Cutting Boards

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
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I went to a bbq at a friends house. He was having a party for his daughter. He was manning the pit by himself and only had one dull kitchen knife with him. I had my Caly3 and a VIC Hunter. I helped him slice the brisket and sausage with my vic. He had a cutting board made out of glass or something. Took the blade right off of my VIC. After going touching up the blade at my truck, I went back to help him. Put a piece of cardboard on the table and used it as a temp cutting board. Anyways, What kind of cuting boards do you use that dont damage a cutting edge other than wood.
 
I use a couple of those plastic/vinyl boards. They don't dull the knives and don't hold the nasties from the food.

Dishwasher safe too.

SDS
 
omg it's so annoying when I see people using glass or ceramic cutting boards. I just say "Noooo, the steeeeeel!" and then they look at me like I'm crazy.

sigh

only wood or plasticy cutting boards should ever have a blade run across them. Gah, non knife people irritate me sometimes...
 
Tony, that site refers to some studies I wasn't aware of. That said, there seems to be conflicting opinions even on that link of which is better. There appears to be at least one or two studies that show plastic is safer while others support the wood.

I wonder if they tested several different kinds of wood and if so if they all had the qualities described.

My biggest concern of what I read there was the statement that "because through the capillary action of dry wood, germs quickly disappear beneath the surface of the board, leaving the exposed area free of microbes". I don't want them nasty things in or on my boards.

I think I'll just use whatever I have on hand (plastic or wood) and throw it in the dishwasher when I'm done with it.

SDS
 
SDS said:
Tony, that site refers to some studies I wasn't aware of. That said, there seems to be conflicting opinions even on that link of which is better. There appears to be at least one or two studies that show plastic is safer while others support the wood.

I wonder if they tested several different kinds of wood and if so if they all had the qualities described.

My biggest concern of what I read there was the statement that "because through the capillary action of dry wood, germs quickly disappear beneath the surface of the board, leaving the exposed area free of microbes". I don't want them nasty things in or on my boards.

I think I'll just use whatever I have on hand (plastic or wood) and throw it in the dishwasher when I'm done with it.

SDS
Click to expand...

The "capillary action" (of water/liquids in wood) helps dry out + kill most bacteria.

Plastic doesn't do that, so little bits of whatever fester in the cracks. Especially in used plastic cutting boards that are full of scratches.

Wood cutting boards actually get MORE sanitary with use/scratches, the exact opposite of plastic, as the capillary action benefits from increased surface area.

Plastic is usually dishwasher safe however. Unfortunately very few people actually fully sanitize their plastic cutting boards in the dishwasher after using them. Instead, they usually just wash/rinse them by hand in the sink. Not a good thing considering anything missed, or left in tiny scratches won't die anytime soon.....

Wood cutting boards are simply more sanitary in common use.
 
I prefer the plastic boards. We have several and when cooking one is used for the fruits and veggies and another for meats. They are easy to bleach and run through the dishwasher.
 
i like the wooden ones. hard block boards. buy one....itll last years. however....i do keep a plastic one just for chicken. and the flexible ones are nice for dumping stuff....and i agree i hate those glass ones....messes up blades and has that annoying sound.
peace.
thomasvo.
 
Bamboo for vegetables and fruit. Plastic for raw meats and oily foods. Just wipe down the plastic with a white vinegar/water mixture after you wash it.
 
I got another buddy that uses a granite slab. :confused: Then he asks how I keep my knives so sharp cause his don't last sharp very long.

So the question is wood or plastic. I use both. Usually the plastic gets the fruits and vegetables, wood for the cooked meat, I try to cut raw meat in the sink holding it with one hand and cutting with another as to not touch the sink with the blade. Its not efficient I know, but don't want to risk cross contamination on the cutting boards.
-frank
 
I have a bamboo cutting board that I apply a light coat of mineral oil every 4-6 weeks. Works great so far.
 
I use a bamboo cutting board, I've found it doesn't dull my knife as much as plastic cutting boards.
 
Get a C.I.A. approved "Jelly Board" cutting board. Overall, they are the logical choice.
 
I use my Sani-Tuff whenever I can; it's a huge monster of a rubber board.

When that's too much hassle, I use a Fiskars cutting mat. Got mine at Wal-Mart for a dollar. It's made for cutting craft stuff, but it's a thin, easy to clean mat that doesn't snag edges like evil polypropylene boards.

The Sani-Tuff is better in that it's tougher, higher off the countertop, more stable, and can be resurfaced, but the Fiskars mat is so much easier to sanitize (just because it's practically weightless and is flexible), so it sees more use these days.
 
In the home almost anything that won't dull the blade will work. In commercial kitchens almost every cutting board in either vinyl or wood - often determined by health code. Vinyl is cheaper and wood is a little more sanitary and longer lasting. Most are vinyl because of low cost.

My own opinion is that there isn't anything as good as close grained hardwood as long as the board is at least 1 1/2" thick. Thinner ones tend to warp. My personal board is a Boos Chinese Chopping block 24" in diameter and 4" thick. I won't ever nead another one.
 
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