Nothing goes beyond the happiness and satisfaction we derive from cooking. Cooking is an art, and the kitchen is a studio. There is no exaggeration in calling your kitchen a studio because it is one of the most important parts of the home where we spend hours a day. Designing every element of the kitchen is the most beautiful way is what we always desire. Kitchen design is quite related to the philosophy of ellementry i.e., “what does good, looks good. And what looks good, does good.” One of the essentials of the kitchen is the butcher board. Although chopping and cutting are time-consuming activities, they are fun with the right butcher boards and knives.

Knives and chopping boards are the two most important tools of the kitchen. They are created in the hands of the cook. Who would want to waste their time on a butcher board with a crack? Would you wish to see all your meat and vegetables on the floor while cutting them? Of course not! It is necessary to understand the need for quality in your kitchen essentials as a lot of time is invested in cooking!

What is a butcher board?

A butcher board is a styled block - made from one or more wooden pieces - intended to handle heavy chopping and cutting of meat and vegetables sometimes. It can be used as a cutting board too, but it is not advised to use it the other way round. Ellementry’s butcher boards are crafted specially to bear the heavy cutting and chopping activities.

Also Read- Top 6 Things You Need to Know About the Butcher’s Board

So now the question is, why would you need a butcher board in your kitchen? What all ingredients or items do you need to chop using a butcher board? Here is a list.

1. Meat

   Meat is a favourite ingredient for many when it comes to eating and cooking. Meat requires a lot of chopping. While doing this, you need to be careful as it is slippery, and can fall on the floor anytime. Meat also requires heavy cuts and hence can damage your cutting boards. Butcher boards are hard enough to take the pressure of your knife. As butcher boards are hard, they can deal with heavy chopping without damage. This will lead to better and damage-free chopping. Ellementry’s heavy-duty wooden butcher board is one of the best in its kind. It has a classy yet rustic appeal to it, which will not give you a hard time while chopping or mincing your meat.

2. Fish
   When we are talking about the items which require heavy chopping, you cannot forget fish. Fish is another ingredient that needs to be chopped with care. When you chop the fish from its dorsal fin and stop near to its backbone, it would require a lot of pressure. Butcher boards are specially designed for every such task. You can always be assured about the pressure-handling capacity of a butcher board as compared to cutting boards.

Benefits of owning a butcher block

Assuming that you need to remodel your kitchen, a butcher block plays a vital role in giving a new look. Here are some salient benefits of including it in your kitchen.

1. It’s highly sustainable

   The environment is precious and a butcher block seems to be aware of the fact. Therefore, if you want to make your kitchen remodel more nature-driven, then a butcher block is a great investment. Just ensure that it is FSC-certified or go for a material like bamboo.

2. It can be easily fixed
   Hard chopping and prepping can cause breakage in the butcher block – that's obvious. However, unlike other materials used as a countertop, it is easier to fix a butcher block. Since they are made with hardwood and joined together with edible glue. They can be easily joined again in case they get apart.

   Furthermore, you can even get rid of the chop stains by oiling the butcher block and applying a little bit of grease on it. However, make sure that you keep it away from the sink otherwise it will catch moisture leading to mold infestation.

3. It is available in numerous styles
   The style craze for a butcher block is not limited. In fact, it is available in two diverse categories – edge grain and end grain. The former has long strips, while the latter involves a checkerboard. Moreover, the end grain is the most widely used butcher block.
4. It shows variations in material
   Most people believe that butcher blocks are only made of maple wood. However, this fact is highly contradictory because it is made of various other wood types as well.

   Other woods that are being used for making a butcher block include, teak wood, mango wood walnut, and tigerwood.

5. It fits every style
   Whether you plan a modern kitchen design or a traditional one, a butcher block can go along with anything. On the other hand, traditional countertops cannot provide such a diversification. With a butcher block, all you need to consider is the contrast to get a seamless finish.
6. It can be refurbished to look like new
   Butcher blocks have an amazing healing capability if you take good care of them. Moreover, you can make it look like you just bought it by just applying a little bit of oil. Furthermore, the stains and marks of burns can also be rectified with sandpaper.
7. It can be cleaned easily
   People often say that the butcher block is not required to be cleaned. However, a little bit of care is required to keep the board clean. All you need to do is wipe it after every use. Moreover, you can also clean it with warm water and soap once a week.

Difference between a cutting board and a butcher block

Knives are said to be the best friend of a chef and are usually used for cutting, slicing, dicing, and chopping. Basically, any light prep work can be done by a knife, and that’s where a cutting board comes in use.

Meat is a kind of item that requires hard blows and a large area. Moreover, the area requires durability to take all the mighty blows. Therefore, that's where the butcher blocks come into play. Furthermore, thickness and weight should be considered when you buy a butcher block.

Bottom Line

So that was all about butcher boards. They not only add extra charm to your modern or traditional kitchen design but also provide the flexibility of doing multiple cutting and chopping activities. Therefore, make sure that you get one for your kitchen as well to give it an amazing look and feel.