Cutting Boards – Size Thickness and Shape

With today’s endless supply of cutting boards and the different types of materials used it can get confusing trying to choose the perfect cutting board. Here are some of the key essentials to look for when choosing that cutting board.

Size

Some people say that a cutting board size should depend on the size of your kitchen and where you will store it when not in use. Although I think that your size should depend on what you are going to use it for and how often you will be using it. You can always make room on your counter for your cutting board if it is your main work station. A stylish cutting board may also enhance the look and feel of your kitchen.

Another factor that you will need to consider is the size of your sink. You have to clean the thing a lost so make sure that you buy one that you can get into your sink to scrub with hot water after cutting up a raw piece of meat. You don’t want to get sick from a dirty cutting board! Keep in mind that you don’t need to get the WHOLE thing in the sink, rather a portion of it to clean at a time.

Thickness

Thickness isn’t something that really matters much unless you are a butcher or preparing large portions of meat. I once owned a huge butcher block cutting board that was so heavy it was a pain to clean. It looked great and was a blast to work on but cleaning it was way to much of an effort. I never bought a cutting board of that size again, it was fun once but not after experiencing it first hand. Thinner boards are great and allow for just about any job. Not to mention allow you to put the vegetables easily into the pan by being able to ‘fold’ them.

Shape

This depends on what you are using it for of course. I typically prefer a square board with enough space to do my cutting but some people like to serve cheese and hros d’oevre on them so they buy an assortment of shapes and sizes. Obviously this makes sense as you don’t want a huge cutting board to serve three little pieces of cheese and crackers. On the other hand, if you are putting out a giant spread of cheese, sliced meats, and vegetables you don’t want them on a tiny board.