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Buyer's Guide
How to Maintain Your Butcher Block
  Do you know... How to maintain your butcher block?

The average person can lengthen the life of a meat block 5-10 years through observing the following rules in its care.

  1. Periodically (once every several weeks, depending upon the use and household conditions), apply an even coat of mineral oil or Boos Mystery Oil to the work surface of your butcher block. Sponge on with a rag!
  2. DO NOT allow moisture of any type to stand on the block for long periods of time. Don't let fresh, wet meats lay on the block longer than necessary. Brine, water and blood contain much moisture, which soaks into the wood, causing the block to expand, the wood to soften, and affects the strength, of the glued joints.
  3. Use a good steel scraper or spatula several times a day, as necessary, to keep the cutting surface clean and sanitary. Do not use a steel brush on the cutting surface of your block.
  4. DO NOT cut fish or fowl on the work surface of your butcher block, unless you have thoroughly followed the instructions in step #1...as the moisture barrier must be intact prior to cutting any type of fish, seafood, or fowl on the work surface of your butcher block. ALWAYS CLEAN THE BLOCK THOROUGHLY AFTER CUTTING FISH OR FOWL ON THE WORK SURFACE.
  5. Be sure NEVER to cut continuously in the same place on the top of your block. Distribute your cutting over the entire work surface so that it will wear evenly. DON'T use a razor-edged cleaver. It will chip or splinter the wood and produce soft spots. Your cleaver should have dull sharpened edge for best results.
  6. NEVER wash your block with harsh detergents of any type. DON'T wash your butcher's tools on your block.
  7. At the conclusion of a day's work preparing meat or food on your butcher block, scraping the block will remove 75% of the moisture. After scraping, immediately dry thoroughly with an absorbent towel. This assures an odorless, clean cutting surface for the next day, and prevents premature quick deterioration of the work surface.
  8. Maintain the same bevel on the edge of your block, as it had when you bought it. This prevents splitting or chipping of outside boards.
  9. Your block, should be turned over periodically to allow even usage to both work surfaces.

Problem:

Description:

Cause:

To Repair:

End Checks

Separation of the joints along the end of top or block

Excessive dryness. Not oiled frequently enough.

Apply white mineral oil to top of block and allow to soak in.

Splits

Separation of the joint along full length of top

Excessive dryness.

Proceed as above to seal split. If condition continues for an extended time period, contact your dealer.

Wind Shakes

Small portion of wood grain lifting up from tabletop.

Grain separation. Excessive dryness.

Clean and dry top. Apply portion of white glue to piece of paper. Slip paper under the shake and remove, leaving some glue for adhesion. Place heavy weight on area overnight, and let dry. Remove any excess glue using light sandpaper or fine steel wool. WORK ONLY WITH THE GRAIN, NOT AGAINST IT!

Warpage

Top cupping or bowing

Imbalance of moisture contact between top and bottom surfaces. Oiling only one surface.

Apply oil liberally to concave side. If not corrected within 2 weeks, tape plastic (i.e.: plastic liners, dry cleaning wrap, etc.) to the convex side, and oil the reverse concave side every day. Top will adjust to new humidity and correct itself.

Rail Expansion

One rail raised above balance of top

Raised rail expanding at faster rate than others.

Continue oiling, as instructed for regular maintenance. Top will adjust to new humidity and correct itself.

Stains

Water spots, food stains, etc.

Allowing food to remain on tabletop too long. Needs paraffin or wax.

Use light sandpaper or fine steel wool on stain. Continue regular maintenance. Stain will dissipate in wood grain.

Damage

Nicks, gouges, dents, etc.

External environment

If top is oiled, simply sand and re-oil. If top is lacquered, lightly sand and refinish with EZ-DO poly gel or another compatible finish (consult a local finishing store).

Mineral Streaks

Dark streaks in the wood

Discoloring of the wood due to mineral deposits in the tree.

No repair needed - Adds to individuality of your Butcher Block.

IMPORTANT: If you make any cuts or alterations in your Butcher Block, be sure to refinish the exposed edge with mystery oil, or EZ-DO poly gel. Holes or notches that have been installed in the tabletop must also be refinished. If you do not refinish these edges, your top may crack due to dryness or changes in humidity.

The Difference Between True Commercial and Professional Style Home Ranges
 

The following is an attempt to explain the differences between an actual restaurant range and a professional style range built for the home. It may sometimes be confusing because several commercial manufacturers also produce home units. It is very important that you understand these differences and thus will justify the large difference in pricing between the two. Products listed on our site, which are built for commercial use only will display a note to that effect. If, at any time you have additional questions, please contact us.

In a commercial kitchen, the sidewall, rear and oven door temperatures of the range are not a concern because they are installed in an all stainless steel environment with no combustible materials around them, including toddlers! You may remember seeing professional chef's often using towels when they grab things around their restaurant stove. That is because they get HOT!

All home-approved ranges are well tested and certified (usually by either AGA, American Gas Association or IAS, International Approval Services) for safe installation against wood cabinets, sheetrock walls, resin or plastic countertops and children. The allowed limit for side, rear and front surface temperature increase in home ranges, is generally 75oF (for bare metal parts) above room temperature (example: room@ 77o + 75o = 152o). At those temperatures, you will notice heat but will not get a burn and combustible materials like wood cabinets will not burn or ignite. The knobs, porcelain parts, glass windows etc. all get tested for similar heat levels.

Aside from the temperatures reached by these units, many other differences exist and the following chart may help to illustrate them:

COMMERCIAL RESTAURANT RANGE

  • Continuous burning pilots
    • Pilot burners use gas 24/7
    • Adds heat to the kitchen
  • 24,000 - 32,000 BTU top burners
    • Much hotter, needs better venting & cannot simmer
  • 28" - 32" overall depth
    • Will extend into room
  • Simple "On-Off" control knobs
    • Can be turned easily
  • No in-oven broilers available
  • No oven windows or light
  • Convection oven feature optional
    • Adds 6" or more to depth
    • Adds $500 or more to cost
  • Non-insulated front, rear or sides
    • Requires 6" to 12" clearance from combustible materials
  • 3/4" gas supply line
  • Metal control knobs (get hot!)
    • Brass valves and no insulation transfers heat into knob
  • Charbroiler sections rarely available (custom built ranges only)
PROFESSIONAL STYLE HOME RANGES
  • Electronic spark igniters
    • No wasted gas
    • No extra heat
  • 15,000 BTU top burners
    • Plenty of heat plus better lows for a delicate simmer
  • 24" overall depth (typical)
    • Flush to standard cabinets
  • "Push to Turn" control knobs
    • Tested for improved child safety
  • In-oven infrared broilers (typical)
  • Oven window and light (typical)
  • Convection oven standard (typical)
    • Still allows flush-to-wall installation
  • Insulated front, rear and sides
    • Certified for zero clearance from combustible materials
  • 1/2" gas supply line (typical)
  • Metal or Plastic knobs (stay cool)
    • Usually insulated to prevent heat transfer
  • Charbroiler section is available

All of these things also means that the vent hood required for a home unit is simpler and less powerful than commercial hoods.

It is fair to say, that in most areas of the country, building inspectors will not allow the installation of true commercial units in a home and insurance companies may use it as an excuse not to pay, in the event of an unfortunate home fire.

It is true that many people have bought and installed true commercial units into their homes, however this was mostly before the availability of so many modified home units and before the building codes were adjusted to consider the dangers of commercial equipment. Although commercial units are much less expensive, the added cost of trying to safely install it into a home environment, the wasted gas burning in the pilots and lack of safety features should convince you that the home versions are worth the money. From a cooking point of view, the added cooking functions and configurations available in a single range really make these a better choice for the home chef and easily compensate for a little less power. (Keep in mind that a typical home range only has 8 to 11,000 BTU burners) Commercial units are great for high volume, fast turnover cooking needed in a restaurant. They are also installed in concert with many other specialized pieces of equipment, such as separate ovens, griddles, fryers, broilers, steamers and more. But in a home, even professional chefs enjoy the cooking flexibility, high quality construction and safety of the home approved units.

What convection ovens really do
 

Once again the manufacturers out there have confused many people about convection. One company even advertised their convection oven by showing the room spinning around outside of the oven.

Standard bake and roast ovens are not obsolete or outdated. For most of us they are just fine, thank you. However there are some things to know about convection that may make you switch your thinking and spend a little more for it.

Convection ovens all have a fan built inside the oven cavity, which circulates the heated air throughout the oven and around all of the food. This does the following:

    • Heats the inside evenly throughout. From level to level and back to front.
    • Speeds up the cooking process by forcing the heat around the food constantly.
    • Creates a surface "skin" of heat around the food, which prevents flavor transfer.

Here are the positives. If you plan to do catering out of your home, convection is a must have. Trays of cookies and appetizers will cook evenly and quickly. In fact, you can load up the oven on every level and get great results. You can also cook different items such as fish and bread and not get a transfer of flavors from one to the other.

For most of us, the oven is really not used all that much. Of course, Thanksgiving comes to mind, but the rest of the year is what, an occasional casserole, roast beef, or some roasted chickens and potatoes and a standard oven will work fine. In fact, on the commercial style units, the standard ovens not only work fine but also usually have much more capacity than a standard home unit oven.

Here is the bad news. Convection ovens usually cost hundreds of dollars more and they take a little getting used to. Because of the forced heat, you have a choice of reducing the temperature and cooking for the normal amount of time or leaving the temperature the same and cooking faster. Either way you will need to adjust your recipes accordingly. This may take a few burned dinners to get used to, but you will. Eventually, cookbooks will be written with a conversion to convection values, but I haven't seen too many yet.

You need to look at your annual usage, family size, style of cooking and whether you entertain often before deciding on convection. Ideally, every kitchen should have at least two ovens and if it were mine, I'd make at least one convection. Just remember that you won't be left out in the cold without one, they really can't do anything a regular oven can't do, but for a busy kitchen, they are nice to have. NOTE- If you like to bake your own fresh breads, you will achieve better color and more consistent loaves in a convection oven. Try a stone baking shelf too!

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