Grilling with Cedar Planks

Fish that is grilled on a cedar plank is imparted with the smoke of the grill and the woodsy flavors from the cedar, giving it incredible depth of flavor. For variety, you can use hickory, mesquite, or even a fruit tree wood like apple or cherry. The planks don’t last forever, but you should be able to get more than one cooking session from them. You may also be able to find smaller, thinner planks that are perfect for individual servings.

The planks must be soaked prior to exposing them to the direct heat of the grill.  You want to make sure the wood is completely saturated; make sure to soak them for a minimum of 2 hours, but overnight soaking ensures the best results.  To soak the planks, place them in a sink or tub so that they lay flat and weight them down so that they will remain completely immersed in the water. Alternatively, you can use a pail and insert the planks vertically, but they will still need to be weighted to remain immersed; if you have a pail with a lid this works well too. If you start with warm water it will help to open the pores of the wood which will aid in facilitating full saturation.

To add even more flavor you can experiment by adding aromatics, such as herbs or spices, wine or beer to the soaking liquid.

Planks may be soaked ahead of time and kept tightly wrapped in the freezer for later use.  To use the frozen planks just immerse them in warm water to 10 to 20 minutes prior to grilling.

Before you place the fish on the plank, blot the surface dry and apply a light coating of oil, such as olive or vegetable. You may also rub the plank with ingredients such as fresh garlic, herbs, or lemon, or merely place slices or sprigs on the plank and then lay the fish on top.