The Best Oils for Cutting Boards is mineral oil. A lot of manufacturer will sell their own brand of oil, but you can get similar effect by just purchasing food grade mineral oil. These oil will lubricate and prevent your cutting board from cracking. Some people even oil their board before first use. While I recommend every few weeks, you should oil it when it feels dry. Having said that, there are a few brands for mineral oil you can buy. Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Oils for Cutting Boards.

Best Oils for Cutting Boards List

When it comes down to it, mineral oil is mineral oil. What you should focus on is size and price. There are quite a few options available, there are even different brand available. I have list some of the most trustworthy brands out there.

John Boos MYSB Mystery Butcher Block Oil (Best Oil for Cutting Boards Overall)

Since the ingredients are not listed, I cannot tell what oil it actually is. Sources that I have saw say it is a blend of mineral oil, linseed oil and orange oil. Nevertheless, John Boos is one of the largest manufacturer of cutting board in the world. They make some of the Best and Most Expensive Cutting Board on the market, so they know their stuff. If you want the best of the best, consider John Boos Mystery Oil.

UltraPro Food Grade Mineral Oil (Best Butcher Block Oil)

UltraPro Food Grade Mineral Oil is more popular in the restraunt industry. Since butchers need to oil their boards and blocks more often, they buy their oil in bulk. The oil used here is NSF approved and food safe. Great if you have a giant cutting board or table. You can also use it to coat your carbon steel knife to prevent it from rusting.

Bayes High-Performance Food Grade Mineral Oil (Best for Smaller Boards)

If you want a smaller bottle, then bayes is a great choice. Their oil is one of the highest rated oil on amazon. You should be able to use it on any wooden board including teak, bamboo and maple. Best of all, their oil is made in the USA using nontoxic and biodegradable products.

Why is Oiling Your Board Important?

All Wood is naturally oily, some more than other. After cutting it, its loses its ability to re lubricate itself. This is made worse with the constant washing and drying that a cutting board goes through. As the board itself dries, it will shrink in size and cause the wood to contract. Or if the board is too dry and it absorb too much moisture, the wood will expand too much. This is the main reason why wooden board cracks.

To prevent this, you should keep your board oil. This way it will remain roughly the same size. It will also prevent ingress of water and stop it from splitting.

How to Oil a Cutting Board?

To oil a cutting board, add a thin coat of oil on top of the board. Get a rag and start rubbing it in. Once its evenly coated, then let it sit overnight. It should absorb into the grains of the wood. If it still looks dry, the apply another coat.

Bees Wax for Cutting Board

Some manufacturer will sell a beeswax finish to help seal in the oil. This will reduce the amount of time you need to oil the board and improve the overall life of it. You can think of it as a wax for your freshly oiled board. John Boos sells a similar cream but cant find the exact ingredient list. They are a great option if you want to go that route. Their cream has been shown to make water bead after application. This reduce the overall interaction with moisture and wood.

How to Clean Wooden Cutting Board

You can clean your wooden board with simple soap and water. The trick is to be sure to dry it properly. If you let it soak in water, you can split and crack the board. After washing, be sure to air and dry it out properly.

For butcher block, where getting a sink under it is difficult, try salt and lemon. The main goal is to kill any bacteria left on it. Just get a slight mixture and scrub it in. Be sure to wipe off any residue afterwards.

Best Oils for Cutting Boards and Butcher Block Thoughts

You should care for your cutting board like you care for your car. Frequent oiling and waxing will prolong the life of it. While it might seem like a lot of work, the extra effort is worth it. It will save you money in the long run and protect your investment.