# You all have a separate cutting board for meat?



## boomchakabowwow (Sep 19, 2021)

ssems like a standard practice, but I do see some pictures along the way showing meat and veg on the same board.
im not a green phobe, just don’t want to get anyone sick, ever.
I have a cheap crappy plastic board for raw meat. It fits in my dishwasher.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Sep 19, 2021)

No. To each their own, but I personally find it silly.

I just plan my cutting tasks or give the board a quick wash as needed. 

Now, I can see wanting one for convenience just so you don't have to interrupt your flow or whatever but as far as cross-contamination, no. 

Soap. It works.


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## coxhaus (Sep 19, 2021)

I have 8 cutting boards so I don't mix my raw meat and vegies. But what board I use depends on what and how I am cooking. I may use meat on this board and vegies on this other board. Then the next time it could be reversed. I don't have a special board for just meat. I cook a lot of meat so almost every cutting board I own gets used for meat at some time.


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## WiriWiri (Sep 19, 2021)

Yep, I have a separate board (Hasegawa) for meat, which can conveniently go in the dishwasher. The risk is low I suspect, but cross contamination is real for sure, and it just doesn‘t seem worth taking changes for the sake of swapping a surface. 

I also have far too many knives to look anything other than silly if I scrimped on chopping boards.


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## timebard (Sep 19, 2021)

I have a 18x12 plastic board I usually use for raw meat and put in the dishwasher when done. I don't have an issue with just washing a board after raw meat and carrying on, but my main walnut board is bulky enough that it's a pain to wash mid-prep.


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## MarcelNL (Sep 19, 2021)

I cut meat on a different board that goes in the dishwasher after each meal, but which board it is changes.


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## Delat (Sep 19, 2021)

Yup I have a couple of old plastic boards I use for raw meat, then stick them in the dishwasher. 

It’s not so much a separate cutting board for meat, but more like my primary cutting board is only for non-meat. Mainly because it’s big and heavy and a PITA to wash, and soap strips out the board oil. Usually it just gets a quick swipe with a damp paper towel, and only soap and water after a lot of garlic and onion prep.


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## DamageInc (Sep 20, 2021)

I use the same wood cutting board for everything, but I always prep veggies before meat, never other way around. Then I scrub and wash thoroughly with nearly boiling water and soap afterwards. Never gotten anyone sick with any of my cooking ever.


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## ModRQC (Sep 20, 2021)

Convenience dictates. Use what you must, care appropriatedly.


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## tostadas (Sep 20, 2021)

I prefer wood for meat. There were some university studies showing that it was better in terms of bacteria growth compared to plastic. I'm not an expert in this area, so I'll just accept their conclusions.

Most of my veggies get cooked anyways, so probably no big deal either way, but I also will do veggies before meat. And then after a good wash, I let the board dry for a few days. I also have a board with separate sides for veggies and meat if I want to be sure not to cross-contaminate.


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## KnightKnightForever (Sep 21, 2021)

This seems like sort of a personal question...


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## FishmanDE (Sep 21, 2021)

Same board, just veg first like most others. But tbh, I usually do whatever fabricating I’m going to do the day I buy it. Usually I’m slicing the cooked meat on the same board, but again, post veg.

and for whoever is wondering, I believe a vast majority of restaurants have the same 4-8 boards. So they fabricate all types of raw, and just wash in between. Practically and logistically, it doesn’t really make sense to do it any other way. Soap indeed does work.


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## Matus (Sep 21, 2021)

I do as my main cutting board is too large to sanitize easily in a sink. I plan to have a separate board for raw vegetables and fruit as some fruit (e.g. water melon) does sometimes pick some odor of onions and such from the board.


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## Pertti (Sep 21, 2021)

Matus said:


> I do as my main cutting board is too large to sanitize easily in a sink. I plan to have a separate board for raw vegetables and fruit as some fruit (e.g. water melon) does sometimes pick some odor of onions and such from the board.



Same. We use the big end grain for non smelly veggies only, that essentially means onions and garlic on a separate board. This way I have so far gotten a way just wiping the end grain clean with wet paper or kitchen towels. Occasionally "sanitizing" with vinegar water mix. The board smells fine so far after about 6 months now. Beeswax seems to be a great help in this strategy.

Depending on mood, this can tbh pretty often lead into using a Hasegawa for the whole veggie prep on top of the end grain though. As onions are near always included. In the DW goes the Hasegawa then usually. 

That or doing most of the cutting on the end grain and then a small separate wooden board for the smelly stuff.

Raw meat and fish I usually cut or butcher on a Hasegawa or a woodfiber resin board, each of which fit in the dishwasher. Cooked meat gets sliced or chopped on medium wooden board typically.

Honestly been considering moving the big end grain to some other, decorative use, but always lift it right back to the kitchen


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## KnightKnightForever (Sep 21, 2021)

Pertti said:


> Same. We use the big end grain for non smelly veggies only, that essentially means onions and garlic on a separate board. This way I have so far gotten a way just wiping the end grain clean with wet paper or kitchen towels. Occasionally "sanitizing" with vinegar water mix. The board smells fine so far after about 6 months now. Beeswax seems to be a great help in this strategy.
> 
> Depending on mood, this can tbh pretty often lead into using a Hasegawa for the whole veggie prep on top of the end grain though. As onions are near always included. In the DW goes the Hasegawa then usually.
> 
> ...



Do you use a certain method to get rid of cutting board smells?


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## Pertti (Sep 21, 2021)

KnightKnightForever said:


> Do you use a certain method to get rid of cutting board smells?



For my end grain I have sometimes used lemon after squeezing the juices out for some food, but the board hasnt smelled really ever so far. Just as a sort of precaution.

After chicken or fish butchery I typically wash my woodfiber or Hasegawa board quickly by hand before putting them to the DW. Honestly I mostly use the cheaper and bigger woodfiber boards for those tasks and the Hasegawa for a bit finer tasks.


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## coxhaus (Sep 21, 2021)

Pertti said:


> Same. We use the big end grain for non smelly veggies only, that essentially means onions and garlic on a separate board. This way I have so far gotten a way just wiping the end grain clean with wet paper or kitchen towels. Occasionally "sanitizing" with vinegar water mix. The board smells fine so far after about 6 months now. Beeswax seems to be a great help in this strategy.
> 
> Depending on mood, this can tbh pretty often lead into using a Hasegawa for the whole veggie prep on top of the end grain though. As onions are near always included. In the DW goes the Hasegawa then usually.
> 
> ...



How do you apply your beeswax? Just melt and pour on? I like the smell of beeswax. I use a mixture of beeswax, turpentine, and boil linseed oil for my workbenches. Once it dries you only smell the beeswax for a while. The beeswax helps to keep the glue from sticking to the workbench.


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## ModRQC (Sep 21, 2021)

KnightKnightForever said:


> Do you use a certain method to get rid of cutting board smells?



A couple pinches of coarse salt and lemon juice work splendidly to recondition and remove odors and some spotting as well.


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## Pertti (Sep 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> How do you apply your beeswax? Just melt and pour on? I like the smell of beeswax. I use a mixture of beeswax, turpentine, and boil linseed oil for my workbenches. Once it dries you only smell the beeswax for a while. The beeswax helps to keep the glue from sticking to the workbench.



4:1 oil to beeswax. I'd like to try melting pure beeswax on an unfinished board one day.


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## Lars (Sep 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> How do you apply your beeswax? Just melt and pour on? I like the smell of beeswax. I use a mixture of beeswax, turpentine, and boil linseed oil for my workbenches. Once it dries you only smell the beeswax for a while. The beeswax helps to keep the glue from sticking to the workbench.


You heat the mineral oil with the beeswax until the wax melts, then let it cool and rub it on the board. It's been years since I've done it, so I don't remember the ratio of oil to wax.


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## DitmasPork (Sep 21, 2021)

boomchakabowwow said:


> ssems like a standard practice, but I do see some pictures along the way showing meat and veg on the same board.
> im not a green phobe, just don’t want to get anyone sick, ever.
> I have a cheap crappy plastic board for raw meat. It fits in my dishwasher.


I use my Hasegawa for raw/cooked meats, veg, sashimi—just cleaning it well after after using it for raw proteins. My BoardSmith maple is only for veg.
Don’t have or want a dishwasher.


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## nwshull (Sep 21, 2021)

I don't use my larger butcher block with raw meat and fish, but that's mainly because its harder to clean and requires more maintenance. I have no problem cutting produce on my hisoft board that I cut meat on though.


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## Rotivator (Sep 21, 2021)

I have a rubber cutting board for meat and foods that stain, and use wood for vegetables. Just easier having one that is easier to keep sanitary.


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## ModRQC (Sep 21, 2021)

Rotivator said:


> I have a rubber cutting board for meat and foods that stain, and use wood for vegetables. Just easier having one that is easier to keep sanitary.



Until it’s not.

Convenience dictates. Free your minds!


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## Oshidashi (Sep 21, 2021)

Food poisoning is very common and mild cases are rarely reported. There is no such thing as "stomach flu." Things that will be eaten raw should not touch unsanitized boards that were used for uncooked meat. Keep in mind that over 70% of retailed raw chickens in the US contain bacteria that will cause bad food poisoning, such as _Campylobacter, E. coli, _or _Salmonella_. Although plastic boards will harbor bacteria, I only use a plastic board for raw meat because I can then put it in the dishwasher. I will, however, often carve cooked meat on my good wood board. Keep in mind that unwashed vegetables also commonly harbor bad bacteria.


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## Nemo (Sep 22, 2021)

Ueda and hasegawa for meats. Dishwasherble.

End grain Jarrah (it's a beautiful Weat Australian hardwood) for veg. Cleaned with vinegar. Hydrogen peroxide or benzalkonium Chloride if it is contaminated.


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## Jovidah (Sep 22, 2021)

I always use seperate boards. My health has enough issues that I want to avoid any crosscontamination issues any way I can, especially when it's so easy and inexpensive to deal with. So I have a few plastic boards that I can just dunk in the dishwasher. I'd be fine with using seperate wood boards for it, but I like being able to just run them under boiling water and abusing them without having to worry that they're going to bend or break. 
Another advantage is that by taking the meat off my normal board I can get away with minimalist cleanup on my big wooden board. I usually just wipe it off with a moist paper towel straight away and that's it. It's a bit of a pain to clean properly with soap and water, but when I only use it for fruit and veg I can easily get away with only giving it a proper complete cleanup every few weeks.


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## Michi (Sep 22, 2021)

I use a separate board, but not any particular one. Just not my main board, which is huge and definitely won't fit into the sink. I'm not too worried about contamination. Once washed and dried, I'm quite happy to use that same Hasegawa or wooden board for something else.


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## e30Birdy (Oct 8, 2021)

Lars said:


> You heat the mineral oil with the beeswax until the wax melts, then let it cool and rub it on the board. It's been years since I've done it, so I don't remember the ratio of oil to wax.


 4:1 (Mineral Oil:Beeswax) is a great ratio..


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## tostadas (Oct 8, 2021)

I like 9:1 (oil:wax). It spreads a bit easier when cold in the house.


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## Hz_zzzzzz (Oct 8, 2021)

I use different boards for foods I'm going to eat directly (raw or cooked) and foods I'm going to cook in high temperature. It doesn't matter if it's meat or vegetable to me.


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## chiffonodd (Oct 8, 2021)

Oshidashi said:


> Food poisoning is very common and mild cases are rarely reported. There is no such thing as "stomach flu."



What people call "stomach flu" is viral gastroenteritis, often caused by norovirus. Very contagious person to person but can also spread through food if handled by an infected person. Think of how it just tears its way through cruise ships.

But yeah it usually takes an infected person to spread, whether through food or otherwise. Not usually from "source contaminated" food (e.g., like with salmonella).


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## mrs_adm (Oct 9, 2021)

KnightKnightForever said:


> Do you use a certain method to get rid of cutting board smells?



I use salt to get the garlic smell out of a wooden cutting board and my hands. Got the idea from Julia Child.


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## captaincaed (Oct 10, 2021)

I have two, one for alliums, one for things I'd rather not taste like onions (apples, oranges, pretty much everything else). The allium board does double duty for meats, so I guess I technically have one.


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## Bensbites (Oct 10, 2021)

captaincaed said:


> I have two, one for aliums, one for things I'd rather not taste like onions (apples, oranges, pretty much everything else). The allium board does double duty for meats, so I guess I technically have one.


This is very similar to my system.


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## toast (Oct 21, 2021)

captaincaed said:


> I have two, one for alliums, one for things I'd rather not taste like onions (apples, oranges, pretty much everything else). The allium board does double duty for meats, so I guess I technically have one.



Likewise. Allium board = everything questionable.


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