Seasoning a Wood Cutting Board

I found brand spankin' new cutting board at a second hand shop. The unseasoned wood was pale and shaggy. Tiny splinters pushed across the surface and gnawed on my hands. I didn't care. I knew how to treat this board until it glowed with beauty.

Beeswax and mineral oil are harmless to consume, and won't taint the flavour of food. Mineral Oil won't turn rancid, unlike olive or vegetable oil, and fills the fine cracks inside your cutting board. When the board is full of good oil, food juices won't soak into it and go rancid or cross-contaminate. The beeswax will give a temporary top coat to seal in the good oil, seal out food germs, and be water-resistant. A good cutting board should be seasoned every 6 months in dry climates and once a year in moist climates.

Supplies:
USP Mineral Oil
Unscented Beeswax
Fine Sandpaper --> only needed if your board has splinters before you oil it
Paper bags or newspaper to cover your work surface
Heavy Duty paper towels or rags

1. Lay your board on the table. Pour a small amount of oil onto the board and wipe with the grain using a rag. The wood will hungrily soak up the oil, so keep applying until no more will soak in. Treat both sides of the board. Don't forget the edges.

2. Melt a generous amount of beeswax in a pot and mix your oil into it. I used 1 part wax, 2 parts oil for my board and was pleased with the results. Use a heavy duty paper towel to spread a thin layer of the wax/oil mix onto the board. The wax will harden quickly so try not to drip or spread thickly. The thinnest possible layer is all the board will need.

My board is large enough for a watermelon and has no handle hole. I prefer boards without the handle because I loose pieces of carrot and celery into the handle. I then need to fish the veggies out of the handle before I can pick up the board.

It practically glows in the sunshine. Quite a beautiful colour compared with its shaggy pale beginning.