What Exactly is Butcher Block?

Butcher Block is a specialized wood cutting surface, thick and rugged in design, built to sustain heavy blows from meat cleavers.

The term "butcher's block" was originally derived from its use by commercial meat cutters in butcher shops and meat processing plants over 125 years ago. The first butcher blocks were made from Sycamore rounds, which were large slices of Sycamore tree trunks mounted on legs. An inherent downside in using round cuts of wood is that the wood is prone to splitting, which can result in unsanitary conditions. This led to the invention of the traditional end-grain butcher block: an assembled wood product made from strips of wood which are glued together to create a solid block of wood strips.

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Traditional butcher blocks can be found in supermarkets, delis, restaurants and home kitchens around the world.

We think of end-grain butcher blocks, such as those shown above, as traditional, standing butcher blocks. They are made by bonding together short pieces of wood standing side-by-side on their cut ends, thus creating a distinct "checkerboard" appearance. The sawed ends of wood pieces provide an excellent surface for cutting and chopping, since wood fibers are able to absorb the impact of sharp knives and cleavers, but less susceptible to severe nicks and gouges.

Nowadays, the term butcher block is also commonly used to describe butcher blocks and boards consturcted in edge-grain style as well.

Edge-grain butcher blocks are made by bonding together wood rails laid side-by-side, so that the sides (or edges) of the wood strips form the cutting surface of the butcher block or board. Many of the butcher-block countertops, kitchen work tables and cutting boards found in commercial and home kitchens today are edge-grain style, which happens to be more affordable. Nevertheless, they are perfectly suitable for most food-prep. Notably, end-grain construction style is recommended if you expect to frequently and aggressively cut and chop on the surface of the board or block.

Edge-grain butcher blocks are thinner, lighter-weight, and more portable, making them ideal for versatile work tables; hard-working kitchen carts; gorgeous countertops; and rugged cutting boards.

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Want to learn more? Watch our YouTube Video - An Introduction to Butcher Block.