Butcher Block

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EEstrada

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 22, 2005
Messages
26
Location
Tip of TX
Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone for all their input on the difference of cutting boards on another thread I had posted. Well, I was at Ross today, and I stumbled on a nice butcher block! I thought it was going to be pricey, but I got it for $5.99!!! It is this one:

http://www.mountainwoods.com/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID=107.htm

What do you think? I dont know really what the difference between grains are or the importance, but I think this was a super buy! Thanx again!
 
Did you get it for $5.99 or $59.99? If you got it for $6 then let me know and I will buy 4 or 5 of them!!! If it was 60 bucks then you still got a very good deal. This board is an end grain which is the best. It is the most gentle on your blade. Congrats on a great purchase. You did well!
 
GB, I got it for $6!!!! at Ross. I could swear that the price was changed, or there was a mistake, because a small plastic board was more expensive! I'll take a pic with the price tag in a bit so I can post it. What is the difference between the grains, and why if I may ask? I would like to be knowlegeable so I can teach others of what to look for.

Also, do I need to treat this with mineral oil? What kind of mineral oil? The one you find at a local supermarket? Thanx again!
 
Where's Ross and how do you get there?! Wow, you sure did get a bargain! I followed your original thread with interest, too. I knew I needed a new cutting surface and hadn't decided. I ended up buying plastic because it was inexpesive and easy to replace. I paid $8 for an over the sink board at the Corning/Revere store. -Sandyj
 
You got a seriously GREAT deal! If they have any more then go back a buy them and give them out as gifts. If you know anyone who cooks then they will love you for it!!!

Yes you want to treat it with food grade mineral oil. Go to your local drug store and look in the laxative section. You want to get the oil to soak in well so pour a bunch on and let it soak in overnight then in the morning scrap off the excess. I have never owned a wood board sadly so I am sure someone will come along and give you more detailed and accurate directions for using the oil.

The best description of end grain that I ever heard (I think it was from Alton Brown) went something like this. Alton took a handful of uncooked dried spaghetti and looked at it head on so he was looking at the top of all the pieces. If you then picture a knife sliding down between the strands then that is what is happening with end grain wood. The knife actually slides down between the wood fibers. As you withdraw the knife the board sort of self heals as the fibers come back together again. OK I did not explain that very clearly so hopefully someone else will do a better job, but maybe you got the gist of it.
 
I know now exactly what you mean! Great anaolgy!

Unfortunately, I got the last one. Im anxious to try it out. All my experiences have been with "wal-mart" laminated wood boards. I notice that these give off powdered wood when you are chopping/slicing/dicing with a really sharp knife!

I'm off to buy the mineral oil! Thanx a bunch!

Oh, by the way, I found this site if anyone is intersted:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm
 
GB's anology is about as good as any way I could think of trying to describe an end-grain board. Good job GB!!!

WOW - that is a GREAT board .... and I can't believe the price!!! What a deal!

NEVER use anything except mineral oil on your board - vegetable, nut and animal oils will go rancid. Oil your board once or twice a day until it stops absorbing oil - this might take a few days. Just give it a good heavy dose of oil ... and repeat until it stops absorbing the oil - then it's ready to use. My edge-grain board took about 3 days, my end-grain board took about a week.

Regarding the mineral oil - just get the stuff from the drugstore (probably labeled Mineral Oil USP). That's medical grade mineral oil. Food grade mineral oil is certified by a different government agency ... since it's intended for use in food preperation. They are, for all practical purposes, the same thing ... although food grade allows some things not allowed in medical grade - and usually costs more.
 
Quick question, after fully oiled for a few days, and used, it is regularly washed with soap and water right? Sounds dumb, but I just wanna double check before I ruin anything. Thanx!:chef:
 
EEstrada said:
Quick question, after fully oiled for a few days, and used, it is regularly washed with soap and water right? Sounds dumb, but I just wanna double check before I ruin anything. Thanx!:chef:
Your question is not dumb at all. You won't know unless you ask.

Yes wash with soap and water after using, but never under any circumstances should you soak the board in water or put it through the dishwasher. This is true for any wood kitchen tools.

What some people do is use a bench scraper to scrape and gunk off the board first and then just lightly wash with soapy water then rinse and dry. Every week or so give it some more oil. You should not have to give it nearly as much as when you oiled it for the first time.
 
Wow, they practically gave it to you gift wrapped! That's a great price, I am going to have to go look to see if I can find any that are mismarked or on clearance...:)
 
That's some good advice on that site Charlotte. I do kinda-sorta the same thing. Here is how I do it:

Did you ever watch Martin Yan prep food? Other TV chefs do the same thing ... clean off the board as you use it. Have either a clean kitchen towel (well, clean to start with and ONLY used for wiping the board and knives) or some paper towels to wipe the board off as you go along. Cut your veggies, wipe it off ... cut your meat, wipe it off ... etc. This way moisture doesn't sit on the board - and you don't have food particles drying and sticking to the board.

For clean-up ... I use a sponge with a green-scrubby on one side and some dishwashing soap. Scrub it with the scrubby side and soap to get rid of any particles that might be attached to the board and let it sit for about a minute (I generally scrub and rub for a minute so waiting isn't really that important) before rinsing off with clean water using the sponge side. Now, dry it with a clean towel (NOT the one you used during your prep work) or some paper towels and let air dry. Your board is now clean and disinfected.

The next step is to sanatize your board - some people use a mixture of bleach and water, some use plain old 5% acidic white vinegar. Both do the same thing and work equally well .... I personally prefer the vinegar. I just wet a clean paper towel with some vinegar and wipe the board down ... let it sit for a minute and then wipe dry with another paper towel.

Once a week I oil my board. After cleaning with soap and water and vinegar as above .... I allow the board to dry for a couple of hours and then give it a heavy coating of mineral oil and let it sit over night - then wipe off any excess the next morning with a paper towel.

NEVER soak the board in water in the sink .... NEVER put it in the dishwasher ... NEVER pour (above about 110-130 F - hot tap water) hot water over it. These things can warp the wood and break down the glue holding it together. Keep it dry, and clean, and well oiled and it will last a very long time (your grandchildren and beyond).
 
Man, Finally got the oil to fully soak in! I tried it last night, it is wonderful. Very different feel than a $5 hardwood wal-mart board! I didnt even see knife marks after I was done. Thanx for everones help!
 
To add to Micheal, I found a couple of mine over the years [Yeah, I'm a slow learner] would start to split.

After a while I figured out that the boards were being washed and laid back on the counter in their own water drippings. I solved this- no I didn't get divorced- by gluing a small block of wood on each corner of the blocks underside to hold it with about an 1/8 inch gap from the counter. Later I added the felt pads that are sold for chair legs to stop the chairs from scratching the floors because they stopped any sliding around the counter.

Want to change sides, remove the "feet" and glue to the other side. For the glue I use the silicone they caulk around the sink with.
 
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