Which cutting board is best, and which oil should you use?

There isn't one cutting board that's best for everything. The choice depends on whether the board will be used for everyday cutting, for raw meat, or whether it mainly needs to look good on the table when serving cheese or tapas. Here's an honest overview of the materials, which wood lasts the longest, and how to care for a wooden board with oil.

Which cutting board is best?

For everyday cutting of vegetables, bread and cold cuts, a wooden board is the most versatile choice. It's gentle on the knife and lasts a long time if you look after it. If you need to cut raw meat or poultry, a plastic board that can go in the dishwasher is a practical solution. Glass, stone and resin, on the other hand, shouldn't be used for cutting, as they're hard on the blade's edge. Instead, they're better suited for serving.

Wood, plastic, bamboo or resin: pros and cons

The material determines both how gentle the board is on the knife and how easy it is to keep hygienic.

• Wood is gentle on the edge and the classic choice for everyday cutting, but needs to be hand washed and oiled regularly.
• Plastic can often go in the dishwasher, which is handy for raw meat and poultry, but deep knife scratches collect dirt and bacteria, so the board should be replaced once it's heavily scratched.
• Bamboo is hard and durable, but harder on the knife than ordinary wood.
• Glass, stone and resin are hard materials that wear down a knife's edge quickly. They're best suited for serving and presentation, not for cutting work.

Which wood is best for a cutting board?

Dense hardwoods such as oak, beech, ash, walnut and olive wood are good choices for a cutting board, as they're durable and gentle on the knife. Soft softwoods get deep scratches more quickly and therefore don't last as long.

There's also a difference in how the wood is cut. An end-grain board, where the fibres face upwards, is extra gentle on the knife, because the edge slides down between the fibres instead of cutting straight across them. A long-grain board, on the other hand, is lighter and cheaper, but wears a little faster.

Which cutting board is most hygienic?

Hygiene depends more on how you use and care for the board than on the material itself. Deep knife scratches, whether in wood or plastic, collect dirt and bacteria and make the board harder to clean properly.

• Feel free to use a separate board for raw meat and poultry.
• Wash wooden boards by hand with warm water and washing-up liquid, and dry them straight away.
• Never leave a wooden board to soak, and avoid putting it in the dishwasher.
• Replace plastic boards once they've become heavily scratched.

Which oil should you use on a wooden cutting board?

For a wooden board, you need a food-safe oil, for example a chopping board oil or paraffin oil. Ordinary cooking oils such as olive and sunflower oil can turn rancid and give the board an unpleasant smell, so these should be avoided.

The board needs oiling when the surface starts to look dry and pale. Apply a thin layer of oil with a cloth, let it soak into the wood, then wipe off any excess oil with a clean cloth.

Serving boards: platters for cheese, tapas and bread

If the board will mainly be used for serving and presenting food rather than for cutting, a hard material like resin is a beautiful choice. At Dims Studio, you'll find chopping boards from EJA, hand cast in resin, where each board is unique in colour and pattern. The boards cost DKK 349 and come in sizes including 29.5 x 23 cm, 38 x 16 cm, 45 x 15 cm and 26 x 20 cm.

The EJA boards are designed as serving and presentation boards for, for example, cheese, charcuterie, olives, tapas and bread. Wipe them with a damp cloth, hand washing is recommended, and keep them away from the dishwasher as well as prolonged contact with water and high heat. Oiling is not necessary on resin.

Summary

Choose wood for everyday cutting, plastic for raw meat and hard materials like resin for serving. A wooden board lasts a long time if it's hand washed and oiled regularly, while a resin board from EJA is designed as a beautiful presentation board for cheese, tapas and bread.

Read also

• The difference between a platter and a bowl
• Trays and platters: function and decoration in one
• Kitchen decor: personality at the heart of the home
• Table decorations: how to build the centre of your table
• How do you make a kitchen cosy?