It certainly isn't the case for all wooden cutting boards, but many of them are made with a groove that runs around the outside. If you've seen one of these, you may have wondered what exactly it was for. But if you've ever grated tomatoes or sliced a juicy piece of meat on one of these kitchen staples, its function becomes apparent pretty quickly. This feature is called a juice groove, and it is there to collect liquids that would otherwise spill off the side of the board onto your work surface.
Admittedly, the presence of the juice groove on your cutting board does mean that the workspace is slightly smaller, as you can only chop within the confines of the groove itself, but it can be a lifesaver. When it comes to chopping vegetables heavy on the moisture, it may mean that you don't have to worry about wiping down the countertop afterward. But when it comes to raw meats -- maybe you're cubing up some meat after it comes out of the marinade -- it is an excellent tool to prevent cross-contamination by keeping your workspace clean.
You can certainly get by without a juice groove, but if you have ever left a piece of meat to rest for a few minutes while finishing your vegetables or throwing together a salad, only to come back to a greasy mess on the counter, you know how useful it can be. And you really don't need an expensive cutting board, so inexpensive models like this Empune Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board -- which can double as a serving platter -- are easy to add to your toolkit.
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The downside to the juice groove (in addition to a slightly smaller workspace) is that the recessed space is tougher to clean. Juices and fine debris collect in there while you are chopping and scraping, and it isn't quite as easy to clean as a totally flat surface -- but it's still pretty easy. The internet is full of tips and tricks for cleaning cutting boards, but some of them are better avoided if you are talking about wood.
The best way to clean a wood cutting board is gently. Always hand-wash wood, never put it in the dishwasher, and avoid soaking it as well. Both the dishwasher and a long soak will strip the oils out of the wood, dry it out, and potentially warp or crack the board. As for cleaning the juice groove itself, you can scrape out any bits stuck in there with the corner of a metal spatula and sanitize it with an equal-parts mixture of water and white vinegar. The vinegar is effective against germs but won't harm the wood.
Also, be sure to regularly season the wooden cutting board with oil, both to protect the wood and keep it food-safe by preventing liquids from soaking in. While it might be slightly tougher to clean, a wooden cutting board with a juice groove is a purchase that you won't regret. The first time it saves you from a messy cleanup, you'll understand what you've been missing all this time.