Very OT/ FOAK: Chopping Board recommendation?

Strange I know, but I thought that the FONT may have an opinion on this?

Got 2 chopping boards and both were fairly cheapy ones, one is a
circular wooden one, the other rectangular plastic of some form.

Both have that many knife marks etc that I can see that they are
starting to be past their prime and are getting harder and harder to
ensure cleanliness.

So, Im thinking about something that can't be marked and hence not
retain dirt etc.and was initially thinking of something in some form of
stainless steel or perhaps marble?

However, as a bit of "research" I thought I'd google "professional
chopping boards" and most of the results are coming up as wooden ones?
I thought that current thinking was to steer away from wood and such
but.............

 

AIUI the oils in the wood help kill off bugs and keep the board
hygienic. Or something.

So long as you use separate boards for raw and cooked stuff, surely it
doesn't really matter what you use? And, frankly, I've never been able
to train V to use separate boards for anything and I'm not dead yet so
it can't be that much of an issue outside a commercial kitchen.

 

Cheap plastic chopping boards from Ikea, about £2 a pop.. throw them
away when they're past their best.

 

Not unless you want to ruin your knives.

Come on now, how many times have you had food poisoning from home-cooked
foods? A few (or even a lot) of scratches are not worth worrying about.
Don't watch TV ads that hype the risk of germs. They have a product to sell
after all.

Tim

Tim

 

About 5 minutes after you've got them home then.

We bought some a few weeks back. Absolute shite - ended up buying some
decent ones.

 

You'll probably find that they are 'professional' in the sense of
'middle class' SteveH will be along in a bit.

Get an end grain board, something like this (although available much
cheaper)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rectangular...r_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1282665174&sr=8-1

Won't blunt your knives, and won't mark like a long grain one IME. Never
a problem with cleanliness IME, but I'm not working in a professional
kitchen.
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Nothing wrong with wood so long as you scrub it properly. I've found it's
best to keep a separate throwaway board for slicing bread because the
serrated knives tend to knacker them quite quickly.

I do however use a plastic board for raw meat and put it through the
dishwasher after each use. It's a neat way to stop cross-contamination.

If you want a decent wooden chopping board, wait until the January sales:
for some reason John Lewis always seem to overstock on that one and then
they have to sell them off for cheap.

 

If that.

Indeed. Horrid.


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Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

The ones I got have been fine, they scuff up a bit but go through the
dishwasher just fine and come out fresh.

 

Wood is best by far, IMO. I have several at the house, one side of one
of which is only ever used for bread, so it doesn't pick up smells.

One of the boards must be about as old as I am, since I remeber it in
my mum's kitchen when I was a kid, the other main one (the bread
board) was bought when I was first married, so around 25 years ago.

I always try and wash them immediately after use, especially if
they've been used for raw meat, but then they're more often used for
onions than anything else, so I think they're pretty well disinfected.
Don't _ever_ use kitchen spray - a little washing up liquid in hot
water is all that's normally required. From time to time I'll use the
sharp corner scraper on the dishwashing brush to scrape out the
grooves, IYSWIM, and if they've been badly abused (by someone else,
natch) they may go in the dishwaher, but that's only happenned a
couple of times.

 

That was my thoughts to be honest, plus my local Ikea's a 30 mile round
trip anyway so it's more than just £2 all in.

 

Aye - agreed. The chinese supermarket just off the norf circular at
Wemberleeeey has a fine selection of boards and axes at attractive
prices.

 

Fair point re the germs thing, as mentioned earlier using seperate
boards for raw vs cooked etc is the best way of ensuring hygiene and
something Ive always been careful of anyway.

However, the current boards really are fooked so just want something
decent really and not 'cos of an ad on telly for sure, I generally
treat tv ad's as well rehearsed lies anyway.

 

If you clean them after raw meat use I really can't see why you'd need
separate boards. In professional kitchens, sure, but then they're
likely to have several users who won't always be able to keep tabs on
which was used for what, and by whom.

Give them a really, _really_ good scrub, with hot water and washing
soda, then scrape the wood surface with something hard until any
softened bits have been removed. The scratches will sort of 'heal'
themselves, to a large extent, although I guess it depends on the type
of wood.

 

@news.eternal-september.org:

IIRC it is more to do with absorption and then dessication of the bacteria.

 

That's the thing, Im sure this is just some cheapo round board bought
by SWMBO so I can't believe it's not a sub £5 board from woolworths or
something.

 

Walk into your local butchers and look what they use...wood.

BTW, can you text me mum's mobile number as I seem to have deleted it.

 

I'd heard that wooden boards actually had a natural built-in
bactericide, but who knows?

Forget the cheapie plastic stuff: buy a very nice wooden chopping
board. Apart from anything else, it'll be a pleasure to use. We've
got a gurt great olivewood one we bought in Greece, years ago, and
toted home in our suitcase. After washing it, we just lightly oil it.

And as others say, as long as you're sensible and wash it properly
between uses, especially when alternating between raw and cooked food,
you won't poison yourself.

 

And shopping at Ikea is one of life's more ghastly experiences, lets not
forget that either.

Ugh. I'm having flashbacks. Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh.

 

Those that do the Food Hygeine Certificate are indoctrinated to use colour
coded boards for different items. Red for raw meat, green for salad etc[1]
This makes sense in kitchens with loads of unskilled staff e.g. care homes,
burger chains etc.

Most real chefs, as seen on the restaurant bits of Masterchef, seem to use
wood, which is nice to see.

[1] http://www.safetyservicesdirect.com/ekmps/shops/baxter/images/chopping-board-use-sign.gif