Have you ever heard your friends talk about planking before? No, I’m not talking about the silly craze where you lie horizontally on a random object and take a picture for all your friends to see. I’m talking about the art of grilling on a plank of wood. Planking is a great way to add flavor to your food with minimal effort. With so many different types of wood the flavor possibilities are endless. From Cedar to Maple to wine barrel planks there is something for every piece of meat. Following is a step by step guide to help you master the art of planking.
Step 1: Grab a Wood Plank from your neighborhood barbecue store.
Step 2: Soak the plank in water for a minimum of one hour. Do not over soak or you will eventually start to lose flavor. Remove planks from water and pat dry.
Step 3: Brush both sides of the plank with olive oil to avoid any sticking.
Step 4: Place food on the smooth side of the plank. Planking works great for many times of food including fish, pork, and lamb. No flipping will be necessary so generously season the top of your meat with an appropriate pairing. For fish citrus works best. For pork or chicken why not try something a little more sweet.
Step 5: Pre heat barbecue to 375°F or 190°C.
Step 6: Using Indirect Heat cook food as long as necessary according to what you are making. Indirect cooking is the key to this process to avoid the plank catching fire.
Step 7: Once fully cooked remove plank from barbecue and remove food. Be careful as plank may still be very hot. Not sure when your food is fully cooked. Check out our temperature guide.
Here are a few great recipes that work great with planking: