What Is The Best Wood For Cutting Boards?
There are many types of boards out there, and you will know how quickly you can get overwhelmed by it. If you plan to make your homemade cutting board, you should know what the best wood for a cutting board is. Cutting boards are pieces of kitchen materials that are useful if the right wood is used.
While it may quickly get overwhelming at first, to help you get started, here's the list of the best wood material for cutting boards. Keep in mind that these boards work similarly to each other and are only different in their overall quality. Still, what they do is help you have an easier time chopping off key ingredients for your homemade recipe.
What Is a Cutting Board?
One of the primary uses of a cutting board is serving as a serving station, food preparation, or a chopping block, and most of the time, all three of it in one sitting. And that's why every kitchen should have a cutting board due to its durability and versatility. Almost all professional chefs tend to lean towards wooden cutting boards compared to plastics or any other materials, as wood is impact resistant.
A wooden cutting board is easy to clean, cheap, and is more gentle to the knife’s blades. So, if you want to have a durable cutting board, selecting the right cutting board goes a long way, especially for your desired chopping needs. It’s also important that you know the best wood for cutting board to avoid accidents and always remain safe.
What Are the Best Types of Cutting Boards?
Knowing what a cutting board’s use is is as important as what is the best wood for cutting board. Luckily, there are many types of cutting boards for your specific needs. Here are the best wood materials for cutting board:
Maple
It is by far the most popular choice for cutting boards, specifically hard maple or sugar maple. This type of wood is closed-grain and hardwood, making it the best and ideal choice for cutting boards. One of the good things about maple wood is its ability to resist bacteria and is very neutral in color. Their color fits perfectly into any kitchen theme.
Ash
Although ash is ring-porous, it is another good choice for cutting boards. They are durable and hard enough to be your reliable companion for your daily kitchen needs. Compared to Maple, ash is lightwood, and it may need special care to avoid staining. Still, their design is a good thing because of how well they fit in most kitchen themes.
Acacia
Although not as common as walnut or Maple, Acacia is a known hardwood tree that is durable and hard enough to be the centerpiece of your day-to-day chopping needs. Some people regarded Acacia as one of the hardest woods for any kitchen wares out there. Also, Acacia is famous because of how cheap it is.
Walnut
It is another favorite choice. Walnut is another hardwood that is quite appealing due to its texture and color. Although it is softer than AAcacia and Maple, it will hold good for everyday chopping needs. However, walnut fall in the “Okay” department, not too good, and not too bad.
Teak
It is another famous option for cutting boards because of how sturdy and reliable this type of wood is. Very easy to clean, and you’ll have no problems maintaining it. After teak has been processed, it mostly retains its water-repelling, natural oils. When teak is combined with tight grain materials, it is the best out there for ease of use and maintenance.
Pecan
It is a type of wood that is harder than Maple. Pecan functions, just like most hardwood cutting boards. However, it falls between a close and open grain type of wood. And this means it is susceptible to water seepage and must be cleaned thoroughly after use. Also, pecan tends to be on the cheaper types of hardwoods.
Types of Wood to Avoid for Cutting Boards
As mentioned earlier, you can quickly get overwhelmed by the abundance of choices regarding knowing what the best wood for a cutting board is. However, there are also types of wood to avoid different kinds of reasons.
Oak
Although Oak is a hardwood tree, it has very large pores. And this means it can be a breeding ground for bacteria and all sorts. However, if you already have an oak-made cutting board, it would be wise to sanitize and disinfect the board every once in a while to avoid getting unwanted diseases.
Pine or Cedar
Either one of them isn't a viable option for being made into a cutting board. They are softwoods that get destroyed easily. Due to their vulnerability, your knives are prone to dulling. When a cutting board is damaged or scored, it poses a great risk of losing the knives' sharpness.
Edge Grain vs. End Grain: Which One to Choose?
When it comes to cutting boards, there are two categories. End grain and Edge grain. Here’s their difference:
End Grain
This is made by incorporating butcher blocks and wooden boards. The design looks like a checkerboard. Its surface is gentler compared to edge grain and is more gentle to your sharp knife. However, end grain types of cutting are far more expensive than edge grain.
Edge Grain
Unlike end grain cutting boards, these are made with different wood board cuts. And because of their construction, they provide stability and reliability. But they are more likely to dull your knives faster compared to end grain. Still, they are far cheaper than end grains.
Conclusion
Cutting boards serve various purposes. From your daily chopping needs to serving numerous dishes around it. What is good about cutting boards is you can easily make one at home. If you plan on making one but don't know what the best wood for cutting board is, then just read everything above to get the idea of how each wood is good than the other.
Some of these woods may be different from one another due to their overall construction, but whichever wood type you choose, they are tested and proven to be reliable and hard. It should keep you chopping longer than expected. Find out more about kitchen essentials.
