Mad Cook
Master Chef
I find that a cut lemon dipped in salt and rubbed on to the garlic-y surface can go a long way to removing the smell - works for onions too.
CHOPPING BLOCK-drinking problem?
- Thread starter Chef Maloney
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
I should be living in Gilroy, California. In my world you can never have too much garlic. And I don't mind the smell of it at all. I know, I am weird!
The BoardSMITH
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- May 4, 2008
- Messages
- 21
First - You can over oil a cutting board to the point where the oil leeches or drips from the bottom. That is wasteful. Simply reapply when the area used mostly becimes a different color than the surrounding area.
Second - Wood has no anti-bacterial properties. With end grain the moisture and bacteria on the surface is sucked into the wood fibers where the bacteria die from the lack of moisture.
Third - There is nothing wrong with mineral oil. It can be harmful if inhaled directly into the lungs but so can any other oil. It is in fact a super refined petroleum product and is USDA approved food safe. It is in your baby oil, almost all cosmetics and a host of other daily items we all use. Organic oils will turn rancid over a period of time guaranteed.
Fourth - Waxes like parrafin and bees wax can add some extra water repellency when mixed with mineral oil and used on wooden utensils such as cutting boards. Heat the oil in a double boiler and add the wax until the desired thickness is achieved. Do not heat the oil over direct heat. The flash point can be achieved before you realize it and then you will have a fire to deal with. Bees wax has a flash point of about 165 degrees.
Second - Wood has no anti-bacterial properties. With end grain the moisture and bacteria on the surface is sucked into the wood fibers where the bacteria die from the lack of moisture.
Third - There is nothing wrong with mineral oil. It can be harmful if inhaled directly into the lungs but so can any other oil. It is in fact a super refined petroleum product and is USDA approved food safe. It is in your baby oil, almost all cosmetics and a host of other daily items we all use. Organic oils will turn rancid over a period of time guaranteed.
Fourth - Waxes like parrafin and bees wax can add some extra water repellency when mixed with mineral oil and used on wooden utensils such as cutting boards. Heat the oil in a double boiler and add the wax until the desired thickness is achieved. Do not heat the oil over direct heat. The flash point can be achieved before you realize it and then you will have a fire to deal with. Bees wax has a flash point of about 165 degrees.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
That *is* the anti-bacterial property.
Exactly.
That is a very nice board. What is BBB?
I am reading the posts to DA and we thought of something very funny. We have the can of the Thompson Water Seal in the basement. That would fix the drunken board!
We are only joking. Do not do that!
~Cat
I am reading the posts to DA and we thought of something very funny. We have the can of the Thompson Water Seal in the basement. That would fix the drunken board!
We are only joking. Do not do that!
~Cat
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
It's a chain store. Bed Bath and Beyond.
Perhaps it is a matter of semantics.
I believe BoardSMITH is correct in his statement "Wood has no anti-bacterial properties." Note the use of the word "properties".
by drawing the moisture in and suffocating the bacteria is an "action" not a property as if there is some chemical or "property" in the wood that would do this. verb to noun.
ps. I failed high school English.
So aside from all of the above, Thank you all for this thread as I was going to post a question on taking care of my board. I found the answer here!
thanks again all -
love this site
I believe BoardSMITH is correct in his statement "Wood has no anti-bacterial properties." Note the use of the word "properties".
by drawing the moisture in and suffocating the bacteria is an "action" not a property as if there is some chemical or "property" in the wood that would do this. verb to noun.
ps. I failed high school English.
So aside from all of the above, Thank you all for this thread as I was going to post a question on taking care of my board. I found the answer here!
thanks again all -
love this site
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Property: an attribute, quality, or characteristic of something.
Dryness is the anti-bacterial property of wood.
P.S. I am a writer and editor
Guess I should have dug deeper into the Webster, Collins and even the Funk & Wagnall!
Roll_Bones
Master Chef
I made my own butcher block cutting board a few years ago. I needed something to keep me busy and got into woodworking.
It came out great, but was a lot of work since I have no planer.
Mine also was thirsty, but I stopped after three or so applications.
I found its better to use a plastic or mat type cutting surface on top of my beautiful butcher block cutting board.
It protects it, and its easy to clean off a plastic board or mat after chopping.
I would never slice red meat on it anyway. So covering it for chopping and preparing seemed the right thing to do.
It came out great, but was a lot of work since I have no planer.
Mine also was thirsty, but I stopped after three or so applications.
I found its better to use a plastic or mat type cutting surface on top of my beautiful butcher block cutting board.
It protects it, and its easy to clean off a plastic board or mat after chopping.
I would never slice red meat on it anyway. So covering it for chopping and preparing seemed the right thing to do.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Just use the mat type cutting surface and put the wood cutting board somewhere as a decorative item.
I have a huge chopping board which is almost impractical but I love it. It is versatile in that, length wise, I have it from the edge of the counter to the backsplash and therefore doesn't move. Fits up on edge against the backsplash and is thick enough it doesn't need to lean but stands on its own. It is big enough to chop and pile many items, eg - a stir fry. Is wonderful for kneading bread. My countertop is of small ceramic tiles, not conducive to kneading. Draw back is cleaning it at the sink... too big, not to mention the weight.
I also have several flexible plastic mats (Dollar Store) and a couple of smaller hard plastic ones. One small glass one, rarely used as I think it is bad for the knife, but if it is something really smelly... I'll use it.
Depending on the prep being needed they could all come into play. Yes, there will be times that meat is on the wood board, not usually but...
I just scrub a little more later
I also have several flexible plastic mats (Dollar Store) and a couple of smaller hard plastic ones. One small glass one, rarely used as I think it is bad for the knife, but if it is something really smelly...
I'll use it.Depending on the prep being needed they could all come into play. Yes, there will be times that meat is on the wood board, not usually but...
I just scrub a little more later
I bought a beech wood cutting board at Ikea a few months ago. I don't remember how much it cost, but I'm pretty sure it was less than $10. It's 46.5 cm x 26.5 cm x 1.5 cm (~18 x 11 x 1/2 inches), so it isn't very heavy and does fit in the sink. Since I bought it, I have done all meat cutting on it. I read that with plastic boards, hand washing isn't always good enough. It's recommended to rinse or wash them and then put them in the dishwasher after meat. The only plastic boards I have that are bigger than the new wooden one aren't dishwasher safe. If I have a piece of meat, e.g., a whole pork loin from Costco, that's too big for the wooden one, I guess I'll use a plastic board and wash and bleach it.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I cut meat on my wooden chopping board all the time with no problems, and I have a compromised immune system. I usually clean it by squirting it with a 1/3-each mixture of white vinegar, lemon juice and water and wiping it with a cloth. Sometimes I wash it in the sink.
Taxlady, do you remember when plastic cutting boards started coming out? After a year or so, suddenly everyone was supposed to get rid of their wood cutting boards? Plastic was much "healthier". Wood was "bacteria ridden".
Even to the point that 'Steak Houses' were supposed to get rid of their wooden platters that was almost iconic to serve the steaks on.
Don't know if they ever did, at that time Steak Houses were not in my budget.
My friends, MIL & SIL ran out to buy plastic ones and I said "Nope, no way. That's a bunch of crock." Plastic develops scratches and gouges as much if not worse than wood. Plus it retains oil. No matter how clean you think a plastic bowl is try beating egg whites!
At least, if you were so inclined, you could shave the heavier boards smooth again like butchers do."
And so my Doubting Thomas was vindicated as it has, as you just said, been shown that the plastic can harbour as many germs and bacteria, when not properly cleaned, as anything else.
GotGarlic: only reason I rarely use the wood for meat is solely because it is more difficult to clean by the sink. I have enough confidence in my scrubbing abilities to not worry about contamination. Hah! I even re-freeze meat!
and I'm pretty dog gone sure I've never given anyone a belly ache (other than my husband when the perforated lid came off the garlic powder
while I was fixing a quick supper for him on the late shift. Next morning he commented on supper was delicious, but MAN!....
I did try to scrape most of it off honest, I swear! but I never did 'fess up. 
Even to the point that 'Steak Houses' were supposed to get rid of their wooden platters that was almost iconic to serve the steaks on.
Don't know if they ever did, at that time Steak Houses were not in my budget
.My friends, MIL & SIL ran out to buy plastic ones and I said "Nope, no way. That's a bunch of crock." Plastic develops scratches and gouges as much if not worse than wood. Plus it retains oil. No matter how clean you think a plastic bowl is try beating egg whites!
At least, if you were so inclined, you could shave the heavier boards smooth again like butchers do."
And so my Doubting Thomas was vindicated
as it has, as you just said, been shown that the plastic can harbour as many germs and bacteria, when not properly cleaned, as anything else.GotGarlic: only reason I rarely use the wood for meat is solely because it is more difficult to clean by the sink. I have enough confidence in my scrubbing abilities to not worry about contamination. Hah! I even re-freeze meat!
and I'm pretty dog gone sure I've never given anyone a belly ache (other than my husband when the perforated lid came off the garlic powder
while I was fixing a quick supper for him on the late shift. Next morning he commented on supper was delicious, but MAN!.... I did try to scrape most of it off honest, I swear! but I never did 'fess up.
I don't remember when, the 80's? Montreal banned wooden boards in steak houses. Some politician thought they looked unsanitary, so they banned them with no scientific basis whatsoever. Unfortunately, that bylaw still stands.
Don't get me started. There are so many cases of some politician, coming up with a dumb law, with the best of intentions, that it drives me crazy.
Don't get me started. There are so many cases of some politician, coming up with a dumb law, with the best of intentions, that it drives me crazy.
oh oh
finally found my mineral oil...
I think it predates the advent of "best before... "
I don't think it is bad but it has a plastic y bottle smell.
Question:
Can I still use it on the board?
Once rubbed in, will exposure to air dissipate the smell or will it taint the board and/or any food prepped on it.
I can pick some more up tomorrow, it won't break the bank, but I have a real aversion to throwing anything out that could still be used
finally found my mineral oil...
I think it predates the advent of "best before... " I don't think it is bad but it has a plastic y bottle smell.
Question:
Can I still use it on the board?
Once rubbed in, will exposure to air dissipate the smell or will it taint the board and/or any food prepped on it.
I can pick some more up tomorrow, it won't break the bank, but I have a real aversion to throwing anything out that could still be used
Personally, I can't stand a "plastic" smell, so I would not use it. I would be bound to smell it on my food.
