The Art of Serving Planks

Elevate your barbecue from a simple meal to a culinary event. The art of using serving planks is a time-honored technique that infuses food with a delicate, smoky essence while keeping it incredibly moist. Beyond the flavour, a serving plank transforms your dish into a rustic masterpiece, delivered from the grill to the table with unmatched style.

Step 1: The Essential Pre-Cook Prep (The Art of Soaking)

This is the most critical step. Soaking a serving plank prevents it from catching fire and creates the steam that carries the wood’s flavour into your food.

• Choose Your Wood: Cedar is the most popular choice, imparting a light, fragrant smoke perfect for salmon and poultry. Alder provides a milder, sweeter flavor, while hickory or oak offer a stronger, more robust smoke for red meats.
• Submerge and Saturate: Place your plank in a tray or sink and submerge it completely in water. You can weigh it down with a heavy bowl to keep it fully submerged. For an extra layer of flavour, soak the plank in wine, beer, or apple juice.
• Soak for at Least an Hour: For a new plank, we recommend soaking it for at least one to two hours. A well-saturated plank will smoke beautifully without the risk of an unwanted fire.

Step 2: Prepare Your Grill for Indirect Cooking

A serving plank should never be placed directly over the flames. Indirect heat is key to a long, slow smoke without burning the wood.

• Gas Grill: Turn on one or two burners on one side of your grill to medium heat. Leave the remaining burners off. The plank will sit on the side with the unlit burners.
• Charcoal BBQ: Arrange your hot coals on one side of the grill. Place a drip pan on the empty side. The plank will rest over the cool side of the grill.

Step 3: The Searing & Cooking Process

• Preheat the Plank: Place the soaked plank on the hot side of the grill for about 2-3 minutes, just until it begins to smoke and sizzle. This toasts the wood and releases its aromatic oils.
• Move to Indirect Heat: Flip the plank over (the toasted side is now facing up) and immediately move it to the cooler, indirect heat side of the grill.
• Lay on the Food: Place your prepared food directly on the toasted side of the plank. Close the lid and let the magic happen.
• Monitor the Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to track your food's internal temperature. For fish or poultry, the plank is not about speed, but about flavour infusion.

Step 4: Serving with Style

The serving plank is not just a cooking tool; it's a presentation piece.

• From Grill to Table: Use heat-resistant gloves or tongs to carefully lift the entire plank with the cooked food on it. Place it on a heat-safe surface at your table.
• Garnish and Serve: Garnish your food directly on the plank. For a piece of cedar-plank salmon, a fresh sprig of dill and a few lemon wedges make a beautiful and aromatic finish.

Planks 101: Troubleshooting & Tips

• What if the plank catches fire? If flames appear, spritz the area with a small spray bottle of water or simply move the plank to a cooler part of the grill.
• Can I reuse a plank? Yes, but its smokiness will diminish with each use. A well-charred plank can be used a second time, but it's often best to treat them as single-use for maximum flavour.
• What foods work best? Serving planks are perfect for delicate foods like salmon, other types of fish, chicken breasts, and thin cuts of pork. They are also fantastic for grilling vegetables or even wheels of brie cheese.