Butchers block / chopping boards...

[Hoover.]

Had/got a few...

plastic is ok.. warped a bit in dish washer

to small wooden ones - bamboo..... ok iskh but one warped in the sun

inch thick wood block ( Ithink from Asda 10 years ago) solid strong and takes anything thrown at it, and looks the business...... down side thick, heavy and user friendly for chopping and woking

finger thick wooden board A3 sixe,,, love for day to day stuff, good weight for chopping n woking

hard plastics n glass I just cant see working with knifes so avoid.... probably be proved wrong but in my head they are wrong

[21TonyK]

For £20 this is hard to beat

http://www.catering-appliance.com/vogue-medium-rec...

[RichB]

Regarding oils, as a lad I worked in a butchers cleaning up at the end of the day. First I would scrape all the fat and stuff off into a bucket with a large two handed scraper. Then I would wash the blocks with Persil powder and boiling hot water (well it seemed it) with a scrubbing brush to get any remaining blood off. Then I would what I can only describe as brush them, with a metal toothed brush, rather like a wire brush but harder. This would bring the surface up clean and bright. No oil, never... just soap and water and elbow grease!

[Lost soul]

Ikea do some decent wooden chopping blocks

[grahamr88]

I made myself an oak one a few months ago and it's been great, the missus hates it because it's "too big and heavy and always in the way", but I think it's a lot nicer to use than the plastic ones, which I now only use for fish and beetroot. I originally gave it 2 or 3 coats of danish oil, and then another coat after a few months to keep it looking pretty.

[scottri]

I made my own out of spare worktop as well. I read that mineral oil should be used as other oils can go off & smell.

I love using the board as its big there is loads of room but it is a pain to clean so i use some plastic boards when doing quick prep.

[mr_fibuli]

smack said:

Have the same, although of over 10 years of daily use, it is massively concaved (which I am proud of!).

After 10 years of take-outs and microwave meals, my TG board still looks like new

[bint]

3 x wooden boards (one bamboo) and a small plastic one for cutting limes for G&Ts here.

Never oiled the wooden ones, just hand wash and dry. No one has ever suffered from food poisoning or sickness in this house and the knives are kept sharp as a result of the soft support when cutting.

[2DDav]

With regards to chopping boards, is it not recommended that they are replaced once heavily scored due to bacteria etc.? Had been looking at replacing my trusty wooden board but if thats not the case I;ll march it on for a good while yet.

[grumbledoak]

2DDav said:

With regards to chopping boards, is it not recommended that they are replaced once heavily scored due to bacteria etc.? Had been looking at replacing my trusty wooden board but if thats not the case I;ll march it on for a good while yet.

I think this one comes from the "stands to reason, dunnit" end of the science spectrum. Living wood needs bacterial defences and the protection seems to continue into wooden boards. So no rush.

[RichB]

grumbledoak said:

2DDav said:

With regards to chopping boards, is it not recommended that they are replaced once heavily scored due to bacteria etc.? Had been looking at replacing my trusty wooden board but if thats not the case I;ll march it on for a good while yet.

I think this one comes from the "stands to reason, dunnit" end of the science spectrum. Living wood needs bacterial defences and the protection seems to continue into wooden boards. So no rush.

I refer you to the post I made earlier. We never gave anyone food poisoning !

[2DDav]

Super, cheers guys, looks like it will be staying in service.

[Dr G]

jep said:

This from IKEA. £4.25 for 500ml.

I wash mine as I would any other hard surface, but re-treat with oil if using a disinfectant.

An excuse for meatballs and a 99p ice cream

[Miocene]

We have a batch of the £1.40 for 2 Ikea flexible chopping boards. Wafer thin, so they barely take up any room and great for what they are, especially for the price.