When it comes to kitchen tools, a durable wood cutting board is one of our essentials. The only question is, what type of wood is best? There is no shortage of materials: acacia, teak, maple, bamboo, walnut—even Japanese cypress!
Use the guide below to decide what type of wood is right for your kitchen. Then, follow our tips for expert cutting board care.
What Is the Best Wood for Cutting Boards?
The Taste of Home Test Kitchen has use every type of wood cutting board on the market. And the winner is clear: maple. Sarah Farmer, who leads the Taste of Home culinary team, says, “We like our cutting boards like we like our syrup—of the maple variety.” In other words, her go-to material for a cutting board is maple.
“It’s durable, prevents the growth of bacteria, is easy on the knives and looks nice,” Sarah adds.
Maple cutting boards are also great because they’re easy to clean and sanitize. But keep in mind, no matter which wood cutting board you use, all types of wood are fairly porous and are likely to absorb juices from raw meat. Instead, use your wood cutting board for table-ready foods like herbs, vegetables, fruit, bread and cheese.
End Grain vs. Edge Grain Cutting Boards
This is another thing to keep in mind when you’re shopping for a cutting board. The terms “end grain” and “edge grain” refer to which part of the wood is used to construct the board. End grain is the end of the wood (where you can see the rings) and edge grain is the side of the wood (where you see a familiar wood grain pattern).
The two types of cutting boards are easy to tell apart because end grain cutting boards have a distinct checkerboard pattern made from several wood “ends” being fused together. Boards made from edge grain have the more traditional cutting board look. So which one is better? It all depends on your personal preference. End grain boards are a bit more expensive, but easier on your knives. Edge grain boards are more durable, easier to maintain and more affordable, but will cause your knives to dull faster.
Top-Rated Maple Cutting Boards
Now that we’ve revealed that maple is the best wood for cutting boards, it’s time to get your hands on one! For a classic board that will last a lifetime, we love this John Boos edge grain cutting board. It has a timeless reversible design, and it’s the perfect size with plenty of chopping space. We also love this Boos end grain board which has great reviews and comes in 10 different sizes. For a smaller board with a personal touch, check out this cute handled maple cutting board.
The post The Best Wood for Cutting Boards, According to Our Test Kitchen appeared first on Taste of Home.
Gallery: 20 Clever Uses for Plastic Bags You Have Lying Around the House (Taste of Home)
Make a funnel
That handiest of kitchen and garage tools, the funnel, can be replicated easily with a small sandwich bag. Fill the bag with the contents you need to be funneled. Snip off the end and transfer into the needed container. Here are some more kitchen gadgets you’ll use over and over again.
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Color cookie dough without stained hands
Experienced bakers know what a mess your hands can be after coloring cookie dough. Here’s a clean idea: Place your prepared dough in a bag, add the drops of food coloring and squish around until the color is uniform. You can use the dough now or stick it in the freezer ready to roll out when you need it. Here are some clever uses for bananas (besides eating them).
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Soften hard marshmallows
You’re about to pull out that bag of marshmallows from your kitchen cabinet when you notice that the once-fluffy puffs have turned hard as rocks. Warm some water in a pan. Place the marshmallows in a sealable plastic bag, seal and place in the pan. The warmth will soften them up in no time.
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Decorate a cake
Pastry bags can be cumbersome and hard to clean. Place your frosting (or deviled egg mix) into a sealable bag. Squish out the air and close the top. Snip off a corner of the bag to the size you want—start conservatively—and you are ready to begin squeezing. Here’s more on how to frost cupcakes with a sandwich bag.
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Melt chocolate without a mess
Melting chocolate in a microwave or double boiler leaves you with a messy bowl or pot to wash. Here’s a better method: Warm some water in a pan (do not boil). Place the chocolate you want to melt in a sealable freezer bag. Seal and place the bag in the pan. In a few moments, you have melted chocolate, ready to bake or decorate with. You can even leave the bag sealed and snip off a bottom corner of the bag to pipe the chocolate onto a cake. When you are done, just toss the bag. You’ll love these kitchen hacks just as much.
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Kid’s kitchen gloves
There’s nothing more welcome than helping hands in the kitchen. But when they’re little hands that tend to get dirty and leave prints all over the place, then something must be done. Before they start “helping” you make those chocolate chip cookies, place small sandwich bags over their hands. These instant gloves are disposable for easy cleanup.
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Grease your pans mess-free
If you’re never quite sure how to handle shortening and butter when greasing a cake pan or cookie sheet, here’s a tip: Place a sandwich bag over your hand, scoop up a small amount of shortening or butter from the tub, and start greasing. These time-saving kitchen hacks will change your life.
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Create a beach hand cleaner
You’re sitting on the beach and it’s time for lunch. But before you reach into your cooler, you want to get the grit off your hands. Baby powder in a sealable plastic bag is the key. Place your hands in the bag, then remove them and rub them together. The sand is gone. Check out these beach picnic recipes that you’ll definitely want to back.
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Keep valuables dry (and afloat)
Going out on the water? Put your valuables, like car keys and cell phone, in a sealable bag. The big trick: Blow air into it before you seal the bag so it will float. A sealable bag is perfect for keeping valuables dry at the water park or beach too.
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Make low-cost baby wipes
Borrow the thrifty parents’ method to make your own baby wipes: Place soft paper towels in a sealable bag with a mixture of 1 tablespoon gentle soap, 1 teaspoon baby oil and 1/3 cup water. Use enough of the mixture just to get the wipes damp, not drenched. If you have extra baby wipes, though, here are some ways to put them to use.
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Use as a portable water dish
Your furry best friend has happily hiked alongside you during your trek in the great outdoors. Even if you don’t have your own portable water bowl, you can make your own with a plastic bag. Bring along a sealable plastic bag full of water from your pack and hold it open while Buddy laps his fill.
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Store grated cheese
Pasta or pizza is always better with a dash of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. But who wants to get the grater out every time you want that taste? Instead, take a wedge of Parmesan cheese, grate the whole thing at once and then double bag it in two self-closing bags to protect the freshness. By the way, this is the difference between Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano.
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Dispose of cooking oil
Unless you want the plumber for a best friend, don’t clog your kitchen drain with used cooking oil. Instead, wait for it to cool, then dump it in a sealable plastic bag. Toss the bag into the trash. If you find these useful, you’ll love these genius uses for kitchen tongs.
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Create a cedar closet
Cedar closets smell great, and, more important, they repel moths. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a cedar closet, you can easily create the next best thing. Fill a sealable bag with cedar chips—the kind you buy at a pet store for the hamster cage. Zip it closed, then punch several small holes in it. Hang the bag in your closet and let the chips do thier work. You can also create a sachet to freshen up musty drawers. Fill the bag with potpourri, punch a few small holes in the bag, then place it in the drawer. You also love these other natural ways to freshen your home.
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Road trip trash bin
Plastic bags can fold up and store in your glove box, barely taking up any space at all. When you’re out on the road and make any trash or come across litter, having a designated trash bag on hand is useful and means you don’t have to stop to find a trash bin. Plus, you won’t have crumbs, refuse or any other bits floating around in your car. Speaking of road trips, here are some car games that adults will love, too.
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Easy donation
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! While those plastic grocery bags may just be trash to you, thrift stores and flea markets would be thrilled to have your old bags to use rather than having to buy their own. It may seem like an odd thing to donate but many small businesses would be thrilled to have them. These are the items your local food bank needs the most.
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Make a DIY shoe form
Even if you don’t have your own shoe forms, you don’t have to worry about your shoes losing their shape when you aren’t wearing them. Crumple up some plastic bags to stuff the toes of your off-season shoes with and they’ll be just like you left them when you pick them back up. Here’s why you should ban shoes within the house.
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Travel laundry bag
Next time you pack your suitcase, slip a few plastic bags inside. They’re useful for storing still-wet swimsuits or dirty clothes in order to keep them separate from any clean things in your luggage. Check out these tips for cleaning hard-to-wash items.
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Cool off (and clean up) outside
Going for a long trip on a hot and sticky day? Use a sealable bag to take along a wet washcloth that has been soaked in water and lemon juice—it makes a great refreshing wipe-off. This is a good trick for fast on-the-road face and hand cleanups. Another great option is to freeze a few washcloths in a sealable bag; they provide fast relief for anything from bumps and scrapes to burns and tooth pain.
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Create single-use detergent packs
If you’re planning a trip and think you’ll be doing a few loads of laundry while you’re there, pre-measure some detergent into a bag. It beats lugging a big box of detergent down to the shore or on an airplane or buying expensive travel-size bottles. Just make sure to keep the bag in a spot where it won’t be accidentally squished. This is how you can organize and store spare plastic bags.
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