It’s almost that time of the year again... turkey time! If you are hosting the festivities this year, you know how important it is to have the right kitchen tools to help make your prep and plating easier. Whether you are eating turkey, ham or other meats, you need a good carving board to help make getting to the wishbone less of hassle.
Below we have rounded up some popular carving boards that help keep meat in place, preserve the juiciness of your dish and are easy to clean up after. Read on to grab one before the holidays!
Editor-loved carving boards
“In an effort to cut down on plastic in my kitchen, I picked up this affordable bamboo cutting board that has served me well since. It’s fairly bare bones, which is what I like: I don’t feel the need to be precious with it. Plus, it has a ‘juice groove’ and non-slip corners, which have definitely proved helpful,” says senior commerce editor Evan Siegel.
If you don’t want to deal with the maintenance of a wood cutting board, editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson recommends this plastic cutting board. She says“I’m usually not a plastic cutting board person but, to be honest, I was tired of the cleaning process for my wood ones after cutting meat. These haven’t disappointed me yet. I love that it comes with two in two different sizes. I usually use the smaller ones for fruits and veggies, and the larger ones for meat. It’s double-sided so I can just throw it on the counter and use however, and it has grooves to catch any drippings which is great for when you’re resting steak after cooking it.”
She adds, “My favorite part? It’s dishwasher-safe! Takes all of the stress out of cleaning.”
I (Shigo) have this board and use it all the time when I need to cut dense vegetables and meats. It says out on my counter because it so beautiful and has a good weight to it so it will not slip and slide. I love the ridges on the corners of the board because it helps trap juices and minimize spills on my board It is also very smooth so it is easy to clean without a lot of scrubbing.
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More carving boards to shop
This set comes with a board stand so you won’t have to haphazardly toss your boards in a random drawer. It’s perfect for those who are cooking different sized cuts of meat. You can use the largest board for a turkey and the smaller board for cuts of beef. The side handles also make it easy to carry the boards directly to the table.
This carving board is made with end grain teak wood that the brand says is made to withstand years of slicing and dicing. One reviewer said, “so far it’s large enough for what I need it for: Christmas standing rib roast. I flip it over to cut fruits and vegetables and save the front side just for meat or things with a lot of liquid.”
This reversible cutting board set is made with carbonized bamboo and has thousands of positive reviews calling it easy to clean and easy to cut a variety of foods on. The boards also have deep grooves to capture and preserve juices from meats and fruits.
Titanium cutting boards have been all the rage in recent years because they minimize microplastic consumption and look sleek in a kitchen. This one comes with it’s own built-in knife sharpener and grater to grate garlic and herbs. One side is safe for veggies and the other side is safe for meats!
Get everything you need in one place with this set. It includes an acacia wood carving board and a meat knife and fork set that is made with German stainless steel. One reviewer says, “Everything is very high quality and works extremely well. I cannot wait to use the carving set during thanksgiving.”
Get the best of both worlds with this reversible carving board. On the smooth side you can chop veggies and utilize the stainless steel compartment to put cut fruit and veggies in. The side with ridges is meant to keep meat in place and allow for easy slicing. You can use the same stainless steel tray to collect juice from meats.
This dark wood carving board is all about the presentation and design. It is made with sustainably harvested New England hardwood. It has built-in ridges to help trap meat in plan to allow for easy carving. The perimeter well also helps trap juice to use for later.
What to look for in a carving/cutting board
We previously spoke with Adrienne Cheatham, the chef at the Institute of Culinary Education about how to find the right cutting boards.
She said, “Wood cutting boards are great because the surface isn’t as hard as others made out of different materials, like plastic, that can dull your knife blade. Wood also has a little give to it. Your knife won’t cut into the surface deeply, but the softer top won’t damage the blade every time it chops down onto the wood.”
Cheatham notes that there are a few things to look for in a wood cutting board. You want a thick, good quality wood — if the board feels flimsy or cheap, it probably is, and won’t last that long. “The cutting board should have a completely flat surface. If there’s a crack in the wood, it can rock your knife blade in a different direction and you run the risk of cutting yourself.”
Meet the expert
- Adrienne Cheatham is the chef at the Institute of Culinary Education.
How we choose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers. Products for the best 100% wool, cotton and cashmere sweaters were chosen by Garlin and members of the Shop TODAY team based on personal experience with products from the included brands.
