Olive Wood Charcuterie Boards: Why Start with Unfinished Wood

 

The board is half the spread

A great charcuterie board starts before the first slice of prosciutto goes down. The wood underneath sets the tone, and few woods make a stronger first impression than olive. Its swirling grain, cream-and-chocolate color and natural live edge turn a simple cheese plate into the centerpiece of the table.

If you want a board that is truly one of a kind, the best place to start is unfinished olive wood. Here is why, and how to turn a raw slab into a board you will use for years.

Why olive wood makes an ideal serving board

Olive wood has been used for kitchen tools around the Mediterranean for centuries, and for good reason.

• It's dense and hard. Olive is one of the harder woods you can put on a table, so it stands up to cheese knives and daily use without scarring easily.
• The grain is tight. A closed, tight grain absorbs less liquid than open-grained woods, which helps it shrug off juices from fruit, pickles and soft cheeses.
• It's naturally oily. Olive wood carries its own natural oils, which give it a soft sheen once finished and help it resist drying out.
• No two pieces match. Olive trees grow slowly and twist as they age, so every slab shows its own pattern of swirls, burls and dark streaks. Your board will not look like anyone else's.
• It smells good. Fresh-cut olive has a faint, pleasant aroma that many people notice the first time they sand it.

Why start with unfinished olive wood

Finished boards from big retailers are often small, thin and sealed with a coating you can't see. Buying the wood unfinished puts you in control.

• You choose the exact piece. At Desert Hardwoods, every listing photo shows the actual slab or cookie you'll receive, so you pick the grain and shape you love.
• You choose the size. Go small for a date-night board, or long and wide for a grazing table that feeds a crowd.
• You control the finish. Raw wood means nothing has been applied that you didn't put on yourself, so you know the surface touching your food is food-safe.
• The live edge stays natural. Keeping the bark-side edge gives the board that rustic, organic look that photographs beautifully.
• It's a better gift. A board you shaped and finished yourself means more than one pulled off a store shelf.
• It costs less per square inch. You're paying for the wood, not someone else's finishing labor.

 

From raw wood to finished board

You don't need a full shop to make a beautiful board. A random-orbit sander and a few grits of sandpaper will get you most of the way.

1. Flatten and shape. Make sure the board sits flat on the table without rocking. Trim to size and round over any sharp corners. If you're keeping the live edge, brush off loose bark with a stiff brush.
2. Sand in stages. Work through 80, 120, 180 and 220 grit. Don't skip grits; each one removes the scratches from the last.
3. Raise the grain. Wipe the board with a damp cloth, let it dry, then give it a final light pass with 220. This keeps the surface from going fuzzy the first time you wash it.
4. Flood it with oil. Apply a generous coat of food-grade mineral oil, let it soak in for 20 to 30 minutes, then wipe off the excess.
5. Repeat. Re-oil once a day for the first week, then seal the surface with a board butter (mineral oil blended with beeswax) for extra water resistance and a soft glow.

Finishes to use: food-grade mineral oil, board butter or beeswax blends, and fractionated coconut oil.

Finishes to avoid: olive oil, vegetable oil and other cooking oils, which can turn rancid in the wood, plus varnish or polyurethane on the serving surface, which can chip under a knife.

Caring for your olive wood board

A little care keeps an olive wood board looking good for decades.

• Hand wash only. Use warm water and a little mild soap, then dry it right away with a towel.
• Never soak it or put it in the dishwasher. Standing water and high heat are the fastest way to crack wood.
• Dry it standing up. Let both sides get air so the board dries evenly and doesn't cup.
• Oil it monthly. When the wood starts to look pale or dry, give it another coat of mineral oil or board butter.
• Freshen it naturally. To lift odors or light stains, rub the surface with coarse salt and half a lemon, rinse, dry and re-oil.
• Mind the desert air. In a dry climate like Arizona's, boards lose moisture faster. Oil a little more often and keep them away from direct sun and heat vents.

Styling tips: let the wood show

The best boards leave some of the grain visible, so the olive wood is part of the display.

• Anchor with cheese. Place two or three cheeses first, spaced apart, in a mix of hard, soft and blue.
• Fold and ribbon the meats. Drape prosciutto and fold salami into loose rows that lead the eye across the board.
• Fill gaps with color. Grapes, figs, berries and dried apricots add contrast against the warm wood tones.
• Use small bowls for anything wet. Olives, honey, jam and mustard go in ramekins to protect the wood and keep the board tidy.
• Follow the live edge. Let crackers or breadsticks trace the natural curve of the edge for a finished look.
• Size it to the crowd. A 12 to 16 inch board serves two to four people; a long slab of 30 inches or more turns into a grazing table for a party.

Find your board at Desert Hardwoods

We mill our olive wood ourselves, from stumps to slabs, and sell it raw so you can make it your own. Browse our unfinished olive wood slabs, cookies and cutting board stock at deserthardwoods.com. Every photo shows the exact piece you'll get, and shipping is free with 3-day UPS Ground.

In the Phoenix area? Visit the shop by appointment on evenings and weekends to pick your piece in person.