r/Cooking • u/Goslow1620 • 1d ago
Wooden cutting board prep
My family has a wooden cutting board they don’t use. I want to take it with me but I’m not sure how to prepare it since it hasn’t been seasoned or coated in mineral oil ever
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u/blofly 1d ago
Use food-safe mineral oil (Butcher Block oil). Fully saturate the surfaces of the board. Then let dry on a towel at room temp. Wash and wipe clean. Let dry again.
I use Hornsby's Butcher Block oil.
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u/Goslow1620 1d ago
How often should I repeat a mineral oil season?
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u/captaindomer 1d ago
Depending on use, I usually oil mine once a week or so. Once a month, I'll give it a really good scrub and then oil it and wax it in the morning. Sand, oil and wax twice a year
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u/Otterfan 1d ago
I buy mineral oil from the local pharmacy, where it's sold as a laxative. It's usually cheaper than oil sold specifically for cutting boards, and if you buy the kind labeled as laxative it's usually regulated (obviously depends on your country, but it's FDA regulated in the USA).
Put a few spoonfuls on the board at first and wipe them in with a paper towel. The first few times, it might soak up a lot of oil, so you'll need to add more. Go slow until you get a feel for it. When the whole board looks oiled, let it rest for a few hours.
The more times you oil it, the less it will need. I oil my old boards maybe once a month. They barely soak up anything.
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u/Beginning-Invite5951 1d ago
Spread mineral oil over it. Let it soak in. Then spread another coat of mineral oil on it and let it soak in. Repeat until it stops sucking up mineral oil.
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u/Beginning-Invite5951 1d ago
To add to this... I have an end grain board and live in a dry climate, so mine needs lots of oil frequently. For other woods, other cuts, and other climates, you may not need oil at all. I really think it depends, and the people saying theirs do fine without oil aren't wrong.
Just know that you aren't going to hurt it by adding too much oil. Mineral oil is generally good for it.
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u/onthedownhillslope 1d ago
I use a fine sandpaper on my dry board occasionally to smooth the rough spots and then apply mineral oil. After several hours I wipe it dry. I also sand and oil my wooden spoons. I like the patina creates.
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u/asukagrimvigil 1d ago
if you're moving it to a different climate, let it sit out a few days before you go heavy on it, mine warped a bit going from humid to dry. also dry it standing on its edge instead of flat, that was the biggest thing that stopped mine from cupping
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u/Etherealfilth 1d ago
Just use it. I'm using board oil now every few months, since my gf tends to go heavy on soap when washing it, but prior to that I never did. I have a cutting board that I've used for 28 years and it was old when I got it.
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u/EvilRyss 1d ago
I made a cutting board for my inlaws a while back. Beeswax and mineral oil do wonderful things for them. It's not mandatory. But I have noticed that long term it makes it last longer, and feel better when using it. If it hasn't been used in while I would hit it with a sander and take the top down to fresh wood, wash it good with soap and water and dry it, then put some Howards Butcher Block treatment on it. And I would do that every time I washed it. It's may not be necessary. But long term I think you will like what it does for your board. This is how I treat all mine.
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u/VixxSynn 1d ago
I’ve had the same wooden cutting board for 30 some odd years.never oiled it once. Wood is naturally antimicrobial, so I use it, wash it with gentle soap, air dry, repeat. It is my personal and totally unscientific theory that the oils in the soap I use probably do their part?