Woods and Wax

Cutting Board UsesCutting BoardsKitchen & Cooking

How to Prep Steak, Chicken, and Vegetables Safely

By Jonathan Riedel

Founder of Woods and Wax with over a decade of business and marketing experience and several years building handcrafted hardwood cutting boards in Utah

Food safety starts with your cutting surface—and your technique. Whether you’re prepping steak, chicken, or vegetables, using a wooden cutting board correctly helps prevent contamination and improves efficiency.

Why Safety Matters in Food Prep

Cross-contamination is one of the biggest kitchen risks. Using the right process—and the right cutting board—makes all the difference.

Wood boards from woodsandwax.com provide a stable, knife-friendly surface that supports safe prep when used properly.

Prepping Steak Safely

Steps:

  1. Start with a clean board
  2. Trim fat and silver skin
  3. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts

👉 Best board type: Thick hardwood boards https://woodsandwax.com/product-category/cutting-boards/

Prepping Chicken Safely

Chicken requires extra care due to bacteria risks.

Best Practices:

  • Use a dedicated board (or sanitize between uses)
  • Avoid splashing juices
  • Clean immediately after use

👉 After prepping chicken, wash your board thoroughly and recondition with:https://woodsandwax.com/product/cutting-board-care-kit/

Prepping Vegetables Safely

Vegetables are lower risk but still require clean surfaces.

Tips:

  • Wash produce first
  • Use a separate board if prepping after raw meat
  • Keep knives sharp for clean cuts

Prevent Cross-Contamination

Follow this simple system:

  • One board for meat
  • One board for produce

Or:

  • Clean and sanitize thoroughly between uses

Cleaning Your Wooden Cutting Board

  1. Scrape debris
  2. Wash with warm water + mild soap
  3. Dry immediately

👉 Avoid soaking your board.

Maintain Your Board for Safety

A well-maintained board is safer.

  • Oil regularly
  • Avoid cracking
  • Prevent deep grooves

👉 Shop board conditioners:https://woodsandwax.com/product/cutting-board-care-kit/

Final Thoughts

Safe food prep isn’t complicated:

  • Use the right board
  • Clean properly
  • Maintain your tools

👉 A high-quality board from woodsandwax.com is an investment in both safety and performance.