Wood for butcher blocks

Wood is a hygroscopic material, it continues to gain and lose moisture through out its life.  Wood is porous, so the surface should never be left wet, so although a wooden butcher block is appealing in the kitchen -  is not advisable around or close to a sink. Wood is a natural material that responds to changes in temperature and humidity, so will need maintaining once installed.

A butcher-block is made by gluing pieces of wood together, with the wood fiber parallel to the surface in the case of edge grain, and perpendicular to in the case of end grains.  Oil finishes tend to darken over time and must also be re-applied from time to time as exposed, unfinished wood will degrade fairly rapidly, especially if left wet.  Dense woods are needed to withstand the demands placed on them and hardwoods like oak, maple or rubber wood are usually used.

The best quality butcher’s blocks are usually made of maple, built of solid wood and finished in a durable, lacquer-coated white or natural-finished base.  Work surfaces made from solid wood are never going to date, they just ooze quality and you do away with all the disadvantages of laminates as well as being kinder to the environment.

Maple and other woods

Maple, Red Oak, Ash and Lyptus  are also standard woods to use in the construction of butcher blocks.  Maple Wildwood is a lower grade product which is designed for workbenches, shelving, rustic tables and other utilitarian applications rathe than a professional kitchen setting or for use in the home as a cutting board..  Maple blocks are available in a wide variety of standard sizes in thicknesses of 7/8″, 1 3/8″ and 1 7/8″, but also made to order in custom sizes. Different makers use different techniques and woods-  Lewisohn, for example, manufacture from kiln-dried Appalachian hardwood, featuring Red and White Oak, with White Maple available upon request.  They also make a hard rock maple and stainless steel top which is 1-3/4″ thick.  The woods used include Maple, beech and ash.  Whether it is the clean straight grained look of maple or the rich honey tones of  Oak, cherry or bamboo, they are good choices for tough surfaces with enough give to protect your knives.  Harder than maple lighter than oak and resistant to scratches and moisture bamboo makes the ultimate cutting board, according to some.  A solid edge grain Maple with a natural oil finish and features a groove around the edge so juices wont overflow to your countertop for barbecuing is my preference.

Cutting

Using a separate cutting board for garlic and onions is a must, but it does not need to be a full size board.  If you do a lot of cutting, wood is the perfect choice.  How do I oil a cutting board or butcher block surface? you may ask. Easy -  After cutting meat or poultry, the butcher block should be cleaned with mild soap and a disinfectant, such as a small amount of bleach, then use a small amount of penetrating Oil.  Butcher’s blocks are a favorite among chefs due to the fact that all counter surfaces can be used as cutting areas without dulling the knives.  Just like wooden cutting boards and butcher blocks, the natural wood surface of the table kitchen island with butcher block is protected by special penetrating oil, which is actually absorbed into the fibers.  One side of these cutting boards often features a holding wedge”- a slim groove that runs around the edges of the board and grips your poultry or roast to keep it from sliding off the board while you carve. Oak, cherry, bamboo, and maple butcher blocks are good choices for tough surfaces but with enough give to protect your knives from damage