Cedar plank adds flavor to food
When it comes to cooking on the grill, in my family, we’ve
always gone for the straightforward flavor produced by cooking over
charcoal briquettes. But there are a few ways to add a little smoky
flavor even to a quick weekend dinner.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, I tried out cedar planks as a
cooking technique for the first time. The first thing the packaging
on the planks said to do was soak them for four hours, so I
submerged them in the kitchen sink. Now cedar is lightweight so it
floats. It took a little maneuvering to get the planks to stay
fully submerged
– maneuvering that included a stockpot and a watermelon.
Cedar plank adds flavor to food
When it comes to cooking on the grill, in my family, we’ve always gone for the straightforward flavor produced by cooking over charcoal briquettes. But there are a few ways to add a little smoky flavor even to a quick weekend dinner.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, I tried out cedar planks as a cooking technique for the first time. The first thing the packaging on the planks said to do was soak them for four hours, so I submerged them in the kitchen sink. Now cedar is lightweight so it floats. It took a little maneuvering to get the planks to stay fully submerged – maneuvering that included a stockpot and a watermelon.
While the planks were soaking in the sink, I created a quick marinade for some chicken breasts with apple cider vinegar, garlic olive oil and some sprigs of fresh thyme from my garden. In addition, I marinated some fresh salmon in olive oil and lime juice.
After everything had marinated and soaked for enough time, I started up the charcoal and let it burn down to medium heat – when the briquettes are gray, but not flaming anymore. After putting the plank on the grill, I placed three pieces of chicken right on top of it and shut the lid of the barbecue pit. There is no need to turn the meat – just let it cook for about 20 min.
While chicken breast is often a healthy way to go for outdoor cooking, it can be hard to cook. Too much heat or too long on the grill, and it can get dried out and tough. With the marinade we chose and the cedar plank for smoke, the chicken turned out juicy and tender with just a slightly pink smoke ring along the bottom edge.
After removing the chicken from the grill, I placed the salmon on the same plank and closed the lid. After 15 minutes, we had perfectly flaky salmon ready to eat.
The plank also added a little extra flavor to the other items on the grill that day – corn on the cob and vegetable kabobs.
When done cooking, don’t forget to leave the plank on the grill to cool before disposing of it.
If you like your food a little smokier, there are plenty of places that sell wood chips that can be placed directly on the coals. The chips can be added throughout the cooking process and work best when food is cooked slowly over a low heat.
Another option is putting woody herbs straight on the coals. We used this method for the first time when cooking a turkey at Thanksgiving. A co-worker offered up a grocery bag of rosemary. Every half hour for nearly five hours, we slowly added sprigs to the coals. At the end, we had a tender, juicy rosemary-infused bird.
Experiment with these methods and let us know which ones worked best for you by e-mailing [email protected].
Cedar plank chicken
4 chicken breasts
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 c. apple cider vinegar
½ c. olive oil (garlic-infused olive oil adds more flavor)
Soak planks in water for at least four hours or overnight. Marinade chicken in vinegar, olive oil and thyme for at least one hour, overnight for more flavor.
Heat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Place plank on grill, not over direct flame. Place marinated chicken on top of plank, not too close together. Cook for 20 min. No turning is necessary. Serve with vegetable kabobs.
Cedar plank salmon
1 salmon steak
5 limes, juiced
½ c. olive oil
Follow steps above except marinade salmon in lime juice and olive oil for at least one hour. Cook for 15 min. Serve with vegetable kabobs.
Vegetable kabobs
½ c. garlic olive oil
½ c. balsamic vinegar
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
8 large button mushrooms
8 cherry tomatoes
2 purple onions, quartered
2 bell peppers cut into chunks
8 wooden skewers
Soak skewers in water for at least one hour. Cut vegetables into similar size chunks and put on skewers. Cover with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Place directly on grill over medium heat. Cook for about two minutes on each side. Vegetables will be tender with grill marks.
