Cedar Planks for Grilling

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Mon May 07, 2012 7:03 am

Greetings woodworkers,

Did some grilling this weekend using a cedar plank that had been soaked in water for a few hours, then placed on a hot grill until it just begins to smoke and crack on the bottom. The fish (which was marinated for a few minutes) is placed on top of the plank and grilled for 15 minutes or until done to your liking. It's delicious and easy. The cedar planks, however are outrageously expensive for what basically amounts to a 6 x 12 x 1/2 piece of scrap. 2 pieces cost $9 in a shrink wrap package at the grocery store. Anybody make their own? Any issues with sanitation and food safety to consider?

Best,
Tom

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Mon May 07, 2012 7:14 am

I'm not sure I would use cedar to grill with due to the aromatic nature of the wood to begin with. I would be afraid that any wood oils present would transfer to the food.

BPR

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Mon May 07, 2012 8:13 am

Thanks Ryan. I guess I should clarify. I want to make my own cedar planks for grilling. They are crazy expensive at the grocery store. Cooking fish this way has actually been done for a long long time. I'm just not sure if there are any precautions I should be aware of. I was thinking of just getting nice clean cedar and actually sterilizing the surfaces in the same solution I use to clean bottles in my wine making hobby. Any other thoughts?

bffulgham · Post by **bffulgham** » Mon May 07, 2012 11:04 am

Western red cedar.......NOT aromatic/Eastern red cedar.

The aromatic cedar would make for a nasty taste IMO.

jimthej · Post by **jimthej** » Mon May 07, 2012 11:05 am

First resawing project after getting my bandsaw was to take some 3/4 inch cedar fence cutoffs to about 3/8". Sanded them a little and gave them as Christmas gifts. I use them all the time for salmon, chicken and halibut.
Soak in water at least 1/2 hour. Preheat until almost scorched, turn plank over and add meat. I prefer a light salt & pepper seasoning on the meat. Cedar gives the meat a delicate flavor that I love. Works best for meat 3/4" or thinner.
SWMBO loves it, too.
P.S. no sterilizing needed. Preheating wet wood creates enough steam at the surface. Plus meat sizzles on the wood when first placed there. Not much lives through that.

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Mon May 07, 2012 11:31 am

Works with maple to. I don't think the thickness matters that much. I have had it at a local restaurant on 3/4" planks. Very good!!

http://www.food.com/recipe/maple-planke ... rub-132662

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:53 pm

In the 1983 Shopsmith owner's manual, pg. 28, cedar is listed as a toxic wood. That may be related to the flying dust from milling.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » Tue May 08, 2012 2:16 am

Cooking salmon and other types of the fresh water fish on cedar planks has been done since it was discovered by the Native-Americans.

Don't think there are any toxic problems with doing this, I haven't gotten sick from it anyway. Many fine restaurants and BBQ joints serve it this way.

I believe the trick is that it needs to be done on an open flame (BBQ), that's the reason you need to soak the wood in water for at least a half-hour before using it so it won't burn-up your dinner.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue May 08, 2012 3:05 am

swampgator wrote:In the 1983 Shopsmith owner's manual, pg. 28, cedar is listed as a toxic wood. That may be related to the flying dust from milling.

Again there be different 'cedars'.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Tue May 08, 2012 9:52 am

[quote="JPG40504"]Again there be different 'cedars'.]

On the fairly rare occasions that I am working with a little aromatic/Eastern red cedar aka as Juniper here, my wife comes in the shop and most of the small scraps disappear. They then reappear in many dresser drawers and trunks.

When I cut one down on the farm that has enough heart wood (takes about a 3" tree) I will usually cut her a batch of about 1" disc off of the end of the log to use that way.
They come up volunteer very commonly here and where I can I often let them grow. They provide important wild bird feed from the little waxy berries, which is how they spread, and very good winter cover for over wintering birds.
When my wife was a young girl her dad would go out in the woods and pick out a nice small one about 5' tall and cut it for a Xmas tree. They had no money to spare to buy a tree. They actually make a terrible tree to decorate and worse to un-decorate since they are so stickery but we put one like that up in his honor most years. We put up 6 or 7 Xmas trees each year but all but that one come out of a box.

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