oils for chopping boards

[Grainger Morris]

What is the best vegetable oil to rub into a chopping board? Is there one that doesn't go rancid and is going to be easily available in a supermarket? Grainger

[mel]

I plan to use mineral oil on mine 3 coats heated up so it will penetrate then with some beeswax melted in via microwave for finale finish

[Andy Dingley]

Vegetable oil, made from vegetables. So long as the petro-food industry hasn't got near it and "hydrogenated" or "hardened" anything, then it's usually pretty good.

Personally I use walnut oil (which I buy anyway, for salads). Olive isn't so good, even the good stuff, as it can go rancid. Corn oil (again IMHE) can become sticky.

Or if you have it, mineral oil. But my mineral oil is in the workshop, so I use what's in the kitchen instead.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[Phisherman]

Mineral oil is not organic and will not deteriorate like food oils. Get it at the pharmacy.

[Jerry Gilreath]

It was also suggested that peanut oil will work. Dunno, I used mineral oil on mine. Sold in the laxative aisle at the drug stores.

[John Hines]

Mineral oil, laxative grade, available at the drug store or section.

[C]

Mineral oil works quite nicely... I was so apologetic to the folks at the store when I bought mine: I'm using it for a cutting board. Smiles followed me all the way to the store's front door.

[Mark]

Never use vegetable oil. This can't be over stated.

I had thought of using walnut oil but after looking a few places I gave up and settled on mineral oil and beeswax.

Mineral oil without the wax would give better penetration, so you may want to use the oil plain a few times before adding wax (as has been previously posted by Mel)

I melted the wax into the oil using a double boiler, I poured the hot mix on the board, let it set up, scrapped off the excess and reapplied a second coat. NOTE: The excess was not reused, it seems to pick up allot of wood dust. You may want to seal/ treat both sides. Seemed to be a good idea to me.

It takes a surprisingly small amount of the mix to coat the board.

Just so you know, a wooden cutting board requires ongoing maintenance. Anytime you think it's getting a bit dry it needs cleaned and whatever oil or concoction your using reapplied.

Also you may/ will get a bit of grain raising after treatment (unless you went and paid for an end grain board, in which case you suck ;}). You have to keep this knocked down to prevent bits of food from getting stuck in the grain and festering. This is no big deal, it should hand sand easily with some 220 or 280.

I did a bit of research on the 'cleanliness' of various materials used in cutting boards. Wood was the 'dirtiest'. But if it's properly maintained there is little if any risk as the bacterial count can be kept well below what's considered unhealthy. The key is to keep the surface sealed with an inert substance to inhibit bacteria growth.

For me there really was no choice in which material I was going to use for a cutting surface, some POS sheet of polymer or glass verses a beautiful wood grain, there is no choice. Plus I can set a hot pan on it without worrying about it melting or cracking. And a little charring adds character.

[Mark Hopkins]

Pecan or walnut oil. I like them both, but use pecan the most.

supermarket?

[Barry Lennox]

Linseed oil tends to go rancid IMO. Changed to Soya bean some years ago, and never had a problem since. It comes up nice and is very cheap.

Barry Lennox

[Michael Daly]

If you want to increase penetration a bit, you can iron the waxy stuff into the wood. If the iron is smoking, it's too hot. Otherwise, the heating of the wood will draw the stuff into the grain.

Mike

[Mark]

Thanks for the suggestion. Makes sense.

I have a small confession. I can't remember the last time I saw an iron in this house. I asked Wife, she laughed. I have a dim memory of ironing something since we've been married, that would put it sometime in the last 12 years.

I guess a trip to Goodwills in my future.

[Doug Winterburn]

You need a shop iron for edge banding (unless you can sneak SWMBO's for a few minutes).

-Doug

[stoutman]

Mineral oil IS organic. It's a light HYDROCARBON oil.