Cutting boards for camp kitchens

[Corey]

I have a small white plastic cutting board that I have had since 1989 when it use to be in my tent trailers kitchen stuff.

In the Spring issue of the OJ's kitchen test, there was one that had a cutting board one could place on the fold down lid of the chuckbox.

This got me thinking I can do the same thing since I have a swing down door on my chuckbox.
I can go as big as 21"x14" to place it between the hinges, and also it can store perfectly under the stove on top when not being used.

Looking on Amazon I found three nice ones.
Two are bamboo which they claim bamboo cutting boards are antibacterial, and the bigger one is cherry wood.
Is it better to stick with the bamboo, or does it not make much of a difference?

Here are the three I am looking at.

Chicago Cutlery Woodworks 19-1/2" x 13-1/2" Cutting Board
Brazilian cherry wood

Totally Bamboo Malibu Groove Flat Grain Cutting Board
18 x 12 x 1 inches

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Farberware--14-Inch-Single-Tone-Bamboo-Cutting/dp/B0002TU49G/ref=sr_1_15?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1303672495&sr=1-15"]Farberware 11-by-14-Inch Single-Tone Bamboo Cutting Board[/ame]

Both the cherry wood one and the first bamboo one have the drainage grooves around it making me think of those two would be a better choice since it helps having the groove to catch liquids like when you are slicing up tomatoes and other watery vegetables.

 

[Gaidheal]

Wood in general is antibacterial (grass likely is too, so the bamboo would be similar in that regard)

Plastics on the other hand are the opposite...

Grooves just make cleanup take longer.

:beer:

 

[Fireman78]

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/71592?page=snow-peak-chopping-board-and-knife-set



this is the best....thing.....ever.
That knife is surgical sharp. My favorite piece of kit.

 

[Gooseberry]

I used the Snow Peak one at the Expo meet and loved it. I cut up 50lb of asada that night. Its not going to store like you are thinking but it keeps the knife in good shape. It is a little pricey but it fits in the small drawer my utensils are it.


http://shop.overlandgourmet.com/snow-peak-large-chopping-board-with-knife.html

 

[shogun]

Take a look at the Epicurean boards. Several sizes, some with rubber corner pads for no-slip. The "Camp" model is actually a cardboard construction, can be had with drain holes, although I dont know that that would be useful. The std models are a composite wood/paper construction that is much thinner than wood boards, slim, lightweight, seem to work well.

http://www.epicureancs.com/

 

[gonejeeping15]

I incorporated a maple cutting board into my stove area on my trailer tailgate.

w6jds

 

[Antichrist]

The plastic ones are definitely unsanitary. They may be ok when brand new, but once they have a few tiny cuts from knives they are bad.
When I worked in the food industry I read a trade magazine article comparing cutting boards and it was amazing how bad the plastic ones are from a cleanliness standpoint.

Wood is the way to go. I have several wooden cutting boards of different types and I don't care for the grooves. In fact I usually turn the ones I have with grooves upside down.

 

[Lichen]

I just ordered the Snow Peak one from L.L. Bean. I usually chop on a paper plate (that gets messy) and I really need a decent dedicated kitchen camping knife. Can't beat the price.

 

[Corey]

The Snow Peak one is nice, but I really do not have a need for the knife that comes along with it.
Most of the foods I cook and cut up can be done with the two knives as seen in the second picture.

Well, I bought the cheap cutting board, and delivered to me (free two day shipping for Prime Members) it came to $7.95.

The board seems really nice, and you can flip it over so you do not have the trench all the way around, but I kind of like the trench for catching liquids that can then be sopped up with a dish rag.

It fits well on top of the stove for storage.

That long knife my mother bought four of them (bread knives) and the matching paring knife back around 1989 or so before she passed away.
I got most of the kitchen stuff after she passed, and the bread knives I use daily at home and have used the camping one since 1989 also.

The bread knife besides slicing bread is useful for slicing tomatoes and other fruit.
The small paring knife is perfect for cutting out the core of a tomato.
Like I mentioned, I use a clone set of those two knives daily for dinner.
The bread knife is probably sharp enough to cut through a can too.

Where some would use a chef knife for certain foods, I have done pretty well with just the bread knife.

For less than $8, I am pretty happy with the purchase.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I have the same one, works great. I have a really nice bamboo one at home which is my workhorse.

I like the drip groove for the camper, keeps runny tomatoes and such from getting away.

 

[Corey]

Nice!
Do you use any type of oil on it before the first use?

 

[Antichrist]

Thin mineral oil should be used on wooden cutting boards, and wooden utensils also. Don't use vegetable oil.

 

[DontPanic42]

Thin mineral oil should be used on wooden cutting boards, and wooden utensils also. Don't use vegetable oil.

I also use mineral oil on my cutting boards, dough bowl and other wooden bowls between uses. I also put a thin layer of mineral oil on all my cast iron when it is going to be stored. It does not oxidize and get rancid like vegetable oil does when it ages.

 

[Dave Bennett]

I used the Snow Peak one at the Expo meet and loved it. I cut up 50lb of asada that night. Its not going to store like you are thinking but it keeps the knife in good shape. It is a little pricey but it fits in the small drawer my utensils are it.


http://shop.overlandgourmet.com/snow-peak-large-chopping-board-with-knife.html

This is what I use, amazing kit.

 

[UNI]

Thin mineral oil should be used on wooden cutting boards, and wooden utensils also. Don't use vegetable oil.

Tom,

Do you know any retail location that sells the food grade mineral oil in a spray version, kind of like the "PAM" product?

Alan