Board Care
So now you finally have your favorite serving board, but you might be thinking to yourself, "soooo how the do I look after it?!"
The key to your charcuterie board lasting forever all comes down to a little bit of TLC. Below you will find a few important Do’s and Don’ts in regard to your masterpiece.
THE DO's:
- Dry immediately after washing. You're not going to want any water absorbing into the wood.
- You'll want to either wipe down with just wet cloth or use a SMALL amount of soap if necessary. If nothing too aromatic has been in contact with your board (fruits and some vegetables), you'll want to just simply wipe it down. However, if you are serving something potent like garlic for instance, soap is a definite must as wood can hold the smell and transfer it to your next meal. (garlic flavored strawberries are awful)
- Something to keep in mind though - the less soap the better! Soaps can be harsh and will draw out the oil in the wood, meaning you will need to oil your resin board more regularly if you go this route. (I can help you out with suggestions on that)
- Please treat it with oil. The same way our skin needs moisturizer and lotions at times, your charcuterie board needs oil to remain healthy and vibrant. Think of it like this: the more we wash our hands the drier they become, cracking our skin. With wood, the more you wash with soap, the more you draw out the natural oils which makes it prone to splitting and warping. Like our hands. The best way to know when your board is craving an oil bath is to look at the color of the wood. The duller the browns, the drier the wood is becoming. I used the brand Odies Oil on this. However, there is a serving board oil and wax you can get at Lowe's.
- Some oils you can use for your charcuterie board that are natural and work well are: coconut, mineral, linseed, beeswax or tung oil. My favorite (outside of Odies Oil) is a mixture of coconut oil and beeswax. Why, you ask? Well, the coconut oil is one of the least rancid oils and the beeswax makes it water-resistant which means you won’t have to oil it nearly as frequently. Simply rub the oil into the wood with a rag or cloth (until the whole board is covered and not absorbing any more oil. Hack Alert: You can buy coconut oil cooking spray at the supermarket and all you have to do is spray over the board. Too easy.
THE DO NOT's:
- • Whatever you decide to use, please DO NOT use vegetable or olive oil. Over time, these will become rancid and begin to smell. A quick route to losing your appetite, clearly.
- Please do not put your beautiful charcuterie board in the dishwasher. Wood is a beautiful, natural material that has the ability to both bring water into its grain as well as repel it. When too much water gets absorbed by wood it begins to expand. Expansion is what causes a charcuterie board to warp, bend and crack. In a dishwasher there is a lot of water and even more heat…a completely awful atmosphere for your board to attempt to thrive in.
- As stated above, letting it soak in water is a terrible idea. If you leave your charcuterie board in water for too long, it will absorb too much water and it will bend and crack. Not a good thing.
- PRO TIP : Spring clean your board with salt and lemon (or lime). For the full service, give your board a spa treatment every once in a while. Generously sprinkle salt over your chopping board and then cut a lemon in half. Now begin to rub the lemon all over the salty board. The salt acts as a scrub to remove stubborn stains, and the lemon is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. Be sure to clean it well with some hot water afterwards. But again, do not let it soak in water. Just use a damp wash cloth.
And......there you have it. Thats the key to keeping your charcuterie board in prime serving condition.
- P.S. You're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about the resin and that is because it doesn't need any care! However, if you do really want the resin to pop at your dinner party, rub some oil over it (not vegetable) to give it some extra sparkle.