Years of chopping, cutting and slicing on your wooden cutting board can be gained by treating your board with care. Following these wooden cutting board basics can lengthen the life of your board.
1) Once every several weeks, depending on use, wipe on an even coat of mineral oil onto the work surface of the cutting board.
2) Moisture such as brine, water or blood must not be allowed to stand on the block for long periods of time. In addition, do not allow wet meats to stay on the board any longer than necessary. The wood expands and softens when moisture soaks into the wood. This effects the strength of the glued joints.
3) Use a good steel scraper or spatula on the cutting surface in lieu of a steel brush.
4) Your work surface must always be cleaned thoroughly after cutting fish or fowl. Because the moisture barrier must be in place on the work surface, never cut fish or fowl on your butcher block until you have followed the instructions in step 1.
5) By distributing the cutting evenly over the surface of the block, you will insure that your block wears evenly. Never cut continuously in the same place on the block. Do not use a razor-edged cleaver to avoid splinters and soft spots. Instead, use a cleaver with a dull sharpened edge.
6) Do not wash the butcher’s tools on your block. Harsh detergents of any type should never be used to wash your block.
7) To prevent quick deterioration of the work surface, scrape your block which will remove 75% of the moisture. Then dry with an absorbent towel. The next time you use your block it will be odorless and clean.
When you bought your block it probably had some bevel on the edge. Maintain this same bevel to prevent splitting or chipping on the outside of the board.
9) Turn the block over periodically to keep even usage on both work surfaces.
Dishwashers and wooden butcher blocks or cutting boards are not compatible. Don’t use dishwashers for cleaning them.
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