How to Grill Food

If you are a serious chef, or you want to become one you should consider using butchers block as a cutting surface. This material is tough, long lasting and beautiful and works amazingly as a way to save your counter tops and other kitchen surfaces. There are some specific advantages to using butcher block that you need to know about, as well as how to take care of one properly.

Butcher block is a heavy, hard cutting surface that can handle being hit repeatedly by a sharp knife or cleaver. It is usually made of pieces of wood such as sugar maple and is often over four inches deep. Butcher block got its name because these durable cutting surfaces were frequently used in butcher shops to cut meat on.

When you are looking for butcher’s block you should look at what different applications are available. Are you interested in a separate cutting board or an entire counter that uses butcher block as the surface? This can affect where you look for butcher block and how much you can expect to pay. Although an entire counter top will be more expensive than a cutting board, butchers block is still more affordable than other surfaces such as granite or synthetic materials. This is because butchers block can be made and shaped using standard woodworking tools and at their more basic level the materials used to make butchers block are less expensive as well.

End grain butcher block is extremely durable and allows the force of knife blows to be absorbed between the wood fibers. This is excellent because by absorbing the force, the block will keep your knives shaper. End grain butcher block is considered by many chefs to be more desirable than edge grain because it keeps the block from being nicked and scratched. Sharper knives and a longer lasting cutting surface are things that matter very much if you work with food for a living.

The other kind of butchers block, edge grain is really great if you are just starting to get into using butchers block for food preparation. It is less expensive than end grain blocks. An edge grain block will have wood grain that runs parallel to the surface of the block and will have slats of wood that often run the length of the block. If your block is very long, you may see that they have been fitted together in much the same way as a wood floor. This type of board is very durable and is often more reasonably priced and easier to find than end grain blocks.

Think about the use you will be putting your board through. If you love the look of natural wood and want a lot of work space where you can cut food, consider using butcher’s block as a counter top. If you love the look of stone but you want to have some ability to use butcher block, think about an island or a separate board. You can even build or buy portable stands which place the block at cutting height but are not a permanent part of your kitchen and can be moved around. When selecting any block, consider how the pieces have been stuck together and how they have been treated. Make sure it is with food safe oils.

You need to know what kind of oil the wood has been treated with. Butcher block needs to be treated with oil to keep the wood pliable and conditioned so that it does not break or splinter. There are a number of different oils that wood can be treated with and some can be toxic if they are ingested. That is the last thing you want if you are using it to prepare food on.

If you have decided to incorporate butcher block into your home, you should think whether you want to use a separate cutting board. If you are resurfacing your cabinets, consider using butchers block for all or a part of your counter top. This way you have the richness and beauty of wood with the versatility of having a counter long cutting surface to prep food on. Whatever your choice, you should know that you can enjoy the beauty and durability of a butcher’s block for years to come.