Quite often, not enough thought goes into one of the most important kitchen tools after the knife - the
cutting board. A good cutting board is a multidimensional tool, fulfilling many important roles including,
- provides a solid, sturdy work base
- protects your countertop and serving plates
- keeps your knives sharp
- serves as a trivet (a stand for hot pots & pans)
- prevents cross contamination
Wood, plastic, or glass? Although it is efficient and easy to clean, glass will dull your knives quickly. Plastic is recommended because it is much easier on your knives and if cleaned properly, a plastic board can be used safely for both raw meat and fresh veggies. And to serve this purpose, finding just the right platform for just the required commercial kitchen supplies and restaurant equipment supplies is highly beneficial and integral. Due to the porous nature of wood, a wooden board can retain juices from raw meat and be difficult to return to a bacteria-free state. This could lead to cross contamination (bacteria found in meat can cause sickness), retaining odors and warping over time. The non-porous nature of plastic allows for easy removal of any bacteria - you can even throw them into the dishwasher for a high temp sterilization. As a further precaution against cross contamination, plastic color-coded cutting boards can be used. An example of this could look like:
Red – raw meat
Yellow – raw chicken
Blue – fish and seafood
Green – fruits and vegetables
Brown – cooked meats and chicken
White – bakery and dairy
Purple - allergens
Your cutting board should lie flat on the counter and stay put without sliding or movement. Some will have built in grips, but you can stabilize all boards by placing a wet tea towel underneath them.
Whether you are a chef or a novice, the cutting board is an essential tool in everyone’s kitchen and having more than one is not a bad idea. It is always advisable to look for cutting boards from quality brands as they are considerably longer-lasting, durable, and convenient to use. Now, that you know the essentiality and variety of different types of cutting boards, we are sure the next purchase will be a smarter one!
