One of the many great things about cooking with cedar planks is how user-friendly they are, even for beginners. A few easy-to-follow steps will have you well on the way to some great, smokey flavor that’ll make your cookout one to remember.
Planking certainly isn’t just for beginners, though. Everyone can enjoy the benefits of cedar, from amateur grillers to BBQ veterans and even formally trained chefs. So how can you level up your planking? Professional Chef Patterson Watkins has some tips and tricks to have you cooking seafood like a chef in no time!
Why Cedar Grilling Planks?
Cooking on cedar planks is a time-tested tradition that goes back to the Indigenous persons of the Pacific Northwest, which also explains the intimate link with seafood. Salmon is very common in the region, and cooking salmon on wooden planks makes for a simple, effective, accessible, and natural process that can be taken care of without any modern cooking equipment.
While this sort of minimalist cooking style is certainly a lot of fun, and it can be quite useful over a campfire, that doesn’t mean cedar can’t be used in modern cooking methods as well. Grilling with cedar planks brings a lot of benefits to the table, from a great smokey flavor to more leeway when cooking, to exciting plating options. The simplicity and versatility make these planks a great tool to have in your grilling arsenal.
Flavor Meet & Greet
Cooking on cedar gives your food a whole lot of flavor, but if that’s all of the extra flavor you’re adding, you’re missing out! Chef Watkins says that salmon, trout, fresh shrimp, and scallops are all fantastic candidates for planking, and marinating your seafood is a fundamental step.
Marinating your seafood for at least 2 hours prior to cooking is a great way to make sure your food is packed full of flavor before you even start cooking it. Make sure the flavors have time to get to know each other! Your favorite sauces, both homemade and store-bought, will do the trick. Here are Watkins’ personal favorites:
- Balsamic Dressing
- Caesar Dressing
- Italian Dressing
- Peanut Sauce
- Pesto Sauce
Don’t Save the Baste for Last
There are a lot of times when we’re told to “set it and forget it,” planking seafood isn’t one of those times. An important tip Chef Watkins gives is to baste your seafood with a generous coating at the beginning, and again halfway through the process.
Watkins says to feel free to experiment with your favorite sauces here, too. Caution is needed, though, since some flavors might go bitter while grilling. She recommends BBQ sauce, garlic butter, teriyaki sauce, and honey mustard dressing.
Prep Your Plank
As usual, when using a plank on the grill, make sure to soak your plank ahead of time in order to avoid it catching fire. Soaking for an hour beforehand should do the trick, but a lot of people swear by soaking it much longer, even overnight. Experiment with soaking your plank in more than just water, too! Beer or wine are a few favorites for some added flavor.
Grilling your plank for some 15 minutes before adding your food is also a great way to add some smoke and char into your dish. While none of these tips and tricks are particularly tough to pull off, they’re easy to overlook, and these small changes can make a world of difference in your final dish.
Cedar plank grilling is a great way for anyone to add a little flavor to their cooking, and just because planking is friendly for beginners doesn’t mean it isn’t fit for professional cooking. With these tips from Chef Patterson Watkins, you’ll be serving up some of the best seafood you’ve ever had in no time!
Cedar 4 Sale has been manufacturing high-quality white cedar grilling planks and grilling papers for high-end restaurants and chefs for decades. Now, you can experience these same products at your own home. Check out the store or contact us here.