English Oak: Why We Source Locally for Our BBQ Blocks

Our BBQ Blocks are made from English oak sourced within a few miles of our workshop in Reigate, Surrey. This is not a marketing line. It is a materials decision that affects everything about the product — how it looks, how it ages, and why it is worth more than a board of anonymous imported timber.

Why oak for a BBQ serving board

Oak is a closed-grain hardwood. Closed grain means it does not absorb liquids deeply — fat and juices sit on the surface and can be wiped clear rather than soaking in. It is also hard enough to resist deep knife marks, which matter when a board is being used for carving as well as serving.

By contrast, softwoods — pine, poplar, birch — absorb liquids quickly, scar deeply with knife contact, and can split as they dry out. They are cheap to source and easy to machine, which is why they dominate the budget end of the cutting board market. They are the wrong choice for a board that will be used regularly at high heat and with a carving knife.

Why English oak specifically

Timber is a commodity with a global supply chain. English oak costs more than oak from Eastern Europe or the US, but it is traceable — we know which woodland it came from, and by sourcing locally, we know it has been dried and seasoned in the UK climate rather than shipped wet and dried artificially.

There is also a simpler reason: if we are making a product in Reigate, Surrey, and there is an English oak source within a few miles, using it is the right thing to do. It is consistent with how we think about every materials decision — known supply chains, no anonymous sourcing, quality over convenience.

How our BBQ Blocks are made

Each block is cut from seasoned English oak, hand-finished, and inspected before it ships. The live edge is retained where possible — the natural outline of the timber rather than a cut and squared board. No two blocks are identical. That is a consequence of the material, not a defect.

We also make a smaller version of the same timber as a keyring — the BBQ Block Keyring — handcrafted from the same local oak. It is the smallest piece in the range and, weight for weight, probably the most considered.