Page 1 of 4
Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 5:02 pm
by crazywednesday
Unapologetically I haven't even googled this.
What cutting board are you using and why? Which cutting boards wear on blade edges the least?
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:07 pm
by RustyIron
Always wood. One is oak the other might be maple. Wood is easy on blades and harbors less bacteria than other materials.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:27 pm
by benben
Mine is probably a 15 year old Chicago Cutlery board that’s 2” thick Cherry wood. It’s been a great one!
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:38 pm
by JD Spydo
I have a cutting board that is solid nylon. I find it easy to keep it sanitary and it's also easy on knife blades. But what confuses me is that most people seem to prefer actual wood. Which I find harder to keep clean and more difficult to maintain.
With my nylon cutting board I can even use a strong bleach solution to sanitize it. I've had wood cutting boards in the past but I've personally had better luck with the nylon board I'm using now.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:45 pm
by wrdwrght
Epicurean boards are now the standard in our kitchen and camper van. Hygienic and don’t dull edges unduly.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:15 pm
by James Y
Mine is plastic or nylon. It’s easy on knife edges, and easy to wash and dry.
Jim
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:40 pm
by JD Spydo
James Y wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 7:15 pm
Mine is plastic or nylon. It’s easy on knife edges, and easy to wash and dry.
Jim
I'm all ears if anyone has valid objections to those nylon cutting boards. But I find them much easier to clean and a whole lot easier to keep sanitary. I scrub mine with a strong bleach solution each time I use mine. I've had the wooden cutting boards in the past. I had one I personally made out of hard maple. But again I like the newer nylon units a lot better. Just from a sanitary standpoint if nothing else.
But Jim is so right about the nylon units being easy on knives because I've never dulled a knife on my nylon cutting board even after using one recently to cut up fish and shrimp for a church dinner for 3 straight hours using the same knife. But if there is a reason that wooden cutting boards are better I would love to hear what any of you have to say about the subject. Interesting thread!! :)
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:06 pm
by Doc Dan
Wood tends to harbor bacteria in the fibers. I use a black synthetic board that does not dull my knife and is easy to clean.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:18 pm
by TkoK83Spy
I've always heard negative things about wood if cutting various foods, especially if cutting vegetables and raw meats with the same board, even after washing. Nylon for raw meats. Wood for vegetables at my house.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:43 pm
by TomAiello
I use cheap bamboo cutting boards from Ikea, which cost so little that I can pretty much replace them as often as I want.
With regards to plastic v. wood and contamination;
https://www.consumerreports.org/food-sa ... than-wood/
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:58 pm
by RustyIron
Hard pressed to find evidence supporting the cleanliness of plastic.
Wood is good.
https://news.ncsu.edu/2014/09/cutting-b ... od-safety/
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:43 pm
by JD Spydo
Doc Dan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:06 pm
Wood tends to harbor bacteria in the fibers. I use a black synthetic board that does not dull my knife and is easy to clean.
Doc you took the words right out of my head. Because I always thought that trying to sanitize wood is far more difficult than nylon or other synthetic materials. There are all kinds of polymer materials that I think would work great for cutting boards.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:46 pm
by Doc Dan
JD Spydo wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:43 pm
Doc Dan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:06 pm
Wood tends to harbor bacteria in the fibers. I use a black synthetic board that does not dull my knife and is easy to clean.
Doc you took the words right out of my head. Because I always thought that trying to sanitize wood is far more difficult than nylon or other synthetic materials. There are all kinds of polymer materials that I think would work great for cutting boards.
I used to inspect restaurants as a health inspector and I’ve managed a few restaurants, as well. Wood can harbor some bad bugs.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 11:02 pm
by JD Spydo
Doc Dan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:46 pm
JD Spydo wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:43 pm
Doc Dan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 06, 2019 9:06 pm
Wood tends to harbor bacteria in the fibers. I use a black synthetic board that does not dull my knife and is easy to clean.
Doc you took the words right out of my head. Because I always thought that trying to sanitize wood is far more difficult than nylon or other synthetic materials. There are all kinds of polymer materials that I think would work great for cutting boards.
I used to inspect restaurants as a health inspector and I’ve managed a few restaurants, as well. Wood can harbor some bad bugs.
You've confirmed what I've believed for some time now. Also you can't really use harsh disinfectants like Bleach, Lysol or Pine Oil solutions on wood like you can with polymers like Nylon or polycarbonate or Lexan either for that matter. I do admit that many types of wood are pretty to look at but as far as a sanitary functional tool in the kitchen I don't see how you can beat a plastic/polymer for overall function and a material you can easily clean and keep sanitary.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:55 am
by awa54
Wood and nylon can both harbor bacteria: wood in the fibers of its structure, nylon in the cut marks left behind by use. Both should be cleaned after each use, the best way is with a dilute bleach solution, but I'm still alive and use just hot water and dish soap.
My favorite cutting boards are bamboo, it's a bit harder than most hardwoods and absorbs less water in use, it's also slightly antimicrobial. That said I have two thick beechwood laminate boards as well, because they perform well and were cheap, a thick (1" +) bamboo board can get pretty pricey! I also use a nylon board for most of my meat cutting tasks, because the nylon doesn't absorb any liquid and as mentioned I don't use bleach for cleanup.
I always cringe when I see people using pastry boards made of glass or stone as.cutting boards, but I've given up on commenting, as everyone I've pointed this out to in the past has just figuratively shrugged and kept on using them as a cutting board...
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:07 am
by TomAiello
Here's a reprint of an article about cutting boards by a food science professor at the University of California, Davis:
http://www.roundbarnwoodcrafts.com/pdf/ ... BOARDS.pdf
Other articles by the same professor if you want to check his credentials:
https://www.researchgate.net/scientific ... n_O_Cliver
It looks like he basically spent his entire academic career studying food safety issues. His conclusion on cutting boards is basically that wood is fine, and in some cases actually better than plastic.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:37 am
by JD Spydo
awa54 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:55 am
Wood and nylon can both harbor bacteria: wood in the fibers of its structure, nylon in the cut marks left behind by use. Both should be cleaned after each use, the best way is with a dilute bleach solution, but I'm still alive and use just hot water and dish soap.
My favorite cutting boards are bamboo, it's a bit harder than most hardwoods and absorbs less water in use, it's also slightly antimicrobial. That said I have two thick beechwood laminate boards as well, because they perform well and were cheap, a thick (1" +) bamboo board can get pretty pricey! I also use a nylon board for most of my meat cutting tasks, because the nylon doesn't absorb any liquid and as mentioned I don't use bleach for cleanup.
I always cringe when I see people using pastry boards made of glass or stone as.cutting boards, but I've given up on commenting, as everyone I've pointed this out to in the past has just figuratively shrugged and kept on using them as a cutting board...
Interesting>> but how is bamboo advantageous over other types of wood? I find it really interesting because I've noticed that they are making top quality coffee filters out of Bamboo as well. I don't and will not use any cutting slab or board that is made of a material that will ding up or dull a knife blade like glass or ceramic for instance.
Now on my Nylon cutting board most of the time I use a cleaning solution I make myself with bleach and Dawn dish soap in really hot water with the anti-bacterial stuff in it. I use a Libman kitchen brush to get into the minor cut grooves left by the blades>> and I've not yet had any problem with the sanitation issue nor have I ever dulled a knife on it either. But again I always keep my ear open because if I can find something even better I'll go for it.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:06 am
by kwakster
Currently testing a cheap Thai Kiwi knife on an also cheap Zanussi white polyethylene cutting board, and the Kiwi stays armhair shaving sharp for more than a week of home use on the Zanussi board.
(this with a 22 degrees inclusive relief bevel and a 30 degree inclusive microbevel from a DMT Diafold red/fine)
I can live with that, :)
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:15 pm
by awa54
JD Spydo wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:37 am
Interesting>>
but how is bamboo advantageous over other types of wood? I find it really interesting because I've noticed that they are making top quality coffee filters out of Bamboo as well. I don't and will not use any cutting slab or board that is made of a material that will ding up or dull a knife blade like glass or ceramic for instance.
Now on my Nylon cutting board most of the time I use a cleaning solution I make myself with bleach and Dawn dish soap in really hot water with the anti-bacterial stuff in it. I use a Libman kitchen brush to get into the minor cut grooves left by the blades>> and I've not yet had any problem with the sanitation issue nor have I ever dulled a knife on it either. But again I always keep my ear open because if I can find something even better I'll go for it.
awa54 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:55 am
Wood and nylon can both harbor bacteria: wood in the fibers of its structure, nylon in the cut marks left behind by use. Both should be cleaned after each use, the best way is with a dilute bleach solution, but I'm still alive and use just hot water and dish soap.
My favorite cutting boards are bamboo,
it's a bit harder than most hardwoods and absorbs less water in use, it's also slightly antimicrobial. That said I have two thick beechwood laminate boards as well, because they perform well and were cheap, a thick (1" +) bamboo board can get pretty pricey! I also use a nylon board for most of my meat cutting tasks, because the nylon doesn't absorb any liquid and as mentioned I don't use bleach for cleanup.
In addition, bamboo has a shorter growth cycle than hardwood trees, making it an easily renewed resource.
I would assume that bamboo being harder than many hardwoods might dull blades fractionally more than maple, beech, walnut, etc., but it;'s a small difference if at all. The down-side of bamboo cutting boards is that the cheap ones tend to delaminate if left wet or soaked (just like any glue joined wood cutting board) and the better made models are more expensive than "normal" wood boards (probably due to the more complex joinery layup). Both wood and plastic see regular use in professional kitchens all around the world and as far as I know both are perfectly safe for all sorts of food prep if kept clean.
One thing I won't ever use is a wooden board with a groove to catch meat juices when carving a roast... this seems like an invitation to trouble, since wood *will* absorb some of the meat juice and the groove is hard to fully clean if it's narrow.
Re: Cutting boards
Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:48 pm
by crazywednesday
Thanks for all the great input. Looks like I will be keeping my nylon cutting boards!