Do chillis impregnate a wooden chopping board?
After chopping away at a chilli earlier today (well, 10 minutes ago) I then went through my normal ritual of scrubbing my hands to remove what traces the chiles leave on my fingers.
And it made me wonder - is whatever is difficult to get off my finger having any long-term effect on my wooden chopping board?
I clean/scrub the board regularly, and there is no visible staining, but we all know hidden problems exist..
Best Answer
Pretty much everything I've read (for example, this page) says not to use wood, because the oils from the peppers will penetrate the board and transfer, and hold there indefinitely, even after thorough washings.
This thread is full of people with personal experience transferring the heat to later meals.
That said, as with Jefromi, I've cut hot peppers on wood before and not noticed any transfer. Specifically, home grown habaneros and jalapenos on maple boards.
Maybe I'm just acclimated to the heat and don't notice, but those recommendations are not in line with my personal experience. I do thoroughly scrub my boards after use, but that probably isn't washing away any residual oils.
If you really want to be safe, for example if someone in your house is heat sensitive or you have small children helping in the kitchen, you can dedicate a board to cutting peppers, or just cut peppers on a small plastic board and wash thoroughly after each use.
Pictures about "Do chillis impregnate a wooden chopping board?"
How do you get chili off a cutting board?
Most dish soaps have oil-dissolving properties that are above and beyond regular hand soap. 2. Rubbing Alcohol \u2013 Chili oil is more soluble in alcohol than in water, so a good splash of rubbing alcohol can help wash it away. High-proof liquor like vodka can also work in a pinch.What type of food should never be cut on a wooden cutting board?
Softer woods wear out knives and chip tiny wood shards in your food. Don't: Cut raw meat or seafood on wood. Wood's main flaw is that it's hard to disinfect and can absorb and retain food odors. Veggies, bread, cheese, and fruit are better candidates.Do wood cutting boards absorb bacteria?
Basically, wood cutting boards kill bacteria. Wood binds up water, which bacteria needs to grow. Wood also contains antimicrobial compounds. (Given that many other plants can be used as natural antibiotics, this is not entirely surprising.)How do you season a wooden chopping board?
First rub the board with lemon juice or white vinegar. Sprinkle (sea)salt on top and take a paper towel or a clean dish cloth. Rub the salt and the juice or the vinegar over the shelf and leave it to soak for 15 minutes. This makes the cutting board squeaky clean.More answers regarding do chillis impregnate a wooden chopping board?
Answer 2
I chop pretty much everything on a bamboo cutting board, including chipotles en adobo all the time, and plenty of fresh peppers frequently. Admittedly I'm Texan and a bit acclimated to these things, but I've never noticed any residual heat in the board. And really, though my tongue may be used to it, I don't think my eyes are - and if the board were hot, I'd have managed to find out the hard way by now.
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