Chopping boards - what do you use?

[Andr3w]

Typing that title made me realise how old I’m getting….

Need some new chopping boards, been using the Joseph and Joseph colour coded plastic ones for a few years but they’re in need of replacing.

Does anybody use a large butchers block style board? I want a large wooden board but I have no idea how you’re supposed to keep them clean? Surely they just get filled with microscopic bits of food in the grain etc?

Which boards are best for not destroying my knives?

 

[Semple]

I just use cheap plastic ones that get chucked in the dishwasher and then get replaced every couple of years. There's no way I'm going through the faff of having a wooden chopping board that needs a good wash in the sink after use.

 

[Thekwango]

Does anybody use a large butchers block style board? I want a large wooden board but I have no idea how you’re supposed to keep them clean? Surely they just get filled with microscopic bits of food in the grain etc?

regular cleaning and ocassional treating with linseed oil keeps my wood chopping boards looking perfect.....we've never had food poisoning in the 5 years or so since i got them so must be doing summat right

 

[SixTwoSix]

Had wooden chopping boards for decades, just give them a good hand wash after use and as @Thekwango says, never had a bout of food poisoning. (yet)

I know they're supposed to retain loads of bacteria and you should avoid but ain't broke, so ain't fixing it.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Need some new chopping boards, been using the Joseph and Joseph colour coded plastic ones for a few years but they’re in need of replacing.
Does anybody use a large butchers block style board? I want a large wooden board but I have no idea how you’re supposed to keep them clean? Surely they just get filled with microscopic bits of food in the grain etc?
Which boards are best for not destroying my knives?

There are many reasons why professional chefs favour wooden boards...

Wood is better at absorbing impacts and preserving the cutting edge of your knives. You'll still need to sharpen them eventually, but they'll last longer between sharpenings.
Wood is anti-microbial, to an extent, but 'stuff' also gets drawn into the fibres where it cannot reproduce, so it dies. By contrast, plastic is great at preserving 'stuff', hence Tupperware™, so all those little cuts and ridges can harbour little nasties and dishwashers don't always get it sterile-clean.
Wooden boards can be revitalised with a 30-second planing and re-oiling.
Wood won't be around for thousands of years, like plastic, and you could even make your own board for pretty low costs.
Wood is also more heat-resistant than most plastics, so you won't melt it just by putting a hot pan down on it.

You've also got to consider microplastic tranferral into your food, both from the chopping and from putting the board in the dishwashers with your plates and the like.

 

[Wizzfizz]

Never had a problem with our wooden chop blocks. Plus I prefer them over any hard materials for my knives

 

[PlacidCasual]

When they cut a section out of the oak worktop for the sink several houses ago we kept the off cut. It's been a great chopping board. People get overly fussy about germs. Sure you need to be careful with raw meat but the rest of the time the risk is tiny. Rinse the board, give it a wipe, let it dry and your good to go for anything that's not raw meat.

 

[Ahleckz]

LÄMPLIG bamboo, Chopping board - IKEA

LÄMPLIG bamboo, Chopping board. The chopping board collects meat and fruit juice in the milled groove and prevents it from spilling on to your worktop. Made of bamboo, which is an easy-care, hardwearing natural material that is also gentle on your knives. The weight provides a stable base for...

www.ikea.com

I have two of these, and another smaller wooden one. They are great, plenty big enough, easy to clean and look ok. As long as you don’t leave them to soak as they’ll bend, they clean up well. Just run under hot water and wipe with a sponge and fairy. Leave to air dry.

Season with oil when first get them, but that takes ten minutes.

 

[booyaka]

Had wooden chopping boards for decades, just give them a good hand wash after use and as @Thekwango says, never had a bout of food poisoning. (yet)

I know they're supposed to retain loads of bacteria and you should avoid but ain't broke, so ain't fixing it.

same - had one massive one for about 8 years now - wipe over after use, once a year with linseed oil - good as new.
Cost about £100 but well worth it.
Probably outlast me as it still looks like new despite being used every day/multiple times a day

 

[Quartz]

Need some new chopping boards, been using the Joseph and Joseph colour coded plastic ones for a few years but they’re in need of replacing.

I use a bamboo one. Boards made from wood and bamboo are actually more hygienic than plastic ones.

 

[Thekwango]

you could even make your own board for pretty low costs.

This is something I’m actually going to have go at when the ones I have aren’t worth planing and re-oiling anymore. Might even inlay a bit of food grade epoxy resin to make them ‘pretty’ - folk are selling similar for stupid money on the likes of Etsy!

 

[Thekwango]

same - had one massive one for about 8 years now - wipe over after use, once a year with linseed oil - good as new.
Cost about £100 but well worth it.
Probably outlast me as it still looks like new despite being used every day/multiple times a day

Buying a good chopping board is, imo, a good ‘investment’ - I’d much rather pony up for a good board that lasts years (or make one myself) rather than buying new crappy plastic ones ever year, as that seems to be about the life expectancy of plastic chopping boards, at least any I’ve owned in the past.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Ive got those Ikea chopping boards. Its not been seasoned with any oil yet, would there be any reason why I couldnt give it a lick of oil now even though its been used for a few months?

 

[montymint]

I use a plastic board for raw meat that I can deep clean after use and three wooden blocks that I rotate through for everything else.

 

[montymint]

Ive got those Ikea chopping boards. Its not been seasoned with any oil yet, would there be any reason why I couldnt give it a lick of oil now even though its been used for a few months?

Nope, no reason not to. Even if you'd oiled it - you'd only do it again after a few months of use and washing.

 

[ttaskmaster]

This is something I’m actually going to have go at when the ones I have aren’t worth planing and re-oiling anymore. Might even inlay a bit of food grade epoxy resin to make them ‘pretty’ - folk are selling similar for stupid money on the likes of Etsy!

Start practicing and getting good at planing your work flat. It's really annoying, not to mention unsafe, trying to chop on a board that wobbles.
Might as well practice planing boards square too, while you're at it, even if you prefer the 'rustic' look of the lazy Etsyers who CBA to square up.

 

[Philtor]

I would recommend a bamboo chopping board along with a bottle of high grade pure mineral oil to season it now and again. Mine is years old and still looks new.

 

[Thekwango]

Start practicing and getting good at planing your work flat. It's really annoying, not to mention unsafe, trying to chop on a board that wobbles.
Might as well practice planing boards square too, while you're at it, even if you prefer the 'rustic' look of the lazy Etsyers who CBA to square up.

Oh that’s an absolute proper hate of mine. Seen a few being advertised as all manner of daft names, all because the seller can’t run a straight saw or router cut or turn a wonky corner into a proper square.

 

[godinman]

I've got a few wooden boards, the bamboo one I've had longest and it's in the best condition for what it's worth.

 

[adidan]

I like wooden chopping boards but if it doesn't go in a dishwasher I'm not using it (or my OH handwashes it - we have one large wooden board).

Don't like wasting time hand washing things so I usually use a glass one.