Finish for hot foods

[Mark Baldwin III]

What would be a good finish for a cutting board that would handle a little bit of heat? Basically, something I could put a roast on for carving. Right now I have my cutting boards finished with a home brew of chopping block oil with bee's wax. I warm the oil and melt the wax into into it for form a paste. Will that hold up? Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Scott Holmes]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is your answer.

Oil and wax are best for cutting boards. Chopping block oil is most likely mineral oil. Much cheaper at the grocery store.

[Chris Fournier]

Scott is a mineral oil pusher!

The mineral oil that we use on our cutting boards is also referred to as White Oil No. 70 Grade A. Look up your local oil distributor and ask them about white oil No. 70, they will likely carry it and have it in stock. A gallon can be had for $15.00 which is pretty cheap!

Hard to believe but the oil distributor I'm talking about will be heavy into automative and industrial lubricants, don't balk, make the call and save money on the stuff we pay $5.00 a pint for at the pharmacy!

[Kent A Bathurst]

What would be a good finish for a cutting board that would handle a little bit of heat? Basically, something I could put a roast on for carving. Right now I have my cutting boards finished with a home brew of chopping block oil with bee's wax. I warm the oil and melt the wax into into it for form a paste. Will that hold up? Thanks in advance for any advice!


That's what I do - except before the oil+wax goo, I warm up straight mineral oil, and slather it on till it stops soaking in - end grain HM can absorb a pretty amazing amount - then I let the board sit for a couple days, and keep wiping off the mineral oil that weeps back out. Then the goo.

[Mark Baldwin III]

Thanks, all! The chopping block oil I have is straight mineral oil. I was also hoping that my mixture would be alright for this purpose.
Chris-I'll look into the oil suppliers when I use up my current supply of oil, thanks for the tip!

[Howard Acheson]

Use what you are currently using. Cutting boards are generally treated with a mineral oil/paraffin or beeswax. No other finish will stand up to being cut on. Carving will cut into a film finish allowing meat juices to penetrate causing the finish to quickly fail. Oil/wax finishes will not do this.