What is a Cutting Board?

Cutting boards haven't always been the highly polished and beautiful kitchen adornments that they are today.

The early cave man used any piece of wood he could find that he didn't need to burn. Large tree limbs that blew down, drift wood, stumps, anything.

His cutting tools, while sharp, were brittle and often cut deeply into the wood. This meant that the cave man got a lot of extra fiber in his meal just from the splinters. Since they didn't know any better, some died from using the limbs from trees that were poison to human life.

As civilization progressed and man moved out of the caves and into structures it became difficult to drag a big old limb into the cooking area. Since saws weren't invented yet, they would split a hunk of wood, trim it up to keep it from rocking on the table and now they had a "Cutting Board."

When the board got too dirty to use, which wasn't often by their hygienic standards, it just got tossed into the fire pit and burned up as fuel.

As technology advanced and saws became common the housewife would ask her husband to slice a chunk off of a stump. This gave the cook a flatter piece that was then able to pull double duty.

They still had the problem of coming up with a wood that wouldn't impart a pitchy flavor. Soft woods were the most common trees available and, as yet, not much was done with hard woods.

The next logical step in the Cutting Board evolution was to have many smaller cutting boards which could, and did, double as dishes. These were called a trencher.

Every country developed their own kind and style of cutting board. From the thick Bamboo chopping blocks of the far east to the sturdy Maple butcher blocks of Europe. The nomadic tribes in and around Persia used small flat pieces of highly polished wood. These were easy to carry and were often decorated with tribal or band designs.

As knowledge progressed, the simple cutting board began to take on many different forms and functions. Ranging from the butchering block of the farmer down to the tapered paddle used by the baker. As well as the progress in types and style there was an awakening as to the type of wood that should be used for each application.

Large open grained wood such as Oak gave way to tighter grained and less porous woods such as Maple, Cherry, and Walnut. Bamboo remained a staple product and other exotic woods joined in just because of being a local product.

The Cutting Board has evolved tremendously, and as you can see in this lens, has gone forward from something that is just practical to something that is both practical and beautiful.

"Wood or Plastic", They both have uses!

It is said that bacteria have a tougher time surviving on wood boards. Most people are surprised to hear that a wood cutting board may be more resistant to bacterial buildup than plastic ones.

Research has shown that bacteria, such as the salmonella often found on raw chicken, will thrive and multiply if not removed from plastic boards (because germs that cause food poisoning can hide out in the knife-scarred nooks and crannies that develop on the surface of a plastic cutting board). Hand scrubbing with hot water and soap can clear microbes from the surface of new or used wooden cutting boards and new plastic ones, but knife-scared plastic boards are resistant to decontamination by hand washing.

One study reported that wooden boards had antimicrobial qualities while plastic cutting boards trapped bacteria.

Although the Food and Drug Administration has long recommended plastic cutting boards, based on the observation that it not as hard to clean plastic as porous wood, new information shows that wood cutting boards are actually safer than the plastic or so-called anti-bacterial kind.

The small plastic boards are lighter than their wooden counterparts and can, unlike the wooden board, be cleaned in the dishwasher. They are easier to move from spot to spot in the kitchen, are rather inexpensive and come in real pretty colors. As you use a plastic board you will notice grooves cut into surface with small chunks of plastic missing. Ever wonder where that missing plastic went? How about into the food, perhaps the food that was eaten by your baby, or fed to that special guest.

Another kind of plastic cutting board is the very flexible kind. These are very useful if you do a lot of baking. They can be used to measure out ingredients onto and for some forms of fine chopping. Then the whole thing can be picked up, curled into a funnel, and the contents neatly deposited in a mixer or blender.

There are also glass and Corian types of boards. These are as heavy as, if not heavier than, wood. The glass board is subject to breakage if dropped and both will dull rapidly the knives used on them.

All of this brings us back to wood. Wood forgives. If it should have some of the surface removed it is a natural fiber and won't damage the digestive system. Unlike the rest of the types, with just a little elbow grease every couple of years the wooden board will look new for a long, long time. It has been estimated that the average life of a well cared for, and well constructed wooden cutting board is in excess of 150 years. May you get to use yours that long.

If you are looking to buy a new cutting board, or to make your own, here are 6 tips for selecting a good new one and the quality goals for your construction.

1) Look for tight grained hardwoods. Avoid boards made of ANY softwood such as pine.

2) Look for edge grain or end grain cutting surfaces, not face grain. Face grain is far less resistant to damage from knives and will not last.

3) Narrow boards or strips laminated together are less likely to warp or split than a cutting board made up of two or three wide planks.

4) Look for good tight joints. Gaps or filler in the joints indicate sloppy workmanship, and an inferior product.

5) Make sure no dyes or stains were used. If you want a cutting board with more pizzazz than the common maple board, buy or make one that uses several different hardwoods with natural color. These won't bleed out into your food or interfere with the mineral oil protecting the wood.

6) Do not buy a board that has any kind of a film finish on it and do not apply one to the board you make. No matter what it is, it will get cut up and start to flake off into your food. It may be non-toxic, but anyone who puts a film finish on a cutting board is making a decorative piece, not one intended for use.

There are as many different types of wooden cutting boards as there are people that use them. They range from the thin household Pizza paddle all the way up to the large, heavy block found in your butchers shop. There are counter top models, special elongated boards for cutting and serving bread, small boards for cutting cheeses, and slightly larger ones for cutting and serving vegetables and dip. And of course let us not forget those who have an entire counter that is just a huge chopping block.

That's not what we want to talk about here. In the realm of wooden boards there are only really three kinds of, or quality levels of, cutting boards:

1) Face Grain,

2) Edge Grain, and

3) End Grain.

Face grain boards are the cheapest and fastest to make. They are made by just cutting out the desired shape from a single piece of wood. The pizza paddle is an example of that kind of board. Because it is the face of the wood that is exposed, this surface is the softest and is subject to easy damage. Nicks, splinters, gouges, chips, etc. are all too evident on a face grain board. If you do not plan on doing any cutting on the board and to only use it for serving, such as a Hors' devour tray, then this style will work well for you.

The other two types are a little more complicated. The edge grain boards are made when the pieces are cut and the "face" sides are rotated 90 degrees so that the edges of the boards now form the cutting surface. While this is the most common type of board out there it exists because it is easy and cheap to manufacture. It does provide a decent board for the price and is superior to all of the non-wood boards available. However, (you knew there was one of those coming didn't you), it is still subject scaring and marring and other such blights.

The best quality and the most expensive to make is the end grain board. This is the best to be found and will meet the needs of the most discerning customer. More durable than regular cutting boards, these end-grain boards look beautiful on your counter top. An end-grain is a much harder surface and has a greater tolerance for the chopping motion. These boards give a truly resistant cutting surface while being kind to the blade's sharp edge.

The old fashioned cutting boards were always end-grain design (the chopping block) for a reason, it keeps the knives much sharper. Instead of crushing against the wood fibers the blade goes between them much like cutting into a firm brush. You will find that your blade edges last much longer, and you'll see no knife marks on the board.

When the individual blocks of wood are arranged so that the grain of the wood runs vertically (up and down), this puts one end of each board up so that the cutting surface is actually the end of many individual pieces of hardwood. With the grain aligned in this manner (up and down), when the knife strikes the surface during cutting, the grain of the wood actually separates and then closes when the knife is removed. This accounts for the self-healing aspect of the end-grain surface. The wood itself is not cut, but instead you are cutting between the fibers.

First and foremost you must use or select a hardwood. Not just any hardwood either. For instance, while Oak is classified as a hardwood the grains and pores are so open that they invite bacteria to come on in and grow. White, red, and yellow Oak is hard to clean. Fish Tail Oak (this wood is not an Oak at all, see the Fish Tail Oak lens listed on this lens), on the other hand, is a very good wood to use for cutting boards.

I have listed below the woods that I use to make my boards. There are many more that you can use, but I limit myself to this narrow band.

There are only 10 different kinds of wood that I use to make my cutting boards. They are all hardwoods which means that they have tight closed pores that absorb Mineral Oil but seal out bacteria. Because the grain structure is so dense when using the wood for end grain cutting boards minor knife cuts are prevented as the grain closes in around the intrusion.

The woods that I use are:

Bamboo - A traditional hardwood, (really a grass), used in cutting boards. Adds an Oriental texture to the boards. ($35.49/ 3' X 6' sheet)

Cherry - A north-eastern US and Canada wood with a fine texture. Becomes darker and richer with age, ($7.49/bd ft)

Hard Maple - This wood come from North Eastern US and Canada. Know for its durability and strength. Mainstay of most cutting board manufacturers. White to honey in color. ($3.50/bd ft)

Hickory - A very strong wood with a tight grain. Found all over the US. Trees live to be 350 years old. Grain patterns are very bold and add character to any item made with it. ($2.61/bd ft)

Jatoba - A crop wood from central and tropical South America. It is also known as Brazilian Cherry. Very distinct tight grain which adds a unique texture to end grain work. ($4.94/bd ft)

Katalox - An extremely hard dense wood ranging from Purple to Brown to White in the same board. This very attractive coloring patterns creates character to my cutting boards. Found in Central and Southern America. ($10.96/bd ft)

Monterillo - Also known as Brazilian Rose Wood. Comes from Central America, Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela. This is a crop wood with very distinct black stripes in a dark rich brown wood. ($9.99/bd ft)

Purple Heart - A very hard wood from Mexico and Tropical South America. It is, as it's name suggests, purple in color and brings a special colorization to any board. ($4.95/bd ft)

Fish Tail Oak - The only one of the "oak" named woods whose grain is tight enough to be used in cutting boards. This wood is truly not an Oak. Brings a distinct "fish tail" pattern when used as a side trim board. ($7.46/bd ft)

Walnut - A dark Chocolate wood mellowing to a light brown within the same board. Medium hard but very well suited for end grain cutting boards. Comes from Eastern US and Canada. ($3.69/bd ft)

There are only 14 basic steps to follow when making your own heritage cutting board. By following these steps you will wind up with a beautiful board approximately 12 in. wide by 16 in. long and 1-¼ in. thick. Lets get started:

Choose the wood(s) you want to make your board out of. For your very first board I would recommend using Hard Maple as it is inexpensive and is the predominate wood used in butcher block construction. This way if the first one doesn't quite come out right, you don't have a lot of money invested. Cut several strips of random widths to 3' lengths. Keep the strips at no more than 2 to 2-¼ in wide. When you cut the strips be sure to mark the ends of the board with an arrow showing that the "face" is up. This will help in the clamping and gluing phase to ensure that face grain edges are all up and edge grain sides are being glued together.

Plane or run through a surface planer all of the edge grain sides to make sure they are perfectly smooth and without any blemishes.

Lay these strips side by side till you have a board about 12 in. wide. Leaving the strip closest to you alone rotate all the other strips 90 degrees away from you. Apply a liberal coat of glue to all of the exposed edges of the boards you just rotated. I use Titebond III as it is a water proof adhesive, has been certified by the National Safety Foundation as "Food Safe", and has a 20 min. work time.
Now rotate all the strips back like they were and apply four or five bar clamps down the entire length of the strips. Alternate one on the top with one on the bottom. Before using the clamps add a strip of clear packing tape to the clamp bar. This will keep the bar from sticking to wood blank and eliminate the possibility of ripping out any of the surface material.

Take your time with this step so as to make sure that all of the strips line up exactly even with each other. Set the blank aside and let the glue dry for at least 24 hours, longer if cold or humid. Don't rush.

2: After the waiting period remove the clamps and plane, or run through a surface planer, or sand with a belt sander to make sure you have two perfectly smooth surfaces. All glue globs and misalignments must be removed at this step.

3: Once the top and bottom are smooth trim off one end to get a square edge. This would be trimming off the 12 in. edge. Now proceed to cut the rest of the blank into strips 1-¼ in wide by 12 in long. Just take 1-¼ in chunks off of the 36 in blank. As you cut these keep them stacked up and oriented in the same order as you cut them off. You'll learn why in the next step.

4: Lay the strips out on you table exactly at they were cut so that you reassemble the original 36 in. blank. Now starting at one end, rotate each strip 90 degrees always working towards the first one rotated. Then starting with the second strip, pick it up and turn it end-for-end. Keep the same face up. Do this to every other strip the full length of the project. Then, just like in the original glue up, rotate the strip furthest away from you 90 degrees away from you. Continue to do that for all of the strips except for the very last one. Apply glue to all of the face up surfaces. Rotate each piec 90 degrees towards you starting with the second strip. You want to bring the glue surface up againt the unglued surface of the strip next to it. Now clamp just like in the first gluing operation. Again take special care to ensure that you have proper alignment on the ends and on the surfaces. It may help to tap down the surface onto the bar clamp bars with a piece of scrap wood. (Don't forget the clear packing tape.)

Set this board aside for at least 24 hours just like in the previous gluing operation. In fact, give this phase a few extra hours of drying time. Nothing is more frustrating than to build a fine board and have it come apart because the glue wasn't quite dry.

5: Once the board is dry you can remove the clamps and begin the sanding process. I start with 36 Grit paper to quickly knock off the glue globs and to smooth up and uneven surfaces.

6: Next I move to 60 Grit sanding just enough to remove the grooves put in the board during the previous sanding operation.

7: Now I move to 80 Grit to remove the 60 Grit grooves.

8: Then comes 110 Grit.

9: Followed by 150 Grit.

10: The entire board is then finish sanded with 220 Grit to give it that smooth surface and get it ready to accept the finish.

11: Trim all four sides to make sure you have a square board.

12: Either with a router or by hand round over the top edges and corners to eliminate any sharp edges or corners.

13: Hand sand the entire board again with 220 Grit paper to make sure that all splinters, fuzz etc. has been removed.

14: Laying the board face down on a towel or rag attach a rubber foot (called a bumper at the local hardware store) in each corner of the bottom to provide a skid free surface.

That's it. You have now made your very first cutting board. In the next chapter I'll show you how to season and care for your new board.

A properly cared for cutting board made with the silky richness of fine hardwoods is a thing of beauty. Even this humble kitchen tool can be a minor work of art, bringing joy to the household or professional chef as they go about their tasks. It can also make a statement at a wine & cheese party or even a formal dinner event. However, like anything worthwhile, it will require proper treatment and periodic maintenance.

1) Choose your knife carefully.

Any well crafted smooth edged knife or small cleaver will allow you to prepare food without damaging your board. Serrated edge knives, especially those "Ginsu" style knives, will make deep gouges and tears in your pretty cutting board. This will require you to frequently sand and refinish the surface to maintain the original beauty of you heritage board.

2) Keep the board cleaned. Give it a shower or a wipe instead of a bath.

A cutting board needs to be cleaned after every use. Simply sponge off the board with warm soapy water to remove debris, rinse in warm water, and set aside to dry. Soaking the board in a sink, or worse - running it through a dishwasher, will cause the wood to swell and draws out and washes away all of the oil preservative. Then when it dries out, it will crack and split.

3) Prevent "cross" contamination.

If used for cutting meats, especially poultry, you should clean it after each use with a kitchen disinfectant such as a solution of 1 TBS of common household bleach in a gallon of water. Always clean the board after using it for raw meat before using it to prepare other items or to use it for cooked meats. If you are using the board to prepare vegetables or bread then cleaning after use with a mild soap solution and warm water is sufficient. Tests run by several labs have shown that the natural elements in wooden cutting boards actually combat bacteria, and are less likely to cause food contamination than plastic or polycarbonate boards.

4) Consider investing in two, three, or more boards.

Use one just for meat products, one for vegetable items, and one for bread products. Use the boards not only to prepare these products, but use them to serve the products. While having one good cutting board will normally be sufficient, having several boards allows you have many cutting activities and surfaces occurring at once. This is especially helpful when teaching children to cook or having a "help-me-make-it" dinner party. Purchase separate smaller cutting boards, known as Cheese Boards, for serving cheese and crackers at parties.

5) Use a trivet for hot pans. Use your cutting board for chopping and serving.

Your cutting board is designed for cutting and serving food. Placing a hot pan on the surface draws out the oil, raises the grain, and creates a weak spot that will allow the board to warp. If the board is wet, it can produce steam that will weaken the glue joints and possibly lead to a break-down in the integrity of the entire board. For hot pans use a wood, metal, or ceramic Trivet.

6) Keep your board oiled to preserve the wood and show off the pattern with a shiny finish.

Cutting boards use a simple oil finish to protect and beautify the wood. Occasionally, the board will begin to dry out and require re-oiling. For this you will need Mineral Oil. Apply a liberal coat of the mineral oil to one side and the edges. Allow the wood to drink up as much of the oil as it will, add more if spots dry out, and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Then wipe off the excess and treat the other side. There is no "curing" needed, so the board is ready to use right away. The oil will bring back the deep luster of the wood as well as protect it from water damage. If you use any type of vegetable oil instead, while these products do penetrate the board and do help to waterproof it they will go rancid over time and could cause food poisoning. Use only mineral oil, which is available from most hardware, grocery, and drug stores.

7) Repair surface damage at least yearly to maintain a smooth cutting surface.

First clean the board following the directions above, then allow to dry thoroughly. To remove the rough spots and knife "divots", sand with at least a 150 grit sandpaper until all of the surface blemishes are removed. Then sand with 220 grit sand paper to remove the sanding marks and return the surface to it's former smooth surface. After the surface has been sanded, wipe well with a clean rag to remove all sawdust and apply a new coat of oil as outlined in instruction #6.

8) Store your "heirloom-to-be" horizontally.

This way it will always be handy and adds beauty to your counter top. Storing it in this manner helps to prevent warping and curling and keeps the board flat.

9) Use your board for more than just chopping.

Like any fine item your cutting board is intended for use. It makes an attractive serving tray for hors D'oeuvre and other holiday treats, a serving platter for dinner parties, or even a lap tray for the late night TV snack. The important thing is that it gets used. Using your board means that it will get cleaned more often which will remove the daily accumulation of dust and kitchen grease and preserve the fine finish.