Before using a new butcher block, a person needs to prepare or “season” it to prevent staining and absorption of bacteria and food odors. Subsequently, a person needs to regularly treat the wood with a cutting board oil to fill the wood’s pores, repel food particles, oil, and other liquids, and guard against germs and mold. What cutting board oil should a person then use to give their countertops or cutting boards the best protection? Well, a person never should use any cooking oil, such as, vegetable or canola oil to treat or finish a cutting surface. This will cause the wood to smell horrible when the oil spoils and turns rancid. But a person does have a number of different types of oil that can be used as cutting board oil. Some of these are mineral oil, beeswax, and coconut oil.
Mineral oil is a popular choice made by many because the oil is one of the cheapest food-grade oils on the market. Mineral oil remains safe throughout its lifetime and there is an array of different oils available for butcher blocks. To apply the mineral cutting board oil, wipe it on the top of the board and allow it to be absorbed by the wood. Do as many applications of the oil as the wood will absorb. When the cutting board oil will no longer absorb any more oil, wipe away the excess oil with a clean, dry cloth.
Beeswax can be added to mineral oil to give it a more durable finish. It helps keep the wood water resistant which helps the wood to remain its appearance longer, give the block a good smooth finish, and give it a pleasing fragrance. To make your own cutting board oil with beeswax, add about a half of a teaspoon of beeswax to every cup of mineral oil in a microwave safe dish. Then place it in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Stir. After that, apply it to the cutting board or butcher block while the cutting board oil is still warm. Another, option is to simply apply the beeswax to the top of the board, after it has been oiled with the cutting board oil, using a clean cloth. Instead of soaking into the wood, the beeswax top coat sits on the board. It helps to keep out moisture, bacteria, and other contaminants. Once the top coat of beeswax has had time to dry it can be buffed to give the cutting board an attractive shine. This may seem like a lot of work but it is well worth it, especially on your butcher block countertops.
Some people also use food grade coconut oil or butter as cutting board oil. This oil is highly stable and resistant to rancidity because of its high proportion of saturated fats. This is also applied to a cutting board by rubbing it in repeatedly and wiping away the excess with a clean cloth.
Most people prefer to apply cutting board oils to their cutting boards, butcher block kitchen islands or counter tops monthly or about every six weeks.
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