Cut Meat On Wood Or Plastic Cutting Board

Wood cutting boards may have a slight advantage but whether you use a plastic or wood cutting board you run the risk of contaminating your food if you don t wash them properly between uses.

Cut meat on wood or plastic cutting board.

Originally published in the feb. Wooden cutting boards are more difficult to clean than plastic too. Why use plastic cutting boards for meat. Because of how you wash them.

Recent research however shows that a wood cutting board is no more likely than a plastic one to harbor harmful bacteria. This can lead to dangerous bacteria growth. First what are you cutting. More work to clean.

No matter which wood you choose the biggest problem with most wooden cutting boards is they absorb juices from meats. Cleaning your cutting board. 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. Plastic and wood have different characteristics so you have to handle them differently.

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. And if your cutting board starts to look weathered and or develop knife cuts or grooves. 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. If you use a wooden board for cutting meat scrub it with a stiff bristled brush in hot water with a detergent.

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. 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. 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. Then rub it dry with a clean cloth and leave it to air dry completely.

A quality wooden cutting board has all the hallmarks of quality woodwork no obvious flaws and a fine finish. I usually use plastic for raw meat but for any other cutting my favorite board material is wood says epicurious food editor rhoda boone. Wood cutting boards are great for vegetables and protein alike just not all protein. Food safety organizations usually.

Look for a board with grooves around the outer rim to collect those dripping juices. So it s fine to use either as long as you follow a few basic rules.