CHOPPING BLOCK-drinking problem?

[Chef Maloney]

I purchased a new hardwood chopping block 18" x 16" from BBB and it's beautiful. I have read about seasoning it with mineral oil (usp) which I have done. 5 applications, waiting 8 hours between applications and 2 applications waiting overnight (to absorb & cure). THIS THING HAS A DRINKING PROBLEM. Would you believe this thing has swallowed 16oz. of mineral oil in the past 2 days? Should I keep applying mineral oil? Fortunately, I found the mineral oil at Target for $1.49 16oz. bottle. But this is KRAaZy.
ps. do i really need to do the bee's wax thing too?
Please Advise. Thanks

 

[Dawgluver]

I would let the thing drink its fill. It must be pretty dry! Looks like a lot of end grain, which will absorb more oil. I wouldn't worry about the bees wax, skip it.

Lovely cutting board, BTW.

 

[taxlady]

I would let the thing drink its fill. It must be pretty dry! Looks like a lot of end grain, which will absorb more oil. I wouldn't worry about the bees wax, skip it.

Lovely cutting board, BTW.

+1

 

[PrincessFiona60]

agreed. You don't need the bees wax.

 

[CWS4322]

The reason for the bee's wax or for heating the mineral oil with paraffin (How To Refinish a Butcher Block Home Hacks | Apartment Therapy) is give it a more durable finish. If you use only mineral oil, you will need to reapply the finish more often. I did the mineral oil + paraffin on my butcherblock counter tops until I got tired of reapplying it. Now I use WATCO's food-safe butcher block finish (I buy it at Lowe's). If you are a baker, you will want to wash it with warm, soapy water. If you use bleach, the dough will be more prone to stick to it. One of the things I learned this week.

 

[justplainbill]

The reason for the bee's wax or for heating the mineral oil with paraffin (How To Refinish a Butcher Block Home Hacks | Apartment Therapy) is give it a more durable finish. If you use only mineral oil, you will need to reapply the finish more often. I did the mineral oil + paraffin on my butcherblock counter tops until I got tired of reapplying it. Now I use WATCO's food-safe butcher block finish (I buy it at Lowe's). If you are a baker, you will want to wash it with warm, soapy water. If you use bleach, the dough will be more prone to stick to it. One of the things I learned this week.

Application of a mixture of warm mineral oil and bee's wax or paraffin helps seal the pores and reduces the drinking of mineral oil. Hope you treated both sides of the board.

 

[Addie]

I think you should call BBA. Butcher Block Anonymous. They hold meetings at WS.

 

[Chef Maloney]

Thank You All

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated. I don't know where to purchase bee's wax so I will probably skip it. I did treat both sides of the board (and the ends) with mineral oil. Yes, I do some baking but I will also probably not use bleach on the surface unless it gets heavily stained. Thank you to someone who suggested in one of the other threads to purchase the mineral oil at a drug store. BBB wanted $5.99 for 8oz. which is absurd considering I found it for $1.49 for 16oz. at Target. What a great source of information all of you are. I am so glad I finally found you. This DC place is like a wonderful school. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

 

[Addie]

Beeswax can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, any hardware store.

 

[justplainbill]

Food grade paraffin is available at a nominal cost in the canning supply department of many stores that sell canning supplies. A mixture of 20% paraffin can be dissolved in mineral oil heated to ~ 200*F.
Bee's wax is stickier and melts at a lower temp.

 

[CWS4322]

Application of a mixture of warm mineral oil and bee's wax or paraffin helps seal the pores and reduces the drinking of mineral oil. Hope you treated both sides of the board.

FWIW, my butcher block counter top is ash. The type of wood does play a part re: how tightly the pores seal. I didn't treat the underside <g>.

 

[taxlady]

Doesn't sealing it with beeswax inhibit the antibacterial properties of wood?

 

[Chef Maloney]

Doesn't sealing it with beeswax inhibit the antibacterial properties of wood?

That's what I have read in several places. I think I will just not do the beeswax or paraffin thingy-ma-jig

 

[Canuckcook28]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated. I don't know where to purchase bee's wax so I will probably skip it. I did treat both sides of the board (and the ends) with mineral oil. Yes, I do some baking but I will also probably not use bleach on the surface unless it gets heavily stained. Thank you to someone who suggested in one of the other threads to purchase the mineral oil at a drug store. BBB wanted $5.99 for 8oz. which is absurd considering I found it for $1.49 for 16oz. at Target. What a great source of information all of you are. I am so glad I finally found you. This DC place is like a wonderful school. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

As you are going to be using the block day after day, why ot just build up the "patina" over time? you are going to cutting up stuff, and oiling things and washing it. I thought that mine was thirsty, but now it is quite nice. I know the Instructions say that we should give it an oiling... it is usually after several months of use. I find that the sharp knives score the surface a little and the fats and oils from the products keep up the finish. I have had my Boos for 8 years now and it is really a dream to clean. Use hot water and a scrubby to clean it and then use 1/2 Lemon with the rind to deodorize and clean the surface. then just put a drop or two of Grape seed oil or Almond oil and wipe it in. That's what I do and I haven't died yet! LOL

 

[Mad Cook]

As you are going to be using the block day after day, why ot just build up the "patina" over time? you are going to cutting up stuff, and oiling things and washing it. I thought that mine was thirsty, but now it is quite nice. I know the Instructions say that we should give it an oiling... it is usually after several months of use. I find that the sharp knives score the surface a little and the fats and oils from the products keep up the finish. I have had my Boos for 8 years now and it is really a dream to clean. Use hot water and a scrubby to clean it and then use 1/2 Lemon with the rind to deodorize and clean the surface. then just put a drop or two of Grape seed oil or Almond oil and wipe it in. That's what I do and I haven't died yet! LOL

FWIW - There was an article reacently in a food magazine which said you shouldn't use mineral oil/liquid paraffin on food prep surfaces (after all, it's a distillate of crude oil!) and recommended non-EVOO (ie ordinary "cheap", blended olive oil) or sunflower oil or other cooking oil.

I have to say that I've never oiled my wooden chopping boards and they are still going strong (My oldest one in current use was a Christmas gift in 1972!). I tend to agree with the person who said that over-oiling might compromise the anti-bacterial properties of the wood. I just wash mine quickly in hot soapy waster, rinse it and stand it on end to dry naturally. (I also keep a separate one for raw meat and others for smelly things like onions and fish.)

Got to go now as Horse will be complaining.

 

[Canuckcook28]

I think the oil helps to keep things from soaking into the wood.

 

[GotGarlic]

But you want things to soak into the wood That's the anti-bacterial property of wood - bacteria are pulled into it and die of dehydration. I've never oiled my wooden boards either. I have one large one that lives on my counter and I do most of my prep there; I do veg first, then cut meat, then clean it, usually with a spritz of homemade all-purpose cleaner made with 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 lemon juice and 1/3 water. No problems whatsoever.

btw, here's a link to the research done on cutting board materials: Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards

 

[Canuckcook28]

But you want things to soak into the wood That's the anti-bacterial property of wood - bacteria are pulled into it and die of dehydration. I've never oiled my wooden boards either. I have one large one that lives on my counter and I do most of my prep there; I do veg first, then cut meat, then clean it, usually with a spritz of homemade all-purpose cleaner made with 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 lemon juice and 1/3 water. No problems whatsoever.

btw, here's a link to the research done on cutting board materials: Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards

I'm going to try that formula you have for cleaning your board. I find that Garlic is almost impossible to get rid of! (Not you Garlic!) I have washed and scabbed, and sanded, and it just sits there. I suppose I should have a little board for garlic, but I have a small area to work in and I hate have bibs and bobs all over the kitchen. I bet the Vinegar and Lemon Juicw and water will be the ticket!

I still like to oil the board though. being on the Western Prairies with an ambient relative humidity in winter of about 10% for weeks on end, it is hard on wood.

 

[Andy M.]

Water is wood's worst enemy. If you're going to keep a wood board, you really have to oil it to keep it in top condition.

You should use mineral oil (food grade, sold in the laxative section of the drug store). Vegetable oils will turn rancid and smell.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Water is wood's worst enemy. If you're going to keep a wood board, you really have to oil it to keep it in top condition.

You should use mineral oil (food grade, sold in the laxative section of the drug store). Vegetable oils will turn rancid and smell.

+100