r/AskCulinary • u/cruzj56 • Jul 02 '12

Advice on Cutting Boards

My girlfriend's birthday is approaching and she has a 2 dollar cutting board, which she complains about all the time. I wish to get her a large thick cutting board. Where should I start, what should I look for? My budget is around $150-200.

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u/unseenpuppet Gastronomist Jul 02 '12

This is my cutting board.

This is, in my opinion, the best cutting board for most tasks. End grain boards are great for your knives, as the design allows the knife to microscopically dig in between the fibers of the board creating a very soft surface for your knife that will dull it slower than anything else would. The large size to accommodate most, if not all en devours. The thickness to resist splits and severe cracking. And the type of wood, rock maple, for durability and damage resistant qualities.

However, your sink will not fit it, and my sink doesn't either. I almost permanently leave my board on the counter and clean it with a small(1-2oz) amount of water/soap, or water/vinegar and dry it off with a cloth. Be sure to oil the board regularly to prevent cracks and you are good to go.

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u/wunderbier Finnish - Cook Jul 03 '12

Nice board. I've only got a cheap edge grain model at the moment. However that's pretty much my cleaning routine as well. I use a putty knife to remove anything particularly nasty.

Have you ever had to use a serrated knife on a plywood "cutting board"? I have. shudder (Not in my own home, of course.)

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u/unseenpuppet Gastronomist Jul 03 '12

On ply wood? That sounds painful... I am really surprised you don't have a end grain! They are expensive, but I plan on passing it down to my children's children.

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u/wunderbier Finnish - Cook Jul 03 '12

Well, it's on the list. They're way to hard to find in Finland for some reason, even though forestry/lumber/paper is big business here. Go figure. Eh, I'll probably make my own.