Technique: Wood Planking

Plank cooking is an indirect heat method of grilling which uses a wet, relatively thin piece of wood to infuse food with moisture and flavor, while protecting the food from direct heat. This method of cooking is primarily done on the grill, but you can use planks in the oven or even the microwave.

The first thing you have to do is soak your plank- an hour or two prior to grilling will work just fine, but a longer soak time permits the plank to absorb more moisture. This allows for more cedar-infused water vapor to be released during the grilling process.
Depending on what size of plank you have, soaking can be the most difficult part of the process, as most kitchens are equipped with nothing larger than a 13 x 9 Pyrex baking pan.

Larger soaking receptacles that most people have available include…

-Kitchen sink, freshly cleaned

-Cooler

-5 gallon bucket with lid

- Food Service Container

Once you have your soaking vessel, make sure your plank(s) remain submerged. This may require you to weight it down. Feel free to be creative with this step.

Next, place you food on plank and close grill lid and let cook for recommended time. No flipping, turning, or tweeking is needed. It’s that easy.

So, What is plank-able? Well, I have found that you can plank just about anything from brisket to brie, but the classic pairing is cedar and salmon.

Go to www.outdoorgourmet.com for more information!