Fish Butchery Cutting Board

[Jovidah]

Not a huge tree hugger, but I can’t understand why anyone would want to use plastic anything if there is a better or equal solution that is natural. I do understand it can be recycled but that process is also not the best thing for the environment. Just saying why?

Like Mike said; dishwashability. Makes it a lot easier and quicker to sanitize.

Justin also has some fair points; wood is not without downsides. It does require at least some maintenance. And especially for boards that have to get washed / sanitized often that maintenance requirement goes up since you're essentially washing out the oil in the outer layer. Which is why personally - even while sharing your dislike for plastics - I still have seperate plastic boards for raw meats. Though I'm open for alternatives that aren't priced at Hasegawa level.

 

[mpier]

Perfect examples of why humans can’t live without plastics, just easier to clean, easier to take care of, cheaper ya I get it but it’s still a shame we can’t get pasted all that to do what’s best in the long run. I can definitely see plastic boards for commercial work and why they are used, just wish we could find a better way for the future, we all can’t go down this road forever you know.

 

[mpier]

Like Mike said; dishwashability. Makes it a lot easier and quicker to sanitize.

Justin also has some fair points; wood is not without downsides. It does require at least some maintenance. And especially for boards that have to get washed / sanitized often that maintenance requirement goes up since you're essentially washing out the oil in the outer layer. Which is why personally - even while sharing your dislike for plastics - I still have seperate plastic boards for raw meats. Though I'm open for alternatives that aren't priced at Hasegawa level.

First off not sure if the OP is using his boards in a commercial setting or at home, sounds like they are for home use. The points are fair but not necessarily good. You don’t need a dishwasher to clean or sterilize a cutting board and the time it takes to do that is not that significant. And like all good things, ya it takes more time and energy to upkeep a wood board. This would be the same with knives, we know when we buy good knives we won’t be putting them in the dishwasher, we know we have to take care of the wood handles, most of us also do all the maintenance on them to keep them sharp, rust free and in good condition. The same can be said for cookware, iron skillets for example. I tend to buy cutting boards on the thick side as well so like thinning a knife if the board gets to chopped up I just sand it down and reset it. I guess what I’m saying is in a commercial environment I can completely understand why the need for work surfaces that can be easily cleaned and sterilized for health reasons and for speed, but at home would argue you should have the time to clean up properly no matter what you use and maintenance is just part of it and it just doesn’t take that much time or expense.

 

[yummycrackers]

Not a huge tree hugger, but I can’t understand why anyone would want to use plastic anything if there is a better or equal solution that is natural. I do understand it can be recycled but that process is also not the best thing for the environment. Just saying why?

I absolutely agree in principle and don't have much plastic in the kitchen at all, but after having two edge-grain boards crack and split as a result of all of the washing that fish butchery entails, it's more a matter of finding the most fitting tool for the job. If I can get one plastic (or rubber) board to last and perform well for a number of years, I'd rather that than go through wooden boards. That said, if poly boards quickly warp and gouge, then all else being equal I'd certainly rather go for a natural material.

 

[M1k3]

Perfect examples of why humans can’t live without plastics, just easier to clean, easier to take care of, cheaper ya I get it but it’s still a shame we can’t get pasted all that to do what’s best in the long run. I can definitely see plastic boards for commercial work and why they are used, just wish we could find a better way for the future, we all can’t go down this road forever you know.

I wish I could have all my cooks use wood cutting boards. But then I know there's going to be at least one person that's going to run the board through the dishwasher or let it soak in water a little too long when one of the Chef's aren't looking and then...haiyaa

 

[Cliff]

I’m currently liking Tenryo black boards. Hasagawa rubber is too grippy on knives and it stains. I have not tried their PE because of limited sizes. The tenro black is probably too soft for heavy butchering.

Have you tried Asahi? I wonder how they compare. I like Asahi, but they are much heavier.

 

[MowgFace]

I have both the softer (yellowish?) Hasegawa and the harder (Brown) one as well. I prefer the softer for meat/fish fab due to the grip it provides. I also have an Asahi rubber that i like a lot as well.

I know in my house, we wouldn't care about using the same board with a wash in-between, but every time I entertain, I will use separate boards just for piece of mind of my guests. Granted, I have some vegans that care a bit more about that kind of thing, but ultimately you'll have to choose what amount of "worry" is appropriate for you.

 

[Cliff]

I find all the synthetics clean up well. On wood, I use old fashioned lemon juice with a steady diet of mineral oil and occasional beeswax. It all works fine. For fish in particular, I always use synthetic.

I bring Hasegawa when I travel. Is Tenryo Black as heavy as Asahi? Sounds like they are the same material.

 

[Naftoor]

For those who’re proponents of wood; how do you remove lingering scents from end grain boards?

I find the nature of end grain whisks stuff into the interior. I’ve been cleaning it with a hefty amount of vinegar, followed by a salt scrub and hot water rinses. I’m still getting onion scented fruit though, so I’m wondering if a single wooden board isn’t enough for a kitchen

 

[coxhaus]

I have 8 or 10 wood cutting boards at home, so I am not going to be cutting fruit on a board I just cut garlic or onion on. More than likely, I will use a small board for garlic which I would not use for fruit any way.

 

[mpier]

I have four, and I’m definitely a rinse and wipe guy so if I cut onions, garlic, peppers that kinda stuff on a board it’s rinsed off pretty fast. I completely understand though not everyone has room in the kitchen for multiple boards.

 

[Cliff]

For those who’re proponents of wood; how do you remove lingering scents from end grain boards?

I find the nature of end grain whisks stuff into the interior. I’ve been cleaning it with a hefty amount of vinegar, followed by a salt scrub and hot water rinses. I’m still getting onion scented fruit though, so I’m wondering if a single wooden board isn’t enough for a kitchen

I love my end grain Boardsmith, but I avoid garlic and onion and raw fish with it. I use synthetics for those. When I do find myself trying to clean it up, I use citrus juice and salt. It's not perfect -- thus the synthetics -- but it works pretty well.

 

[Justinv]

I bring Hasegawa when I travel. Is Tenryo Black as heavy as Asahi? Sounds like they are the same material.

I have not used Asahi, but that is rubber. The Tenryo Black is a soft PE and somewhat heavy. I often use smallish light boards for simple home tasks, the 10”x16”x0.4” Tenryo Bkack is 2lbs (900g). It gets lots of cut marks but its black so they don’t discolor.

For travel I have a thin plastic board maybe 2mm thick and about $5.

 

[Jovidah]

First off not sure if the OP is using his boards in a commercial setting or at home, sounds like they are for home use. The points are fair but not necessarily good. You don’t need a dishwasher to clean or sterilize a cutting board and the time it takes to do that is not that significant. And like all good things, ya it takes more time and energy to upkeep a wood board. This would be the same with knives, we know when we buy good knives we won’t be putting them in the dishwasher, we know we have to take care of the wood handles, most of us also do all the maintenance on them to keep them sharp, rust free and in good condition. The same can be said for cookware, iron skillets for example. I tend to buy cutting boards on the thick side as well so like thinning a knife if the board gets to chopped up I just sand it down and reset it. I guess what I’m saying is in a commercial environment I can completely understand why the need for work surfaces that can be easily cleaned and sterilized for health reasons and for speed, but at home would argue you should have the time to clean up properly no matter what you use and maintenance is just part of it and it just doesn’t take that much time or expense.

Yeah I'm not really happy about it either... and there's also the issue of microplastics as well. But for me, considering the amount of washing and sanitizing the protein boards would face, it makes wood very suboptimal.

I'm honestly quite open to alternatives that still maintain ease of maintainability (like hasegawa for example) but I don't know if they're any better than the other plastics when it comes to sustainability.

For those who’re proponents of wood; how do you remove lingering scents from end grain boards?

I find the nature of end grain whisks stuff into the interior. I’ve been cleaning it with a hefty amount of vinegar, followed by a salt scrub and hot water rinses. I’m still getting onion scented fruit though, so I’m wondering if a single wooden board isn’t enough for a kitchen

Prevention. If it's properly oiled (and buttered with some wax is even better), and you just wipe ot off after usage this was never an issue to me. And I actually don't wash my veggie board all that much.
Recommendations I've often seen in the past to remove scents that made it in are wiping with lemon, icovering in a salt slurry and bleach.

 

[FishmanDE]

I see you’re from NJ. My favorite board all time is a $40 restaurant depot tan guy. It’s soft enough that it’s easy on edges, but firm enough really sharp knives won’t hash it like a hasegawa.

 

[SwampDonkey]

For those who’re proponents of wood; how do you remove lingering scents from end grain boards?

I find the nature of end grain whisks stuff into the interior. I’ve been cleaning it with a hefty amount of vinegar, followed by a salt scrub and hot water rinses. I’m still getting onion scented fruit though, so I’m wondering if a single wooden board isn’t enough for a kitchen

I usually use one side for garlic/onions etc and flip it for something delicate like peaches etc on my big board. Direct sunlight works WONDERS though, just leave your stinky side in the yard all for 6+ hours and it neutralizes the garlic scent, at least on my teak and cherry boards.

 

[Naftoor]

I’ll have to give this a whirl! I was also gonna try rubbing a lemon over it next time I juice one since so know some folks swear by lemon juice instead of vinegar.

I usually use one side for garlic/onions etc and flip it for something delicate like peaches etc on my big board. Direct sunlight works WONDERS though, just leave your stinky side in the yard all for 6+ hours and it neutralizes the garlic scent, at least on my teak and cherry boards.

 

[Jovidah]

Lemon juice smells better but the idea is the same; using acidity to kill anything living. You can also make a saltslurry; just add a bit of water to salt so you get a bit of a slurry / paste; makes it a lot easier to apply... after it dries it's very easy to take off. Or combine both and rub salt with a lemon.

I think though that for any of this to work it helps that the wood isn't too dry; otherwise stuff just soaks in and will be much harder to clean. If it's properly oiled and / or waxed stuff tends to just sit on the top.

 

[SwampDonkey]

I’ll have to give this a whirl! I was also gonna try rubbing a lemon over it next time I juice one since so know some folks swear by lemon juice instead of vinegar.

I've had mild success with lemon but at this point I chop so much garlic so consistently on my board I've kinda given up on trying to deodorize. It's only going to make any meat I carve or veggies I prep taste better. The flip side or my small cutting board stays for fruit or delicate things that I don't want flavored (DFAKTO has perfect travel sized ones like what I have in the pic for like $60 it's a great deal, don't buy their knives). I also wax the hell out of my boards so any meat juice or whatever just rinses right off and the board is good as new.

To get to the original topic though, fish is a different beast. I use a cheap plastic board that I can chuck in the dishwasher, I cook a lot of fish and I'm a big wood board guy but I'm not even going to risk my beloved end grains smelling like a bait shop.

 

[yummycrackers]

I see you’re from NJ. My favorite board all time is a $40 restaurant depot tan guy. It’s soft enough that it’s easy on edges, but firm enough really sharp knives won’t hash it like a hasegawa.

Hadn't thought of paying them of a visit. Might do that, as you suggest.

 

[coxhaus]

I have now 10 cutting boards. I am trying to get my wife not to use the little black one. I think it is hard on my paring knives. My thin back board on the right I use for BBQ mainly to and from the pit, seasoning, etc. The rest kind of vary. I have not noticed any smelling like garlic. I do oil my cutting boards regularly.

 

[Jovidah]

But do any of them smell of Ken Onion?

 

[coxhaus]

But do any of them smell of Ken Onion?

guilty.

You come to my house, and I put you to work using a cutting board.

 

[yummycrackers]

Thought I'd post an update here after a few months, in case it might be helpful for someone facing the same dilemma down the line. I ended getting a soft Hasegawa board from MTC at the end of December and have been using it ever since. It has some stains and scratches, as I believe is normal for these rubber boards, but no serious gouging. I'm having to be a bit more careful with the deba when cutting off/splitting fish heads, chopping up spines for stock, etc. but overall I dare say it's been excellent. I use the other side for meat/fish and the texture is very helpful for keeping ingredients in place while slicing. The only annoying thing is that compared with a wooden board it stays wet for much longer and is harder to wipe down. The harder brown board might have been a better option for pure butchery but as an all-round fish/meat board, I think this one is hard to beat.