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| Chopping Board Tips |
| Handy hints for those food preparation surfaces. |
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Apart from those vital ingredients used in cooking, you will also need a decent chopping board. Reg shares some tips on these essential household items.
1
There is a popular debate regarding the health implications of wooden and plastic cutting surfaces. Both wood and plastic boards are safe if cleaned properly. The main concern is cross-contamination which can occur when raw food containing bacteria comes in contact with other food that has already been cooked or is ready to eat. It is recommended when preparing food to use separate chopping boards for preparing different types of food. If you only have one board you should thoroughly wash and sanitise it between uses. However, for convenience we suggest you have more than one.
2
It’s best to have one board for raw meat and fish and another for fruit
and vegetables. It’s also a good idea to have a small chopping board (preferably plastic which is less likely to absorb odours and tastes) for garlic and onion, so they don’t end up flavouring your pineapple or other fruits.
3
Colour code the boards by winding different coloured waxed twine around the
grip, or use different colours of plastic so that you can distinguish the boards you use for specific tasks.
4
Glass or marble chopping boards might look great but are harsh on your knives. You’re better off leaving these for presenting foods like cheeses and fruits.
5
Boards must be cleaned properly. For wood, scrub after every use with hot, soapy water, rinse, dry and stand it on end in a dish rack to air completely. For plastic, do the same, or put the board in the dishwasher (but don’t put wooden boards in as the glues can deteriorate). The hot rinse cycle will help to sterilise the plastic.
6
Alternatively, you can use a paste of baking soda and water to clean and deodorise a wooden board, or bleach and water (one teaspoon bleach to one litre of water) for plastic. Saturate the surface of the boards and let stand for 5 minutes to give the cleanser time to work, rinse and then dry.
7
To keep a wooden board in good shape, oil it every month or so with vegetable oil.
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