End grain cutting board care

End grain cutting boards are a special type of board in which the wood is arranged in a cross section rather than lengthwise, as in other boards. In addition to their attractive appearance, they offer the advantage of greater resistance to knife cuts and a longer service life in general.

The figure below shows cross sections of wood.

This is because in the cross section, the channels that carry nutrients are located from top to bottom. They therefore run from the roots of the tree to its top. When we cut a vertical board with a knife, the blade slides between these channels and damages the wood structure to a much lesser extent.

The photo below shows the channels in cross section at high magnification.

So much for the structure of a vertical board. Why does it require special care?

Because these channels are always open, the board absorbs moisture. In traditional boards (with a longitudinal cross-section), these channels are only found at the edges of the board, whereas here they are found across the entire upper and lower surfaces. This inevitably causes the upper part to dry out faster than the lower part, which can sometimes lead to slight warping.

Therefore, based on our experience, here are a few useful tips to minimize the risk:

• after cutting and washing, place the board upright (a useful stand is handy)
• use the board on both sides, alternating between them
• regularly treat the board with oil and wax (this will reduce the absorbency of the channels)
• following the example of world-class chefs, as a last resort, place a mat under the cutting board. This is not a joke, but a practice used by chefs.