Six Tips for Plank Grilling
Plank
Obviously, the plank is the most important part of plank grilling. The plank should be clean, untreated wood. Make sure that the wood hasn’t been treated with chemicals. Chemicals burning around your food will not give you the flavor you’re looking for. This leads to the next tip.
Flavor
The smoldering wood will provide flavor for your food. There are many types of wood to choose from to use for plank grilling. Most people use cedar, alder, and oak. Other popular choices include hickory, maple, and apple.
Burning
One of the most hazardous aspects of plank grilling is having the wood catch on fire. You should always soak the piece of wood in warm water for at least an hour before using it. This will reduce the flammability of the wood and let you cook your food without setting a fire. If the wood does catch on fire while you’re plank grilling, you should use a spray bottle filled with water to put it out and continue cooking.
Grill
You should lightly coat your food with cooking oil to make sure it doesn’t stick to the wood. Also, you should keep the grill’s lid closed as much as possible while you’re plank grilling. This will help the grill maintain a stable temperature and retain the smoke from the smoldering wood.
Wind
As mentioned above, plank grilling will produce smoke to flavor your food. You should be aware of the wind while cooking because you don’t want this smoke to end up in your eyes. Always stand with your back turned to the wind when you’re opening the grill.
Discarding
After you have finished plank grilling, you will need to get rid of the wood. If the grill you have uses gas, you should quickly remove the plank to prevent ash from falling. The planks always need to be completely cool before being thrown away. If you have a charcoal grill, it’s safe to leave the plank up there. Otherwise, you can soak it in cold water to cool it off quickly and throw it away.
These are a few tips for plank grilling. Always soak the wood in warm water for an hour before using it. Make sure you have a spray bottle near, so you can quickly put out a fire if one occurs. Enjoy the food.
