Last time we talked about knives. Now let’s look at the cutting board, because…
The cutting board is your knife's partner and best friend. Whether you prefer one made of wood, plastic, or bamboo, the key is to use a board that's big enough to hold what you're chopping so things don't go flying all over the place. To keep the board from sliding around, fold a damp kitchen towel in half and lay it under the board. Avoid cutting on hard surfaces such as glass or marble—this is bad for your knife.
Some folks have a built-in butcher block surface at home, but still keep a smaller board over it to preserve its surface. These smaller boards are also easier to store and clean. That's especially important when you've been cutting meat, poultry, or fish. Some people like to reserve a separate board just for that purpose to avoid cross-contamination of other foods—SMART idea!
No matter what you're chopping, it's a good idea to sanitize your board from every week or so—putting it in the dishwasher can do the trick. But if you don’t have a dishwasher, sanitize with a chlorine solution consisting of 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. (Don't use bleach that has lemon or pine scent added -- only use unscented bleach!)
Ideally you'd fill a sink with this solution and then soak the cutting boards in it for at least a half an hour, then rinse them with clear water and air dry. If your sink isn't big enough, you can fill a spray bottle with the sanitizing bleach solution and spritz the surface of the boards generously and let them stand for a few minutes, then rinse and dry as described. OR, you could soak them in a clean bathtub in this solution.
Replace your cutting board when it’s worn beyond hope. They wear out over time and may develop hard-to-clean grooves from your knife, or they may just get dinged up from heavy use. Cutting boards are nothing to get sentimental over. When they wear out, toss them out and replace them.
