybe hacking weeds in your garden.
Today there are a myriad of choices for cutting boards. Some are friendlier to knives than others. Some are easier to maintain, and others are more eco-friendly. So it’s good to know a little bit about each one. If you’re in the market for a new board, take a few minutes to look over the information below and determine which style and size board will work best for you. Even if you don’t know a brunoise cut from a chiffonade, good cutting boards are a sure sign of a well-equipped kitchen.
Wood
The tried and the true. Attractive, gentle on knives and made from renewable resources, wood cutting boards have stood the test, and for good reason. With a little TLC, a good quality board can last for many years. Just make sure you buy one made of a good quality hardwood such as rock maple, walnut or American cherry.
Wooden boards can never go into the dishwasher. Because of this, they are not good choices for cutting raw poultry, meat fish. It’s best to reserve your wood boards for cutting fruits, vegetables and herbs, and use a secondary, dishwasher-safe board (we like plastic) for raw meats and fish. Since you will have to wash wood boards by hand in the sink, be mindful of size in weight. A large board might give you a lot of work surface, but it may be too unruly during clean-up. (Tip: If you’re tall, you might consider a thick board, which can add height to your work surface.)
You will need to “season” new boards with food safe mineral oil. (Never use olive oil or vegetable oil as they can go rancid.) The oil helps repel stains and prevents the board from drying out. Apply the mineral oil several times for the first week, and then every 1-6 months depending on how often you use the board and the humidity levels in your home. Clean by rinsing in mild soapy water and towel dry immediately. Always store your boards on the edge. This will prevent warping. If your board becomes stained, use some coarse salt and half a lemon.
Bamboo
Because they are so attractive and environmentally friendly, bamboo has become a popular alternative to wood. Although wood and bamboo are both made from renewable resources, bamboo is definitely the “greener” choice. It takes only 3 – 5 years to harvest bamboo, whereas wood can take 15 to 20 times longer. However, that doesn’t always mean a better cutting surface. Knife-friendliness can vary from board to board even with the same manufacturer. When purchasing a bamboo board, you want to look for an end grain board. (There are three grain types: end, vertical and flat.) These are gentler to knife edges and more tolerant of deep cuts. As you would expect, end grain boards are the most expensive. The best way to spot an end grain board by their intricacy. An end grain board looks much like fine parquet flooring; smaller pieces put together to form a somewhat intricate pattern. Because of their design, end grain boards are also among the most beautiful.
Care of a bamboo board is similar to wood boards. They also cannot go in the dishwasher. So again, they are not a good choice for raw meats. Wash with mild soapy water and towel dry immediate. Bamboo should also be oiled to keep them from drying out. Storing on the edge is also recommended.
One final note about bamboo boards: Small boards make attractive bread servers.
Composite
Composite cutting boards have exploded on the market for three reasons: They are somewhat knife friendly, made from renewable resources, and (here comes the clincher) they are dishwasher safe. So you might think they are the first choice for cutting boards; the sort of “one board fits all” option, but that may not be the case. We think a lot of their popularity is due, in part, to marketing buzz and retailer push. While a better environmental choice than plastic boards, composite boards are made by compressing wood fibers with glue and resin to make a surface that is actually harder than wood but not so hard it can damage knives. (Although a lot of users complain that composite boards seem too hard and make a “clacking” noise.) The average board lasts about five years, and more frequent dishwashing can reduce that. Once a board begins to go bad, you’ll want to get rid of it quickly. Otherwise, you may end up with shards of board in your food.
Composite boards are relatively expensive given their short lifespan. We recently priced a 20 by 15 by 0.2 inch board at Amazon for $72.99. A 20 by 15 by 1.5 inch maple cutting board was priced at only $67. With the right maintenance, the wood board could easily out last the composite by a factor of four. That means the composite board comes at a 435% price premium.
Still, it’s hard to walk away from the lure of easy maintenance, and if you want one and only one board for both your meats (raw and cooked) and produce, then the composite is a better, albeit costlier, choice. We recommend a thicker board, as there have been complaints that the thinner models warp easily. The boards are extremely light, and as such are prone to sliding around on your counter top. So always place a damp tea towel or rag under the board or see our tip below for an excellent slip guard. If you are going to use a dishwasher to clean the board, take it out during the drying cycle and store it on its edge. This will prevent over drying and warping.
Plastic
One of the least environmentally friendly choices, plastic boards are inexpensive and very easy to maintain. These boards can easily go into the dishwasher over and over again, which makes them excellent choices for raw meats. Since most cost under $25, even the tightest budget can allow for two or more boards of varying size and/or color. (Some people advocate a color coding system to prevent cross contamination – yellow for poultry, green for produce, red for meat, etc.)
Softer plastics will scar easily but are preferred over harder, less knife-friendly plastics. Polypropylene boards are the best quality, and remember that thinner boards are more prone to warping. Avoid models with non-slip bottoms as these limit you to one side for cutting. (See our tip below for a better slip guard.) If your concerned about plastics impact on the environment, you can find boards made from 100% recycled food safe plastic, and always recycle old boards.
If your boards become deeply scarred, you may want to replace them. Deep fissures can harbor bacteria. At the very least, you should spray your scarred boards with a water and bleach solution (1 tbsp bleach to 1 quart water) and scrub with a brush, before placing them into the dishwasher.
Flexible Cutting Mats
Flexible plastics cutting mats are not good choices for everyday cutting boards. These thin flexible plastic sheets just can’t stand-up to the demands of daily cutting tasks and offer no real cushioning to protect knives. However, they can provide a quick, sanitary surface when placed on top another cutting board. Many are packaged together with color coding to prevent cross contamination. While they may be handy at times, we fear their short lifespan makes them destined for land fills and not a good eco-friendly choice.
Glass/Granite/Marble/Stainless Steel
In a word, “NO”! Hard and shiny materials like these make for terrible cutting surfaces. Over time, these surfaces can chip and crack the finely honed edges of a good knife. In fact, we can think of only two good uses for boards like these. Smaller boards are good for resting hot pots and pans, and larger boards are good for kneading dough. So if any misinformed store clerk tries to sell you a cutting board made of any of these, turn and run the other way.
Choosing the Appropriate Size
When selecting a new board, you’ll want one that will allow for ample work space but not one so large you have a difficult time cleaning it. A good rule of thumb is to look for a board with a diagonal measurement that is two to four inches longer than your largest knife. Keep counter space in mind. Make certain there is ample room to hold a board before you buy it. Wood boards are the heaviest. So you might want to avoid an overly large and thick one unless you’ve got both the strength to lift it and a large enough sink to rinse it in.
Prevent Slipping & Sliding
Some of the lighter boards, like bamboo and composite, tend to slide easily. One sure way we have found to prevent this is to employ a piece of cushioned shelf liner. These are liners are sold in kitchen stores and neighborhood hardware stores and come in a variety of colors and sizes. Simply cut a piece that is one to two inches smaller than your cutting boards and place your board on top. If the liner become dirty, you can rinse it in mild soapy water and towel dry.
Some Board Recommendations:
John Boos Reversible Maple Cutting Board
Totally Bamboo Congo Parquet End Grain Cutting Board
Epicurean Cutting Surfaces 18-by-13-Inch Gourmet Cutting Board with Juice Groove, Natural
Architec KDECOFLX16 12-Inch by 16-Inch EcoSmart Polyflax Cutting Board, Red
