# Plank Cooking



## mbasiszta (Nov 30, 2011)

Today I am going to make an attempt at plank grilling. I am amazed I never even heard of this method of BBQ smoking in the past. Geesh!

So have soaked the cedar plank, coated the meat side with oil, salt and pepper, then covered it with thinly sliced lime. Placed the fish skin side down (along with a few gizzards for the cook - lol). 

Here we go . .


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## Paymaster (Nov 30, 2011)

Sounds good so far! Post some pics when it is done!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 30, 2011)

If you place the fish flesh against the cedar plank, you will get an infusion of the sweet wood flavor in the fish, as well as some smoke flavor.  I have also made skewers of cedar, and used them to make pork kabobs.  The kabobs were deliscious.

Other plank wood that can be used includes sugar maple, cheery, Apple, and white oak.  You can't use red oak because it contains a lot of tannins that impart a very bitter flavor into food.  That's also why you can't use red oak to smoke meats.  The smoke is bitter.

Seasoning the wood is a great idea.  I never thought to do that.  I will have to give it a try.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## LPBeier (Nov 30, 2011)

Have fun with it mbasiszta!  I would really love to hear your experience with it.  I have done it once or twice with varying degrees of success.

On that subject, I am looking for a cookbook I saw a few years ago at Costco and Chapters that was all on Cedar planking and had two boards attached to it.  I really want it for my BIL's Christmas present but can't find it anywhere - stores or online.  Anyone heard of it?  I don't know the author or publisher.


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## Savannahsmoker (Nov 30, 2011)

Using a ceder plank during grilling temperatures works great because the plank chars and give a sweet smoke flavor.  Not so much when doing low and slow BBQ.


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## mbasiszta (Nov 30, 2011)

OMG! It was great. I coated the plank with a light coating of olive oil (not extra virgin), salt and a little pepper, and then a layer of thinly sliced lime. Cooked at 350 for 20 minutes (no peeking - closed for full smoke effect). It was moist and fantastic (P.S.: the gizzards were fantabulous, too!).

I will definitely start experimenting with this type of barbecuing/smoking. Oh, this was done on a gas grill using indirect heating. I cooked a bunch of wings on the direct heat area.

Best to all, Marty.


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## roadfix (Nov 30, 2011)

Glad to hear it turned out well!
Once I wanted to save money the cost of planks so I bought some untreated cedar fencing at Home Depot.  It didn't turn out too well as it was not the right kind of cedar and the flavor was off.


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## mbasiszta (Nov 30, 2011)

Wow, Roadfix, you have all the toys in your backyard, some of which I don't even recognize. lol  "Yes", the plank I used was from Kingsford. Do you believe I found that here in the Republic of Panamá?
Happy here to be still traveling and moving around.
Happy Cooking to all,
Marty


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## CWS4322 (Dec 2, 2011)

The DH has a sawmill, so I set aside slab wood to dry. I have pear, hickory, white cedar, white oak, and cherry. If you know anyone that has a sawmill, that might be a good place to get the wood for the planks. I also have some chunks of apple wood--I'll have to try Chief's technique. (I soak mine in the bathtub...). Last time I planked salmon, I seasoned the wood much the same and marinated the salmon in a lime-based marinade. It was really good.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Dec 2, 2011)

mbasiszta said:


> Today I am going to make an attempt at plank grilling. I am amazed I never even heard of this method of BBQ smoking in the past.



It is much more fun than plank *walking*, matey. Argh!


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## salt and pepper (Dec 2, 2011)

I like to soak mine in white wine or Sake.


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## Chef Munky (Dec 13, 2011)

mbasiszta said:


> Today I am going to make an attempt at plank grilling. I am amazed I never even heard of this method of BBQ smoking in the past. Geesh!
> 
> So have soaked the cedar plank, coated the meat side with oil, salt and pepper, then covered it with thinly sliced lime. Placed the fish skin side down (along with a few gizzards for the cook - lol).
> 
> Here we go . .


I tried plank cooking only a few times. Found some at Pier One Imports, a package of 3 for $2.00, something like that. Mine didn't turn out as well as yours. It was a me thing.
Ended up hanging the rest of them on my kitchen wall..Fancy wall decorations. 
Found this site, after the fact. Thought some of you might like it.

Cedar Plank Cooking on Your Grill or Barbecue

Munky.


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## Timothy (Dec 13, 2011)

Chef Munky said:


> I tried plank cooking only a few times. Found some at Pier One Imports, a package of 3 for $2.00, something like that. Mine didn't turn out as well as yours. It was a me thing.
> Ended up hanging the rest of them on my kitchen wall..Fancy wall decorations.
> Found this site, after the fact. Thought some of you might like it.
> 
> ...


 
Here's a nice spread of photos of salmon cooked on a Cedar plank.


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## mbasiszta (Dec 14, 2011)

Thank you, Munky. And thanks to Timothy too for the pictures. By the way, Timothy, I love Sushi, too. And I eat all the exotic stuff like Uni.
But back on topic, this plank cooking is going to get quite a bit of my attention. I love how easy it is to infuse a reasonable smoke flavor to you food. I am looking for other types  of woods, as Cedar is all I have found so far. Those wraps look interesting, too.
Happy Cooking here, Marty


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## Timothy (Dec 14, 2011)

mbasiszta said:


> Thank you, Munky. And thanks to Timothy too for the pictures. By the way, Timothy, I love Sushi, too. And I eat all the exotic stuff like Uni.
> But back on topic, this plank cooking is going to get quite a bit of my attention. I love how easy it is to infuse a reasonable smoke flavor to you food. I am looking for other types of woods, as Cedar is all I have found so far. Those wraps look interesting, too.
> Happy Cooking here, Marty


 
I have steak about once a week. I wonder how plank cooking would make a nice Porterhouse taste?

I might have to try it.

On Uni...I never developed  a taste for Uni. It has this weird bitter taste to me that makes it unappealing. I do love almost everything else though.


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## mbasiszta (Dec 14, 2011)

Just for my personal taste, something that only cooks for a short time and very hot is not suited for plank cooking, like steak. I also like my Uni shashimi style - no rice. Funny guy is I, hahaha.


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## Timothy (Dec 14, 2011)

mbasiszta said:


> Just for my personal taste, something that only cooks for a short time and very hot is not suited for plank cooking, like steak. I also like my Uni sashimi style - no rice. Funny guy is I, hahaha.


How do you get your Uni served, if not with rice? The way I see it most commonly served is a gunkenzushi; with a finger of rice wrapped in an quarter sheet of Nori to make a "Boat" shape and filled with the Uni. Served sashimi style, by itself, it seems to me it would be very hard to pick up to eat.


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## mbasiszta (Dec 15, 2011)

I eat my Uni with chopsticks. They are kind of like picking up a small orange tounge. I love the "earthy" flavor.


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## Timothy (Dec 15, 2011)

mbasiszta said:


> I eat my Uni with chopsticks. They are kind of like picking up a small orange tounge. I love the "earthy" flavor.


Actually, I'm more interested in how you have it served to you. They bring it as sashimi, just laying there by itself on your plate? In all my years of eating sushi, I've never seen it served in that manner. That's kind of interesting.


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