Grilling food on cedar planks is a tradition that dates to the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, who placed fish and vegetables on wood to cook over an open fire. This technique imbues food with a rich, smoky flavor and is well-suited to grilling salmon. Cutting your own planks for outdoor grilling is an economical way to create a supply of cedar for your next cookout.
- Skill level:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things you need
- Untreated, unstained cedar
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Jigsaw and blades
- Workbench
- Safety goggles
- Wood hand planer or metal file
- Water
- Water-tight container to hold planks
- Unopened food can (or other weight)
- Grill
- Basting brush
- Olive oil
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1
Buy only untreated, unstained cedar to use for grilling planks. Any type of treated wood could produce chemical reactions when heated. This could result in toxic fumes, taint the flavor of food and introduce potentially poisonous chemicals into your food. Cedar is available at hardware and home improvement stores and lumber yards.
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2
Use a pencil and measuring tape to mark cut lines for the cedar planks. The size of each plank is optional, but the wood should be at least 1/2-inch thick to sustain the heat of a charcoal or propane grill fire. Planks must be large enough to hold the food you plan to smoke. A large salmon fillet weighing 4 to 5 pounds probably requires a cedar plank at least 24 inches long and 10 inches wide, for example.
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3
Cut the cedar planks using a jigsaw and following your pencil guides. Rectangular shapes work best for cedar grill planks.
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4
Use a wood hand planer or metal file to rough up one side of each plank, leaving the remaining side smooth. The rough surface helps the cedar burn easier to produce smoke on the fire.
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5
Soak a cedar plank in water for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight, before using it for grilling. Keep the cedar submerged by anchoring it with an unopened can of food or other weight. The porous wood absorbs water and creates a perfect surface for smoking grilled foods.
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6
Place the cedar smooth-side down on a grill for 10 minutes, then flip and brush olive oil on the hot surface to keep your food from sticking.
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7
Place food on the cedar plank, close the grill and let it smoke for the desired cooking time. Salmon, for example, is done when it flakes easily with a fork. A 4-pound salmon fillet cooks fully in about 45 minutes.
Tips and warnings
- Marinate the salmon before placing it on the cedar. Dijon mustard and fresh dill weed is a popular marinade.
- Wear safety goggles when working with power tools.
