View Full Version : Cutting Board Advice
Cutting Board Advice
Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
both? What do you use and love?
Thanks, Nancy
"Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:8O6dnQrCM5dvLHndRVn-jg@comcast.com...
> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm
presently
> using one of the white plastic type ones, but I just don't
> like it.
Should
> I invest in a good wood board? Is there a proper way to
> care for either
or
> both? What do you use and love?
>
I like wood for vegetables and fruit. I have an
inexpensive plastic cutting matt for meat. It is easy to
clean and store.
End grain makes the longest lasting wood cutting boards. I
cover mine with a plastic cutting sheet for meat.
Why not try one of the new bamboo boards, and tell us how
you like it?
--
------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
----
Louis Cohen Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8'
42.8"
"Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> wrote in message news:8O6dnQrCM5dvLHndRVn-
jg@comcast.com...
> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm
presently
> using one of the white plastic type ones, but I just don't
> like it.
Should
> I invest in a good wood board? Is there a proper way to
> care for either
or
> both? What do you use and love?
>
> Thanks, Nancy
We use a John Boos wood board, for everything, meat and
vegetables. After working with raw meat, I clean it with
soap and water, then scrape it with a flat edge dicer,
towel dry it, then spray it with diluted chlorine bleach
and spread it around with a paper towel. We've only had it
a few months and haven't oiled it yet, but its none the
worse for wear.
Steve
"Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> wrote in message news:8O6dnQrCM5dvLHndRVn-
jg@comcast.com...
> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm
presently
> using one of the white plastic type ones, but I just don't
> like it.
Should
> I invest in a good wood board? Is there a proper way to
> care for either
or
> both? What do you use and love?
>
> Thanks, Nancy
On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 20:55:04 -0400, "Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net>
wrote:
>Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
>board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
>ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
>wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
>both? What do you use and love?
>
I have about 4 of the white plastic types. My favorite is
the Corning one, which is made of a better plastic. I put
all of them in the dishwasher.
Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
>board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
>ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
>wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
>both? What do you use and love?
I have three wood and one white plastic. The plastic is for
meat. The wood is for everything else.
In my shop I have tow huge wood tables and two stainless. I
also have plastic cuting boards to make the government
happy... A green for veggies, blue for fish, red for meat
and white bread.
<< - - I never use them.
One dark day on Usenet, "Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> said:
> I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
> ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
> wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
> both? What do you use and love?
I have two big plastic boards, two medium plastic, and one
wood that I use for anything but meat. I like them all about
the same. As for proper care, well, I'm lazy and run
everything through the dishwasher...
--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~ (COLD to HOT for
e-mail) "Why do my knees feel like the wanna tear up?"
- Carl, ATHF
Nancy wrote:
> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
> ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
> wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
> both? What do you use and love?
>
> Thanks, Nancy
I have the 15" model and like it a lot. The plastic ones sit
un-used, gathering dust. http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/produc-
ts/cleavers/cleavers_knives_choppingbl.html
BOB
"Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<8O6dnQrCM5dvLHndRVn-jg@comcast.com>...
> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good cutting
> board. I'm presently using one of the white plastic type
> ones, but I just don't like it. Should I invest in a good
> wood board? Is there a proper way to care for either or
> both? What do you use and love?
>
> Thanks, Nancy
I use wood cutting boards for almost everything. Although
made of a porous material, the surface after washing and
drying is a hash environment for bacteria to survive on.
It's best to rub food grade mineral oil on the cutting board
before first use (then wash off excess after letting it soak
in), and several times afterward. After a few "coats" of
oil, you won't need to oil the board any more for a long
long time (months or up to a year). You could skip the
oiling part, but chances are the board will stain or begin
to split or warp (on thinner boards) as bifferent pieces of
wood expand at different rates due to water absorption.
Washing is simple, scrape clean, use soap and water (do not
soak), rinse off, and wipe off excess moisture with towel or
sponge. Stand it up to air dry.
If you're really concerned about bacteria, you can microwave
your board wrapped around a wet towel to sterilize it. Most
of my boards don't fit in my microwave however. Dishwashing
a plastic board has a similar effect to bacterial
concentrations on a plastic boad as microwaving has on a
wood board. This is why food service in the U.S. must use
plastic boards (because they dishwash everything). A wood
board should never be placed in a dishwasher because it can
soak up excess moisture.
Hope this helps.
Michael http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com (http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com/)
On 2 Jul 2004 23:56:02 -0700, Michael wrote:
> "Nancy" <cecilio10@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<8O6dnQrCM5dvLHndRVn-
> jg@comcast.com>...
>> Hi, I was wondering your thoughts/advice on a good
>> cutting board. I'm presently using one of the white
>> plastic type ones, but I just don't like it. Should I
>> invest in a good wood board? Is there a proper way to
>> care for either or both? What do you use and love?
>>
>> Thanks, Nancy
>
> I use wood cutting boards for almost everything. Although
> made of a porous material, the surface after washing and
> drying is a hash environment for bacteria to survive on.
> It's best to rub food grade mineral oil on the cutting
> board before first use (then wash off excess after letting
> it soak in), and several times afterward. After a few
> "coats" of oil, you won't need to oil the board any more
> for a long long time (months or up to a year). You could
> skip the oiling part, but chances are the board will stain
> or begin to split or warp (on thinner boards) as bifferent
> pieces of wood expand at different rates due to water
> absorption. Washing is simple, scrape clean, use soap and
> water (do not soak), rinse off, and wipe off excess
> moisture with towel or sponge. Stand it up to air dry.
>
> If you're really concerned about bacteria, you can
> microwave your board wrapped around a wet towel to
> sterilize it. Most of my boards don't fit in my microwave
> however. Dishwashing a plastic board has a similar effect
> to bacterial concentrations on a plastic boad as
> microwaving has on a wood board. This is why food service
> in the U.S. must use plastic boards (because they dishwash
> everything). A wood board should never be placed in a
> dishwasher because it can soak up excess moisture.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Michael http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com (http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com/)
Why are we so concerned about bacteria? My parents used
wooden cutting boards as far back as I can remember and I
have as well. I rinse them off after use and wash them from
time to time. I usually wash them after cutting meat but not
always. I grew up being very rarely sick and the same is
true of my kids.
I have lived in places where pork was left hanging
unrefrigerated for up to four days in the market. When I was
growing up on the farm meat was left hanging unrefrigerated
for long periods of time. Mold that accumulated would simply
be trimmed off.
I personally think that exposure to a little bit of
bacteria, probably helps keep the body˘s immune system
strong.
--
JakeInHartsel
Food, The Art Form that You Can Eat
Thanks for ALL of the great input!! I think I'd like to invest in a nice
wood one, perhaps one of these, Bob, thanks for the link, and I may keep my
plastic one for meats. Again, thanks!
Nancy :-)
" BOB" <nowhere@all.org> wrote in message news:2kmlj4F47cphU1@uni-
berlin.de...
> I have the 15" model and like it a lot. The plastic ones
> sit un-used,
gathering
> dust.
>
http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/cleavers/cleavers_kniv-
es_choppingbl.htm l
>
> BOB
Glenn Jacobs wrote:
> Why are we so concerned about bacteria? My parents used
> wooden cutting boards as far back as I can remember and I
> have as well. I rinse them off after use and wash them
> from time to time. I usually wash them after cutting meat
> but not always. I grew up being very rarely sick, and the
> same is true of my kids.
>
> I have lived in places where pork was left hanging
> unrefrigerated for up to four days in the market. When I
> was growing up on the farm, meat was left hanging
> unrefrigerated for long periods of time. Mold that
> accumulated would simply be trimmed off.
>
> I personally think that exposure to a little bit of
> bacteria probably helps keep the body˘s immune
> system strong.
I'm glad you've been so lucky for so long. The reason the
rest of us are concerned about bacteria is that we know that
being careless with the wrong sort is enough to make a
healthy adult very very ill and a child, elderly person or
someone not in good shape to begin with dead. I survived
salmonella when I was 12, was hospitalized for 10 days. I
won't detail the symptoms because you all know them. Suffice
it to say that it was worse than you imagine. I'm careful
now, even more careful when cooking for others in a
professional situation, but careful all the time anyway. I
don't bring my kitchen up to sterilized hospital standards,
but I do follow standard advice about washing surfaces,
washing hands, keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot. If
I think something has been left unrefrigerated for too long,
I throw it out to be on the safe side. That doesn't mean it
WOULD have made someone sick, only that it MIGHT.
--Lia
I agree with Julia that even if you probably won't get sick,
it's best not to take the chance. I serve guests food quite
often and the last thing I want is to have any of them
complain they got food poisoning from eating my cooking.
Over 99% of the time, you'll probably be fine eating
bacterial colonies, but it's that 1 in a hundred or 1 in a
thousand that you've got to worry about. If someone (or if
I) spend a week on or over the toilet because I didn't wash
off the board properly, then I'd be plenty sorry.
On the topic of bacteria on boards - not as big of a deal as
everyone makes it. Scrape the board down, scrub with soap,
rinse and let dry. The wood will actually help kill surface
bacteria as it dries.
Hanging pork? I take it you didn't grow up in LA or Florida
where the temperatures would foster growth. You can age meat
in mild temperatures for a few days and it will improve
texture, but if it's above 50 degrees, it'll need to be
cooked to 160 degrees for it to be safe. These days a lot of
us are cooking our beef and pork to 130 and 140 respectively
and safe bacteria management is key when not overcooking
eats until well-doneness.
Michael http://cookoing4engineers.blogspot.com (http://cookoing4engineers.blogspot.com/)
Julia Altshuler <jaltshuler@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:<4syFc.18969$Oq2.6549@attbi_s52>...
> Glenn Jacobs wrote:
>
> > Why are we so concerned about bacteria? My parents used
> > wooden cutting boards as far back as I can remember and
> > I have as well. I rinse them off after use and wash them
> > from time to time. I usually wash them after cutting
> > meat but not always. I grew up being very rarely sick,
> > and the same is true of my kids.
> >
> > I have lived in places where pork was left hanging
> > unrefrigerated for up to four days in the market. When I
> > was growing up on the farm, meat was left hanging
> > unrefrigerated for long periods of time. Mold that
> > accumulated would simply be trimmed off.
> >
> > I personally think that exposure to a little bit of
> > bacteria probably helps keep the body˘s immune system
> > strong.
>
>
> I'm glad you've been so lucky for so long. The reason the
> rest of us are concerned about bacteria is that we know
> that being careless with the wrong sort is enough to make
> a healthy adult very very ill and a child, elderly person
> or someone not in good shape to begin with dead. I
> survived salmonella when I was 12, was hospitalized for 10
> days. I won't detail the symptoms because you all know
> them. Suffice it to say that it was worse than you
> imagine. I'm careful now, even more careful when cooking
> for others in a professional situation, but careful all
> the time anyway. I don't bring my kitchen up to sterilized
> hospital standards, but I do follow standard advice about
> washing surfaces, washing hands, keeping cold foods cold
> and hot foods hot. If I think something has been left
> unrefrigerated for too long, I throw it out to be on the
> safe side. That doesn't mean it WOULD have made someone
> sick, only that it MIGHT.
>
>
> --Lia
>I have about 4 of the white plastic types. My favorite is
>the Corning one, which is made of a better plastic. I put
>all of them in the dishwasher.
>
>Sue(tm)
*About* 4? I can understand a handful of change refered to
as *about* $4... but cutting boards... that's like saying
you have *about* 2 breasts! LOL
---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =--- ---= Move
UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without
tribulation." Sheldon ````````````
On 02 Jul 2004 13:00:27 GMT, penmart01@aol.como (PENMART01) wrote:
>>I have about 4 of the white plastic types. My favorite is
>>the Corning one, which is made of a better plastic. I put
>>all of them in the dishwasher.
>>
>>Sue(tm)
>
>*About* 4? I can understand a handful of change refered to
>as *about* $4... but cutting boards... that's like saying
>you have *about* 2 breasts! LOL
>
I was too lazy to get up and count them. :>
The final tally is: 3 white ones (including the Corning). 1
clear plastic 1 translucent plastic with sides sloped up,
which I use with the mezzaluna
Now I know for sure!
Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
"Curly Sue" <address.in.sig@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
> >
> >that's like saying you have *about* 2 breasts! LOL
> >
>
> I was too lazy to get up and count them. :>
You can count them from your seat. Honest, no need to get
up. Need help? Ed
On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 07:05:03 -0600, Glenn Jacobs
<gjacobs@remove.starband.net> wrote:
>Why are we so concerned about bacteria? My parents used
>wooden cutting boards as far back as I can remember and I
>have as well. I rinse them off after use and wash them from
>time to time. I usually wash them after cutting meat but
>not always. I grew up being very rarely sick and the same
>is true of my kids.
The "when I was growing up, we never..." argument doesn't
apply. When *I* was growing up, the ground beef I ate wasn't
shipped to New Mexico in vast quantity from a processing
plant in Nebraska. Food-processing conditions have changed.
When I was growing up, my family never used seat belts, and
none of us were killed in car crashes. I never wore a
bicycle helmet, and survived to adulthood with skull more or
less intact. Should I conclude that seat belts and bicycle
helmets are unnecessary for my children?
While you and your family may not have been hospitalized for
a serious case of food-borne illness, many cases of "upset
tummy" or "stomach flu" are actually food-related problems.
Even it it only makes you a *little* bit sick, why announce
proudly that you hardly ever wash food-prep equipment? Do
you think that people who are careful are just sissies?
I agree with Julia that even if you probably won't get sick,
it's best not to take the chance. I serve guests food quite
often and the last thing I want is to have any of them
complain they got food poisoning from eating my cooking.
Over 99% of the time, you'll probably be fine eating
bacterial colonies, but it's that 1 in a hundred or 1 in a
thousand that you've got to worry about. If someone (or if
I) spend a week on or over the toilet because I didn't wash
off the board properly, then I'd be plenty sorry.
On the topic of bacteria on boards - not as big of a deal as
everyone makes it. Scrape the board down, scrub with soap,
rinse and let dry. The wood will actually help kill surface
bacteria as it dries.
Hanging pork? I take it you didn't grow up in LA or Florida
where the temperatures would foster growth. You can age meat
in mild temperatures for a few days and it will improve
texture, but if it's above 50 degrees, it'll need to be
cooked to 160 degrees for it to be safe. These days a lot of
us are cooking our beef and pork to 130 and 140 respectively
and safe bacteria management is key when not overcooking
eats until well-doneness.
Michael http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com (http://cooking4engineers.blogspot.com/)
Julia Altshuler <jaltshuler@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:<4syFc.18969$Oq2.6549@attbi_s52>...
> Glenn Jacobs wrote:
>
> > Why are we so concerned about bacteria? My parents used
> > wooden cutting boards as far back as I can remember and
> > I have as well. I rinse them off after use and wash them
> > from time to time. I usually wash them after cutting
> > meat but not always. I grew up being very rarely sick,
> > and the same is true of my kids.
> >
> > I have lived in places where pork was left hanging
> > unrefrigerated for up to four days in the market. When I
> > was growing up on the farm, meat was left hanging
> > unrefrigerated for long periods of time. Mold that
> > accumulated would simply be trimmed off.
> >
> > I personally think that exposure to a little bit of
> > bacteria probably helps keep the body˘s immune system
> > strong.
>
>
> I'm glad you've been so lucky for so long. The reason the
> rest of us are concerned about bacteria is that we know
> that being careless with the wrong sort is enough to make
> a healthy adult very very ill and a child, elderly person
> or someone not in good shape to begin with dead. I
> survived salmonella when I was 12, was hospitalized for 10
> days. I won't detail the symptoms because you all know
> them. Suffice it to say that it was worse than you
> imagine. I'm careful now, even more careful when cooking
> for others in a professional situation, but careful all
> the time anyway. I don't bring my kitchen up to sterilized
> hospital standards, but I do follow standard advice about
> washing surfaces, washing hands, keeping cold foods cold
> and hot foods hot. If I think something has been left
> unrefrigerated for too long, I throw it out to be on the
> safe side. That doesn't mean it WOULD have made someone
> sick, only that it MIGHT.
>
>
> --Lia
Those who claim that a few germs are "good for you" are not
all wrong, but you don't want to mess with salmonella and
e.coli. I think a thorough washing of a good hardwood board
after cutting meat is enough, but, I have stopped using wood
boards for meat. I like wood boards. I sand mine and use a
linseed-tung oil treatment every so often to keep them nice,
but the idea of pig and cow blood running into the pores is
a little revolting when you think about it. So it is wood
for vegetables, and plastic for meat.
Robobass
lostfrom68jay@yahoo.com (robobass) wrote in
news:ec311425.0407041241.4bde008d@posting.google.com:
> Those who claim that a few germs are "good for you" are
> not all wrong, but you don't want to mess with salmonella
> and e.coli. I think a thorough washing of a good hardwood
> board after cutting meat is enough, but, I have stopped
> using wood boards for meat. I like wood boards. I sand
> mine and use a linseed-tung oil treatment every so often
> to keep them nice, but the idea of pig and cow blood
> running into the pores is a little revolting when you
> think about it. So it is wood for vegetables, and plastic
> for meat.
>
> Robobass
Back in the early 70's when I switched from wood there
wasn't much concern over cross-contamination. I did so
because I like running my cutting boards through the
dishwasher and wood isn't a long-term survivor. I bought 4
Joyce Chen nylon boards, 1 large, 2 medium, and 1 small. All
of them are about 5/8 inch thick. Given their condition
after 30 years of use, I will never have to replace them in
my lifetime, and I know they are scrupulously clean after a
cycle in the D/W.
I have a couple of smaller wooden cheese boards that aren't
used too much and, then, only for cheese. Those just get a
rinse and a wipe.
--
Wayne in Phoenix
If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
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