Cleaning a wooden cutting board after raw meat or chicken: how to do it
After raw meat or chicken, wash a wooden cutting board straight away with warm water and a little washing-up liquid. Scrub the edges and the juice groove with a brush, rinse, dry the board at once and let it dry upright. Only cut something else on it once it is clean.
Raw meat and raw chicken are fine on a wooden board. What counts is what you do afterwards. If you leave the board until after the meal, the meat juices dry on and soak into the wood. If you wash it straight away, you are done in two minutes.
Cleaning in six steps
- Scrape the scraps off the board and throw them away. Do not leave them in the juice groove.
- Wash the board with warm water and a little washing-up liquid. Do both sides, even if you only used one.
- Scrub the edges and the juice groove with the cutting board brush. The bristles reach places that a cloth or sponge slides over.
- Rinse well until there are no suds left on it.
- Dry the board straight away with a clean cloth.
- Stand it upright so that air can reach both sides. Only put it away when it is completely dry.
Afterwards, wash your hands, the knife and the worktop too. The board is only one of the places where the meat juices end up.
What you had better not do
| Do not | Why not |
|---|---|
| Put it in the dishwasher | The heat and the long time spent wet dry out the wood and it can crack |
| Leave it to soak in the sink | The wood soaks up water and warps |
| Leave it until after the meal | Meat juices dry on and leave a smell behind |
| Let it dry flat | The underside stays damp |
| Cut lettuce on the unwashed board | What you eat raw comes into contact with the meat juices |
Working smartly with raw meat
Cut the vegetables and the bread first and only then the meat. Then you do not have to wash up in between. If you often cook with meat, a second board is handy: one for raw meat, one for everything else. For meat that releases juice, a cutting board with a juice groove is pleasant to use, because the liquid stays on the board.
Do not put cooked meat back on the board where it lay raw, unless you have washed it in between. Whether wood or plastic does better here, you can read in Wooden or plastic cutting board: which is more hygienic?
Oil also helps to keep it clean
A board that is well oiled takes up less moisture. Meat juices then stay on the surface and rinse away more easily. Give the board a thin coat of care oil twice a month, including the edges and the underside.
Frequently asked questions
Can raw chicken go on a wooden cutting board?
Yes. Wash the board straight afterwards, dry it and let it dry upright. Do not use it for anything you eat raw before it is clean.
Does a smell linger after washing?
Then coarse salt and half a lemon help. How to go about it is explained in Wooden cutting board smells: how to get the odour out.
Do I need to oil the board every time after meat?
No. Twice a month is enough. If the wood feels dry or turns dull because you wash it often, oil it a little sooner.
What do I use to scrub the juice groove clean?
A brush. The cutting board brush has a beech handle and is made for scrubbing the board clean, including in the groove and along the edges.
