Best Finishes for Wood Charcuterie Boards | Real Milk Paint Co. (2023)

FAQs

What is the best wood finish for a charcuterie board? ›

Pure Tung Oil ranks high on the list when you want to know how to treat wood charcuterie boards. Also known as chinawood oil, this all-natural finishing oil is FDA approved for food contact and contains no VOCs, heavy metals, additives or distillates for added peace of mind.

You can also seal the wood cutting board you create with food safe mineral oil or finishing oils like Pure Tung Oil and Hemp Oil — both food safe products from the Real Milk Paint Co.

Because wood is an organic material, this board will need to be regularly oiled to keep from drying out. In fact, anything made from unvarnished wood, including butcher blocks, wooden bowls, and wooden spoons, will eventually splinter or crack if not conditioned properly.

Non-porous hardwood wood is the best for charcuterie boards. Woods such as teak, hard maple, American Cherry, Olive, and acacia are ideal. Other materials that make the best charcuterie boards include kitchen slate, marble & bamboo.

According to finishing expert Bob Flexner, all finishes are food-safe once they have cured. Polyurethane varnish does not present any known hazard.

Adding seasonal fruits to a charcuterie tray really serves to bring out the flavors of meats and cheeses and add some acidity. You can include fresh sweet berries, like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and blackberries along with tart green apples to create flavor variety.

Milk Paint is environmentally safe and non-toxic. There is a slight milky odour when it is applied, but it is completely odourless when dry. The paint is safe for children's furniture and toys, is food safe and can also be used for interiors of homes of people who are allergic to modern paints.

Mineral oil, also known as liquid paraffin and butcher's block finish, is easy to apply. It has lower water resistance and requires reapplication more frequently. Mineral oil is one of the most common food safe finishes.

Pure Tung Oil, aka chinawood oil, dries hard to a lustrous matte finish, making it an excellent wood finish safe for foods.

What clear coat is food safe? ›

Danish Oil. Danish oil, like Teak oil, is a generic term. It usually consists of linseed oil, Tung oil, mineral spirits, synthetic resins, and/or varnish. It is usually food-safe (check the label) so it is a popular option for kitchen cabinets, cutting boards, and wood counter-tops.

Sealing your wood cutting board periodically

Using 3 or 4 tablespoons of mineral oil (look for food-grade mineral oil which contains no perfumes or chemicals, you can also purchase cutting board oil ) coat the cutting board. Let the board sit for 30 minutes or so to allow the oil to be absorbed by the wood.

I recommend a grit of at least 220, but for a buttery-smooth finish on your board, hand-sand it with a 400-grit paper. Once you've sanded your board, wipe it free of dust with a damp sponge, let it air-dry, then oil it to get it ready for your next use.

On new or raw wood surfaces, like cutting boards and butcher blocks, make sure to oil them with Cutting Board Oil. To properly oil new wood surfaces, apply at least 2 coats and let each coat soak in for at least an hour. For thick surfaces apply 3-4 coats.

The most commonly used oil for cheese boards is food-grade mineral oil.

Mineral oil for cutting boards is the best option to care for your wood cutting board and make sure it doesn't absorb water. Just be sure to choose a mineral oil that is labelled as food-safe or food-grade.

Allow me to introduce the 3, 3, 3, 3, rule for making cheese boards. Simply choose 3 meats, 3 cheeses, 3 starches, and 3 accompaniments for the perfect board every time.

The Fold: Folding pieces in either half or quarters and then fanning them out on the board not only makes it look attractive, the pieces are also easier to pick up. This is best for circular slices like deli salami and mortadella.

Double up Your Cutting Board's Protection

You can add an extra layer of protection to your seasoned board by waxing it after you're done oiling. Waxing gives your board a smoother exterior surface that allows water to roll off faster, thus preventing moisture from destroying the wood.

Olive oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil, should never be used to maintain a cutting board or butcher block. These oils experience rancidification – a process that yields a rank smell and unpleasant taste.

How do you seal a live edge charcuterie board? ›

I recommend mineral oil as it is both food safe and it will not go rancid like some other food safe oils (e.g. vegetable oil). The first product I used was a straight mineral oil. You just squirt some on the board and rub it around using a rag or shop towel.

Charcuterie meats and cheeses have the most flavor when served at room temperature. Remember these should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours total.

The cost for a medium board can range from $50 to upwards of $100 depending on the type and size of ingredients used. This cost typically includes a variety of meats, cheeses, crackers, nuts or olives, fruits, vegetables, and other accompaniments.

You can make a charcuterie and cheese platter a few hours ahead of time just wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge and take it out 30-40 minutes before you're ready to serve it. Leave the crackers until the last minute. They will get stale and possibly soggy in the fridge.

I dip the boards in a mineral oil bath for about 5 minutes then set them on a drying rack to drip off for about 12 hours. I then wipe any remaining residue off the boards and add a thin layer of Walrus Oil wood wax. I let this sit for about an hour, then buff any remainder into the board.

The pros recommend using mineral oil (or a blend, like Boos Block Mystery Oil) because it's flavorless and odorless, and it won't go rancid on your board like olive or vegetable oils tend to do. Mineral oil is also inexpensive and easy to find at most hardware stores.

That said, milk paint is rugged and long-lasting; the finish you get is the finish that's likely to remain for years. While milk paint can be applied to virtually anything, it adheres best to porous surfaces, such as wood; raw wood is ideal, as it takes milk paint well without priming.

It isn't essential to seal a milk painted piece, but it is recommended if it is likely to be handled, need regular cleaning or needs to be water repellent.

Milk Paint will show wood grain in most cases and can be used as a stain. Chalk Paint is thicker and covers wood grain in most cases. Milk Paint can be distressed and/or crackled and will resist some finishes giving an authentic chippy, aged look.

Fakolith FoodGrade paints and varnishes are coatings widely tested and certified for direct, indirect and occasional contact with food, beverages and drinking water, according to European regulation EU 10/2011, and/or American regulation FDA 21 CFR 175.300, and with all its subsequent modifications.

How do you color wood to be food safe? ›

Add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar to a plastic baggie. It's easier for me if I set the baggie inside a plastic cup to hold it open while doing this. Add your dye to the vinegar – I use 20-25 drops of food coloring per 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Lighter colors need 25+ drops.

Sealing or sizing a piece of wood greatly reduces the chance of stains, warping and rotting wood from your paint. Yes, this can happen! You should apply two coats of sealer and let it dry thoroughly in-between each layer. Sealing also provides an easier surface to apply subsequent paint layers starting with a primer.

A clear finish provides a protective coat for your wood that guards it against stains, water damage, and natural wear and tear. Applying a water-based clear coat to light-colored raw wood can stop the natural yellowing process of the wood, which helps to keep those cooler tones in-tact.

Eco-Tuff™ Clearcoat is an advanced high solids one component non-toxic self sealing hybrid bio-polyurethane sealer formulated to deliver outstanding abrasion, moisture, UV, and weathering resistance.

Wood finishes contain all kinds of chemicals that you would not want to put in your mouth, so you can't help but wonder: Is it safe to coat a salad bowl or a serving platter with the stuff? The answer: Any commercial finish is safe, once it has dried and cured. Here's a look at the most common concerns.

Clear varnish food-safe – a transparent sealant to make surfaces food-safe. Ideal for absorbent surfaces such as wood, concrete, Raysin, paper-mâché and many more.

The best wood for charcuterie board is one that is durable, food safe, easy to clean, and has the looks of refined elegance. Non-porous hardwoods like teak, acacia, and maple make the best charcuterie boards. Other materials like plastic, marble, and bamboo also make good charcuterie boards.

You should not use any type of cooking oil on your board, such as olive oil, vegetable oil, or regular coconut oil, because they will go rancid. Also keep in mind that excess moisture is bad for wood. Never soak your cutting board or let it sit in water for extended periods.

Mineral Oil vs Food Grade Mineral Oil

The refined mineral oil, in small amounts, is 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS) food additives by agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) & the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Can I use polyurethane on a charcuterie board? ›

According to finishing expert Bob Flexner, all finishes are food-safe once they have cured. Polyurethane varnish does not present any known hazard.

Wood that are too hard - Hardwoods like mahogany, teak, or rosewood (too hard) are not acceptable choices for cutting boards. 2. Soft woods - Avoid all softer woods such as pine or cedar. These woods tend to splinter easily, and they're too porous so they harbor bacteria more easily.

A charcuterie business could be profitable, as long as you can sell your charcuterie boards for a higher price than it costs to assemble them. To ensure your business is profitable, you'll need to track your expenses carefully, including the cost of ingredients, supplies, and delivery.

For a project like this one, any type of hardwood will do just fine. The size of your charcuterie board is completely up to you and can be customized to fit anyones needs. This board needed to be flattened and it was too wide for my jointer so I used my planer sled, some shims and my planer.

Polyurethane is resistant to mineral and vegetable oils, and aromatic hydrocarbons, making it a perfect choice for food grade applications. This material meets FDA requirements and NSF regulations for food processing applications, and is non-toxic, non-marking, and non-allergenic.

How to make ahead: You can make this charcuterie board a few hours ahead of time (leaving out the crackers and nuts), wrapped tightly in plastic cling wrap, and stored in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving and add the crackers and nuts.

The three main players on the market are Odie's Oil, Osmo, and my personal choice, Rubio Monocoat. Unlike film finishes, hard-wax oils provide protection by penetrating and binding to the top most wood fibres on the live edge slab and then a seal layer of wax cures on the surface.

Use epoxy or polyurethane to seal the wood. Epoxy and polyurethane are both good options for sealing the wood's open grain, which prevents it from warping or cracking as a result of changes in temperature and humidity. Alternatively, use boiled linseed oil to finish the wood.

Seal the surface with polyurethane if you want to keep things simple. Apply a coat of polyurethane coating with a sponge brush. Wait for the coat to dry, then sand it with 500-grit sandpaper. Do this 2 more times, then wipe the surface down with mineral spirits.