Cut Meat On Wood Or Plastic Cutting Board

Food safety organizations usually.

Cut meat on wood or plastic cutting board.

This can lead to dangerous bacteria growth. Then rub it dry with a clean cloth and leave it to air dry completely. Because of how you wash them. 6 1993 edition of science news a fascinating article on cutting boards describes research claiming that wooden cutting boards possess some sort of bacteria killing properties thus making them less likely to contaminate food than plastic or acrylic cutting boards pathogens prefer plastic the article declares.

You shouldn t put them in the dishwasher nor should you leave them to soak since extended exposure to water and high heat will pretty much guarantee a short life for the board. If it is particularly bloody or covered in grease wipe it off with kitchen paper and use a paste of salt and lemon juice to scrub it down. Chapman recommends using plastic cutting boards for meat and wood cutting boards for fruit vegetables or any ready to eat foods like bread or cheese. I usually use plastic for raw meat but for any other cutting my favorite board material is wood says epicurious food editor rhoda boone.

Look for a board with grooves around the outer rim to collect those dripping juices. There s no definitive rules that dictate that meat goes on plastic vegetables go on wood serrated knives go on plastic butcher s cleavers are for wood etc. Plastic and wood have different characteristics so you have to handle them differently. Recent research however shows that a wood cutting board is no more likely than a plastic one to harbor harmful bacteria.

So it s fine to use either as long as you follow a few basic rules. It s more about practicality and food safety than anything. A plastic cutting board for raw meat is ideal because after that chicken juice has dripped on it it can be tossed in the dishwasher to be cleaned and sanitized. No matter which wood you choose the biggest problem with most wooden cutting boards is they absorb juices from meats.

A plastic cutting board also doesn t have to be as large as your pretty and everyday wood cutting board a medium sized board will only set you back about 15. Wooden cutting boards are more difficult to clean than plastic too. Wood cutting boards are great for vegetables and protein alike just not all protein. First what are you cutting.

Originally published in the feb. If you use a wooden board for cutting meat scrub it with a stiff bristled brush in hot water with a detergent. I love my boos block which has grooves to catch any unruly juice. Cleaning your cutting board.

A quality wooden cutting board has all the hallmarks of quality woodwork no obvious flaws and a fine finish. And if your cutting board starts to look weathered and or develop knife cuts or grooves.