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Is Ash Good for Cutting Boards? (Read This First!)

Ash is generally considered a good material for kitchen use. It is rather commonly used as this material is quite hard and makes for durable material.

In this article, we will discuss whether you should use ask for cutting boards. We will help you determine whether ash is good for cutting boards. Read ahead to learn more about it.

Is ash good for cutting boards?

Ash is typically considered a great material for cutting boards. It is ring porous in nature. And the best part about ash is that it is hard and durable. This makes it a good material for cutting boards. In addition, ash has about 1300 lbf rate on the Janka scale which reaffirms these claims.

Ash is generally considered a pretty good cutting board. It is pretty strong and durable, an ideal material for cutting wood. You can use ash as cutting material for a significant amount of time; it serves you for a long time.

However, this material is pretty porous. Ash features large open pores much like that of hickory, oak, etc. And these pores do not make them the best cutting boards regardless of the duration of their service.

Choosing the right material for cutting boards is essential in order to ensure a smooth project. If you cannot make sure that the boards have been cut the right way, then this may disrupt the entire project.

In order to choose the right material for cutting boards, make sure that you take a few things into consideration.

Take the dimension of the cutting board into consideration. Ash cutting boards come in many sizes; choose one that fits your needs. In addition, you should consider the hardness of the wood. You should choose a moderately hard material for a cutting board.

Make sure that the wood is not too soft. Otherwise, it will be very easily damaged. You can identify the strength of the cutting board by looking at its pound of force (lbf) indicator.

White ash:

Ash is commonly used for cutting boards. And white ash, among them, is the most commonly used material for cutting boards.

You will readily find these materials available in any store and online shop. In addition, these materials are strong and sturdy, so they will provide you with a long-lasting service.

Is Ash a food safe wood?

Ash is a food-safe wood for sure. But there are other issues with this material that you should keep in mind.

Ash has a moderate pounds of force rating, which makes it an ideal choice for your cutting board. You can use it for cutting a range of food items without any trouble. It will not be damaged easily.

You will be able to cut and chop a range of food, from fruits to vegetables, on these cutting boards. But note that these cutting boards are open-grained. That is to say, the pores on ash cutting boards are quite large and visible. So these cutting boards will soak up moisture from the board.

Other than this issue, ash is a good choice for cutting boards. You will be able to use it for cutting almost anything. This material is food safe and is approved for use on cutting boards.

Is ash wood good for chopping board?

Yes, ash is good for chopping boards. Ash is typically used as a chopping board material. There are many large companies that make chopping boards with ash. This will be an ideal choice for people who are looking for a durable and sustainable choice in chopping boards.

Ash is a strong and sturdy material. It is used as a chopping board material because of the strength it provides. Ash comes with a high pounds of force rating, about 1300 lbf. This is an ideal choice for home cooks and professional chefs as well.

Chopping boards made of ash are also ring-porous. This is perhaps the only bad thing about them. This indicates that these chopping boards will absorb moisture very quickly.

While it is not ideal, this does not make ash any bad as a chopping board material. The boards will serve the purpose just as well.

2 reasons why ash is good for cutting boards

Ash is considered a pretty decent material for cutting boards. Read ahead to learn about 2 of the most prominent reasons why ash is food for cutting boards:

Strength:

Ash is an excellent material for cutting boards. You will notice that it makes one of the strongest materials for cutting boards. Ash has a high range of pounds of force rating, which makes it one of the strongest materials for cutting boards.

When you’re purchasing a cutting board, strength should be one of your top priorities. You should make sure that the cutting board has enough strength, in order to allow you to cut a range of fruits and vegetables.

If you want to ensure the purchase of a multipurpose cutting board, you should make sure that the chopping board is strong.

This is why ash is good for cutting boards. It is strong and durable. In addition, the boards will be sturdy as well as flexible at the same time.

Flexible:

Ash features a highly ring-porous surface. So you will be able to enjoy a very flexible cutting board.

You will notice that the cutting boards made of ash are both sturdy and flexible at the same time. This is what makes the material a lucrative one for making cutting boards.

How do you take care of an ash cutting board to maintain it?

Let’s now take a look at the steps that you can take in order to take care of an ash cutting board to maintain it. Read ahead to learn more:

Use oil:

You can use oil in order to maintain the strength of the cutting board. Make sure to clean the chopping board first. This should always be your first priority when it comes to maintaining your board.

When you put oil onto the cutting board, it will help you form a protective layer on top of the cutting board. But make sure that the oil that you are picking is free of odor and flavor. Otherwise, the oil may ruin the cutting board.

In such a case, almond oil or grapeseed oil will be an ideal choice for the task. You can also use white mineral oil for the job. But make sure not to use olive oil for the job. Otherwise, your chopping board will become smelly and sticky. 

Use vinegar and sprinkle salt:

You can also sprinkle some sea salt onto the cutting board. Now you should use some vinegar or lemon juice on top of the salt. Let the cutting board soak this combination for about 15 minutes before cleaning it.

After that, you should take a clean dishcloth or a paper towel in order to clean the cutting board. Rub the cutting board thoroughly.

This method will help you both clean the cutting board and maintain its strength. But make sure that the board is dried well before you use the cutting board again.

What wood should not be used for cutting boards?

There are several materials that are not ideal for cutting boards. Read ahead to find out what wood should not be used for cutting boards:

Red oak:

Red oak is not an ideal material for cutting boards. This is because this type of wood features rather open pores. So they make it quite difficult to keep these cutting boards clean.

You will have a hard time getting rid of the stain on the cutting board. Since the pores are open, they will contain food stains for a long time. It will be difficult to get rid of the food stain from the chopping board, even after a thorough cleaning.

Pine:

Pine makes a rather soft cutting board. So soon after you purchase these cutting boards, you will start noticing cutting marks on these cutting boards. Since the surface is quite soft, these materials do not produce long-lasting cutting boards.

You will also notice that these materials produce a weird taste in the food after you have cut it on the cutting board.

To sum it up, make sure that the material that you are choosing for cutting boards is hard and durable, does not contain too much open pores, and has a promising level of strength in terms of a pound of force.

Considering these indicators will help you choose a good cutting board.

Final Thoughts

Ash is good for cutting boards. These materials are quite strong and sturdy, they are therefore quite durable. Ash features a decent pound of force (lbf) rate, so you will be able to enjoy its service for a long time. Maintaining these cutting boards is not very difficult as well.