You may have seen butchers block before. These thick durable cutting surfaces are superb because they are reasonably priced, long lasting and easy to find. It is simply how you want to incorporate them into your home that can be a problem.
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 block or an entire counter that uses butchers 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 block, butcher block is still more affordable than other surfaces such as granite or synthetic materials. This is because butcher block can be made and shaped using standard woodworking tools and at their more basic level the materials used to make butcher 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 butchers block is considered by many chefs to be more desirable than edge grain because it keeps the board 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.
If you want to incorporate butchers block on a budget, consider edge grain blocks. These are less expensive than end grain but they are not as durable and may not be desirable to serious cooks. Consider trying a separate board first to see if you like how you care for your block.
When shopping there are more things to look at than just end grain or edge grain. You need to make sure that the pieces of wood making up the block have been securely fastened together and that the wood is in good shape. The last thing that you want is for the adhesive keeping the pieces of wood together to let go so that all you have is a bundle of wooden sticks. You also need to speak with an expert who can give you good information on how to treat and condition the wood and keep it looking beautiful.
Refinishing a butcher’s block will need to be done from time to time. Because it is extremely heavy, even if you shave a layer off of the top to even out nicks and scratches, the block will not be noticeably thinner. You can resurface the block repeatedly without having to worry about it becoming too thin to use. In order to condition the wood, you should oil it with one of several food safe woods. Since you will be preparing food on the block, it is essential that the oil you use is safe with food. This can rule out some kinds of wood oil.
Butcher block can be a great feature in a kitchen that brings versatility to the room. Whether it is a counter, a cutting block or an island there are countless ways to introduce the warmth, durability and usefulness of butcher block into your kitchen.
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