Butcher’s Block Work Surfaces For All Your Kitchen Cutting Needs

If you want a piece of kitchenware that will protect both your countertops and your knives, consider investing in a butchers block. You will find large stationary butchers blocks as well as thick chopping boards that are glued in a butchers block pattern.

The best butchers blocks chopping boards are made of white maple. White maple is a closed grain wood that prevents absorption of any liquids that are left on the block’s surface. Oak is an open grained wood and will absorb these liquids. White maple is not going to dull your knives and will resist nicks and cuts from them.

Maple helps to keep butchers blocks resilient to bacteria. Juices from meats or other items that are cut on the board are unable to penetrate the closed grain wood. You still should keep your block wiped clean after each use.

Butchers block cutting boards that have a urethane or varnish finish are only for decorative purposes. They will not stand up to cutting purposes. Instead, you want a butchers block that has been treated with mineral oil. Never use vegetable based oils to treat a butchers block.

Always sanitize your butchers block when you change from cutting meats to vegetables. This will prevent cross contamination. A dilute bleach solution (one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water) works well to sanitize the board. In addition, clean the block each time it is used immediately. This will prevent the wood from absorbing any of the juices of what you are cutting.

If your butchers block has started to show signs of wear, it can be resurfaced by sanding. Start with a course grit sandpaper to remove any deep cuts or gouges, and work your way to fine grit sandpaper that will restore the smoothness of to the surface of the butchers block. Wipe away any dust and re-oil the surface.

The recent proliferation of high quality butchers block boards and proven sanitary benefits are encouraging people to buy butchers block  for use in home kitchens. Artisan made Maple blocks, which make the best butcher block counter tops and cutting boards are preferred.