I just watched Good Eats episode "American Slicer" and decided I need a high quality wood cutting board. Do you have any suggestions about end vs edge grain? I'm also looking for recommendations about where to buy a quality cutting board at a decent price.
Posted May 18, 2010, 3:04 AM UTC
I've been using (among other boards) a bamboo cutting board for several years that I rather like. Recently I picked up a large polypropylene CB at Target that has a non-slip base. I find I'm using it pretty much exclusively.
OXO has bamboo non-slip CB's and there's also the Epicurean brand, both of which I intend to look at in the near future.
Seconding bamboo as a fantastic cutting board material. I have this one
This: http://www.consumersearch.com/cutting-boards
I also use these plastic cutting mats from target. What's great is that you can fold them up into a funnel and dump them into containers.
Remember that a cutting board is essentially a disposable item.
Avoid glass and stone. They will ruin your knives.
John Boos makes the best wood boards out there. Depending on where you are you may be able to get a local woodworker to make you a nice board.
I've become a huge fan of Epicurian boards. Check them out. They are nice to your knives, eco-friendly and what i like light. They are thin so you can get a huge one and still move it.
I started using these guys about a year ago. They custom make the boards to my dimensions and each one is a work of art. Larch Wood End Cut.
I stopped using bamboo because it is too hard on my knives. Bamboo prefers sandy soil, and the fine grains get wicked up into the fibers. Beech suffers from the same problem.
can anyone comment on the edge vs end grain? what's the diff / pros / cons??
edge makes sure the knife doesn't scar the board as much.
i got a boos block not too long ago. it's pretty awesome and wasn't nearly as expensive as i thought. the only down side: i got a huge one. like 18"x24" and it doesn't fit in my sink...thereby being a huge pain in the ass to clean.
Thanks for mentioning fitting the cutting board in the sink--I was thinking "the bigger the better."
I'd say bigger is better, but the others who point out fitting into places make sense.
Don't worry about rubber backing. Pick up one of those non-slip drawer liners and set it down before the board.
If you're looking for a good price, Ikea actually makes a decent end-grain board: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40082918
That one is 14.5x14.5; the one I have is a little bigger but doesn't have the rubber strip around the edge (which is fine because I just leave it out flat on my counter -- it's the Spar which doesn't seem to be available anymore: http://www.zacharyguitars.com/Ikea_Spar_01B.jpg). I recommend getting the biggest cutting board you can fit on your counter and/or store easily.
I really don't see the point in getting a board that's 6" or 8" or more thick (like a Boos board). Sure, they're all impressive looking, and you can probably resurface them for as long as you live, but...is it worth it? Eh.
Thanks for the Ikea suggestion, I hadn't considered looking there.