Wood Not To Use For Cutting Boards

Walnut is one of the softest woods that are usually used for cutting boards.

Wood not to use for cutting boards.

Cutting board woods we like to make it easy on you you can make unique and special cutting boards out of many different hardwoods because all you need is a wood that s hard dense and tight grained. Even though wood is harder to sanitize and can t go in the dishwasher wood is naturally anti microbial whereas the gouges and crevices that inevitably happen when you re cutting on a plastic board offer plenty of. Chopping up vegetables can be messy and cutting raw meat on your countertops can be a germ nightmare. Cutting boards that actually get used also get washed.

But keep in mind no matter which wood cutting board you use all types of wood are fairly porous and are likely to absorb juices from raw meat. The prices of store bought cutting surfaces vary widely depending on the wood used to make them. However this is not necessarily a bad thing. Ben chapman a food safety researcher at north carolina state recommends using plastic cutting boards for meat and wooden cutting boards.

Not really an issue but at least a consideration. Furthermore not only will your wood board last but it will also help your knives last because hard wood boards won t dull your blades as quickly as plastic boards will. Usually cutting boards fall at the lower end of these ranges and butcher blocks at the. They re accessible dense closed grain and quite attractive as well.

Use a cutting board every time you cook and your countertops will thank you. But it turns out research shows that wood cutting boards are actually just as safe if not safer to use than plastic. That way your cutting board will be less apt to warp and distort over time. Purpleheart is popular but can be very tough on your blades and tools.

The only downside of this softness is that walnut cutting boards tend to attract dents and cuts. The go to can t go wrong woods in the us for cutting boards are hard maple and black walnut. Ultimately whether you use wood or plastic the best method for ensuring safety is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat and poultry and for your vegetables fruit. I d stay with all hardwoods.

Instead use your wood cutting board for table ready foods like herbs vegetables fruit bread and cheese. Maple cutting boards are also great because they re easy to clean and sanitize. I d recommend trying to select wood types which have similar expansion and contraction coefficients. Use a waterproof glue.