The Festival Block — End Grain Butcher Block, 3" × 20" × 30"

The Festival Block is my 3" thick, 20 × 30" end grain butcher block from my Pros & Pitmasters line. It's big enough to slice and serve a whole brisket off of at a cookoff, festival or catered event, and still easy to load up and move. Walnut is the one most cooks pick. White oak, cherry, sapele and hard maple are here too.

Put your name on it

Add a side name inlay and I'll inlay your team, business or family name into the side of the block in solid contrasting hardwood. It's real wood set into the block, not engraved and not epoxy. A name up to about 15 characters, in your logo's font or one very close to it, is a flat $250. After you order, I'll message you to confirm the name, font and inlay wood before I start. Want your logo or a longer name? Request a custom order and I'll quote it; logos start at $350.

Pick your wood

• Walnut: rich chocolate-brown, sometimes with streaks of creamy sapwood. 1,010 lbf on the Janka hardness scale, firm for daily slicing and easy on your knife edge.
• White oak: light brown with an olive cast. Its plugged pores hold up to water, and at 1,350 lbf Janka it stands up to a long season of cooks.
• Cherry: warm red-brown that darkens beautifully with age. At 950 lbf Janka it is the gentlest of the five on your knife edge.
• Sapele: medium to dark reddish-brown with a ribbon-stripe shimmer that moves as the light changes. A close relative of mahogany, at 1,410 lbf Janka.
• Hard maple: a clean, creamy white and the traditional butcher block wood. 1,450 lbf Janka, one of the tougher cutting surfaces I build.

How it's built

I glue up each block with the wood fibers standing on end. Your knife slips between the fibers instead of slicing across them, so edges stay sharp longer and cut marks close up. All that mass keeps the block planted while you slice a whole packer brisket. Every block is sanded smooth and finished with food-grade mineral oil and my Board Butter.

Key details

• Size: 3" thick, 20 × 30"
• Need a different size? Request a custom order and I'll build it to fit your cutting station, trailer or serving table
• Wood: walnut, white oak, cherry, sapele or hard maple, end grain construction
• Sides: single-sided, with silicone feet to keep it planted and textured handles for carrying
• Juice groove: optional, to catch juices from brisket and roasts
• Side name inlay: optional, solid hardwood, up to about 15 characters for $250
• Finish: food-grade mineral oil, sealed with my Board Butter
• Made to order: I build every one myself in my Pflugerville, Texas shop, so it ships in 3–5 weeks. Planning for a cookoff or event? Order at least five weeks ahead.
• Shipping is calculated at checkout from size, weight and destination

Shopping for a weekend pitmaster?

If you're buying a gift for someone who fires up the smoker on weekends, a 15 × 20" or 18 × 24" end grain board is plenty of board for a backyard cook, at a friendlier price. My 2" All Purpose end grain boards start at $300, and my 3" Pros & Pitmasters blocks start at $425. In walnut, a 2" × 15 × 20" board starts at $570 and a 3" × 15 × 20" block at $825. Those come single-sided with feet and handles or double-sided with finger grooves, and a juice groove is optional.

Care

Hand wash with soap and warm water, dry both sides, and let it stand on its side or feet to air dry. Never soak it or run it through the dishwasher. Keep it hydrated with my Board Butter so moisture stays out and knives don't dig into dry grain.

Keep exploring

• See the blocks I've built for Texas BBQ joints.
• Not sure which wood? Read my cutting board wood guide.
• Want a different wood, a border or a full logo inlay? Request a custom order.