Handling and cutting raw or cooked meat presents various challenges, unlike other foods like vegetables, bread or fruits. Accordingly, having a cutting board for meat should stand out in a well-stocked kitchen. Considerably, food hygiene and kitchen neatness can only be achieved using the best cutting boards for meat.
In detail, we have compiled an informative buying guide to assist you in getting the ideal meat cutting board. To kick start this meaty piece, let's start by justifying why you need a cutting board for meat.
Is a Cutting Board for Meat Necessary?
Having a cutting board while preparing and handling meat is highly essential for any kitchen. First, any cutting board offers the convenience of avoiding messes on kitchen counters. Also, a cutting board, especially a wood board, would be ideal for keeping your knives sharp over time.
Furthermore, cutting boards are effective in handling grease in the case of cooked meat. Even more, heat-resistant materials such as wood or bamboo can be used to serve platters.
Generally, cutting boards add beauty to your kitchen, making cooking easy and enjoyable. So, having justified why you need a cutting board for meat, let's look at the five best products in this category.
1. HOMWE Kitchen Cutting Board Set
- COMPLETE SET - 3 distinct sizes for every kind of cooking! You'll get one large, one medium, and one small cutting board in your set....
- VERSATILE COOKING - Our plastic cutting board set is great for every kind of chopping. Use it for fruit, as a meat cutting board, a fish...
- EASY TO CLEAN - The worst part of cooking? The cleanup. Don't make it harder – our plastic cutting boards are dishwasher safe and won't...
- GROOVED DESIGN - Our chopping board set includes juice grooves that prevent sticky or icky liquid from spilling on the counter for a kitchen...
- THE PERFECT PRESENT - Whether you want to make Christmas cooking a little less crazy for yourself, or you need some gifts for foodies and...
Our best pick among the best cutting boards for meat is the HOMWE cutting board set. We love this plastic set of boards for its effectiveness to prevent cross-contamination by offering multiple designated preparation surfaces. Also, this set of three boards provides your kitchen with the much-needed flexibility of sizes and versatility of preparing other foods.
Furthermore, the HOMWE boards are made of BPA-free solid plastic material for protecting your kitchen counters from contamination, cuts and stains. For easy handling of meat juices, these boards have juice grooves for easy containment and disposal. Finally, as the best overall cutting board set on our list, it features non-slip edges for optimal safety and efficiency when cutting meat.
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2. Joseph Joseph Cut & Carve Cutting Board
- Double sided, multi-functional chopping board
- Angled cutting surface helps to drain and collect juice while carving meat, crumbs while slicing bread, etc.
- One side of the board has a meat grip; juices and crumbs can be easily poured from rounded corner
- Features non-slip feet and soft-grip sides
- Measures 14-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 0-3/4-Inch; dishwasher safe
Next in line, we present the single Joseph Joseph multi-functional cutting board. This board comes in an unconventional design that is angled to allow crumbs and juices to collect on one side of the high rim. Luckily, this unique juice-holding design will probably not spill onto the counter.
In addition, we independently selected Joseph Joseph as the best plastic cutting board since it is reversible. One side has raised spikes that help hold hot meat while cutting, and the other is smooth. You will also enjoy working on this board because it has rubbery edges for preventing slips. Overall, this board is large enough for cutting a whole chicken but might be small for large cuts such as a turkey.
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3. John Boos CB1054-1M2418150 Cutting Board
- John Boos Block CB1054-1M2418150 Maple Wood Edge Grain Reversible Cutting Board with Juice Groove measures 24 inches long, 18 inches wide...
- Made in the USA: Each John Boos Butcher Block and Cutting Board is proudly made in Effingham, Illinois by skilled craftspeople using time...
- Cutting board is made from sustainably sourced, hand-selected Northern Hard Rock Maple Wood- widely recognized as one of finest, most...
- This board is reversible, both sides can be used as cutting surfaces. One side is completely flat, and the reverse features an juice groove....
- The "R" series cutting boards by John Boos are hearty boards that are "just right" at 1.5 inches thick. They have earned a reputation as a...
We also recommend the John Boos CB1054-1M2418150 maple cutting board. As the best wood cutting board on our list, this John Boos wood appliance is reversible. Accordingly, one side has side grooves for catching juices when cutting fish or meat, while the other side is flat for use with charcuterie or cheese. For easy turning and moving, this wood board has ergonomic handgrips for any user.
Among the best wood cutting boards, we picked the John Boos wood cutting board since it's made with hard-rock maple wood, which is recognized as the most durable food preparation surface. Consequently, the maple wood is easy on knives, preventing quick dulling, unlike plastic boards. Maple wood is also approved by the National Sanitation Foundation as a safe material that inhibits bacterial growth. In the end, this wood board is hand wash only and should be occasionally conditioned with customized John Boos Mystery Oil.
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4. Royal-Craft Bamboo Cutting Board
- 🥩Royal cutting boards for kitchen with side handles and deep juice groove: chop meats and chicken, cut vegetables and use it as a stylish...
- 🔪Knife-friendly butcher block: there's nothing like cutting on bamboo wood. Our chopping board keeps the blade of your knives sharp and...
- 👍Just the right size board: 10 x 15 inches cutting board helps make cutting easier. It’s ideal for leaving it on a countertop or...
- 🌳Bamboo cutting board is reversible and heavy duty. Our medium bamboo chopping board is a true multitasker and a must have for any...
- 👑Royal quality: We are positive you’ll find this kitchen butcher block convenient and you stay happy with the quality
You can also invest in the Royal-Craft Bamboo cutting board, which is simplistic but highly functional. As the best bamboo cutting board, this Royal Craft appliance also falls under wooden cutting boards but stands out from both wood and plastic. This high-caliber board is totally bamboo, making it friendly to knives and tough enough not to get grooves. Therefore, this board is ideal for preventing bacterial growth, making it safer for food preparation than other woods.
As a testimony of bamboo boards, this Royal Craft model is a good fit for most kitchen countertops with ergonomic handles. You will also benefit from deep grooves that contain juices within the board for safe disposal. Overall, this board can be used with different foods, including serving platter meals.
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5. OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
- One 7.25-in x 10.75-in Prep Board and one 9-in x 12.9-in Everyday Board
- Double-sided, non-porous surfaces resist odors and won't dull knife blades
- Soft, tapered edges form comfortable handles for carrying
- Integrated drip-catchers and easy-pour corners minimize messes
- Non-slip feet keep boards in place while chopping and slicing
Last on our list is the OXO Good Grips cutting board set. This 2-piece plastic set is made with high-grade plastic, which is non-porous and odor-resistant. Luckily, each of these boards is reversible, giving you the extra cutting surface to avoid cross-contamination. These boards are also durable, with resistance to deep scratches and an extra friendliness to your sharp knives.
Each plastic cutting board in this set has a juice groove for easy handling and cleaning of meat juices. In addition, both boards feature soft grips for easy lifting and turning. While using these boards, you are guaranteed optimal food hygiene due to their easy cleaning feature. Finally, this set comes with non-slip edges for safety and added stability while cutting meat.
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Factors to Consider Before Buying the Best Cutting Boards for Meat
1. Material
The first consideration to make while choosing amongst the best cutting boards for meat is the material. The most commonly used cutting board materials include plastic, wood, composite, glass and bamboo. First and foremost, plastic is often preferred for raw meat since it has a nonporous surface to prevent bacteria and is safe for a dishwasher. However, plastic cutting boards are less superior in aesthetics as compared to wood cutting boards.
Conversely, a wood cutting board is considered more sanitary than a plastic one since it doesn't have the versatility of cutting vegetables. Moreover, a wooden cutting board isn't heat resistant and will likely split or warp when exposed to moisture and heat. However, a wood cutting board is most tedious in cleaning and maintenance since it should be hand washed and occasionally conditioned with mineral oil.
There is also the composite material meant to offer the best of both wooden and plastic cutting boards. Consequently, composite boards are affordable dishwasher-safe, don't require mineral oil conditioning, are durable and heavy-duty. However, composite doesn't beat a wood cutting board in treating knives better and aesthetics.
You can also opt for bamboo cutting boards which are more resistant to knife-scouring, less porous and less prone to bacterial growth. Even so, bamboo would also last longer and look better with occasional oil conditioning. Out of the five materials, glass cutting boards are the least preferred because they dull knives quickly and are slippery when cutting meat. Nonetheless, glass is easy to clean and non-porous, posing the least risk of food contamination.
2. Size and Shape
Additionally, meat cutting panels are not created equal, featuring variances in shapes and sizes. Most preferably, it would be best to go for a rectangular board. A rectangular-shaped board enables easier movement, gripping and ergonomic storage. Also, the best cutting board should have straight edges for sliding chopped produce into a cooking pot.
Moreover, having a larger cutting board provides adequate versatility for different meat chunks and methods of preparing meat. In some cases, large boards are made of end-grain wood for increased sturdiness. Even so, a small board would suffice while preparing food for one person.
3. Juice Groove
Cutting both raw and cooked meat often gives out juices, which can get your kitchen messy. Such debris comes with the risk of bacterial contaminations and making your kitchen messy. At the basic level, having a cutting board makes meat preparation clean, but the best cutting board should have a juice groove. Juice grooves on cutting boards ensure that any juices are easily contained and safely discarded.
4. Knives
In meat cutting and preparation, it is always essential to have sharp knives to make work easier. Correspondingly, a good cutting board should be able to withstand the efficiency of a sharp knife. For instance, a cherry wood board would be too soft for meat cutting, resulting in the formation of grooves that trap juices and raw meat.
In light of sharp meat knives, we recommend investing in sturdy bamboo or wooden boards that won't form grooves quickly and make knives dull easily. As a result, a sturdy wooden board would also reduce the risk of food contamination through trapped juices and raw meat.
5. Versatility
Considerably, cutting boards used for meat are also used for preparing vegetables, slicing fruits, cutting bread and cheese. It is also possible to use a cutting board to present roasted meat at a dinner table. If you want to invest in one cutting board, a plastic cutting board is ideal for preparing both raw meat and vegetables. In addition, your versatile cutting board should also be temperature resistant for use with hot food and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
We appreciate that some kitchen spaces have multiple cutting panels for different purposes, including carving meat. Nonetheless, the best cutting board for an ordinary kitchen should be double-sided for increased versatility and reduced risk of cross-infection.
6. Single Board vs. Set
Having discussed a board's versatility, it is also essential to consider the best value for your money, either in a single board or a set. In most cases, you will obtain the most value from your money with a set of cutting blocks. Subsequently, having a set of boards in your kitchen helps to make meal preparations easier with enough space to prepare multiple ingredients separately. So, sets reduce the risk of contamination and enable prioritization.
Even so, buying a set that you don't need wouldn't be a wise choice. Alternatively, you can invest in a single cutting board that is multi-functional. Generally, the short answer for this consideration is the size of your household and meat preparation needs.
7. Non-Slip Edge
Having your cutting board slip as you cut meat is dangerous and annoying. Fortunately, modern cutting blocks are built with an innovative design of non-slip grippers for increased safety and efficiency. Additionally, weighty wooden cutting boards help in reducing slips but will be more stressful to clean. All the same, you can also get innovative in your kitchen and place a wet towel below your board to prevent slipping.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Cutting Boards for Meat
1. What is the difference between cutting boards and butcher blocks?
Butcher blocks are usually made with turned end wood grain, while cutting boards are made with running long wood. Ideally, butcher blocks are thicker and larger than cutting boards. Therefore, you can't use cutting boards as butcher blocks, but vice versa is applicable.
Image source: maplewoodroad.com
Meta Description: The best cutting boards for meat should be of the best quality for optimal food hygiene and user convenience. Find the top five recommendations in this article.
