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The 5 Best Cedar Planks for Grilling Salmon, Steaks, Seafood, Chicken in 2023
It’s almost BBQ season, and there are lots of new methods you might want to try out to impress your friends and family. While the traditional grilling method is excellent and practical, these innovative BBQ styles deliver some great experiences to enjoy with your loved ones.
And, for me, grilling with wooden cedar planks seems to do the trick. The idea of using a piece of wood to grill your salmon or steak might sound ridiculous. However, grilling your food on a wood plank can deliver some incredible smoky and sumptuous results.
But before we dive into our list of the top 5 best cedar planks for grilling, let’s check what this method is all about;
| Image | Cedar Planks | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top | Cedar Grilling Planks - 12 Pack - Made in USA | PrimeEligible | Check Price | |
Top | 12 Pack Cedar Grilling Planks with Thicker (4/10”) & Larger (12”x 6”) Size. Add Extra Flavor and Smoke to Salmon - BBQ China Incense Cedar Planks for Grilling Salmon, Fish, Steak and Veggies. | Prime | Check Price | |
 | Coastal Cuisine Cedar Grilling Planks, Simply Soak, Smoke, & Serve- Designed for Moist & Flavorful Fish, Meat, and Veggies – Add Sweet-Smoky Flavor to your Grilling Favorites, 7x16” Set of 8 | PrimeEligible | Check Price |
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What are BBQ grilling planks?
Grilling planks is another decent, unpopular method of cooking foods, especially meats. This cooking method involves cooking on a wood slab to infuse your favourite foods with those sweet natural wood flavours. These grilling planks are soaked in water to ensure the wood is moist before placing it on the grill. The evaporated moisture will infuse your food with wood flavours and aromas.
Reviews of The Best Cedar Planks for Grilling to Buy in 2023
Here are top-rated cedar grilling planks for sale
Top 1 – Grill Gourmet Cedar Grilling Planks
The Grill Gourmet Cedar Grilling Planks takes the lead with its appealing texture and several handy features. The planks’ texture is right for excellent moisture absorption to generate more smoke for an intensified wood flavour.
Another highlight of this product is its thickness. Each plank is made thick to ensure the wood can deliver great flavour for a sumptuous meal. To get the best out of these cedar planks, you should soak them in water for up to 4 hours before using these slabs of wood.
This way, the planks release essential oils and deliver their maximum potential to guarantee that your steak or salmon is juicy and flavorful. Keep in mind that you can’t reuse these grilling planks; they are a one-time product. Reuse is unsanitary.
Top 2 – Coastal Cuisine Cedar Grilling Planks
If you hate to soak grilling planks for hours in the water, then you might be better off with the Coastal Cuisine Cedar Grilling Planks. This product is an excellent choice for people who want to get down with cooking and spend quality time with their friends and family. It takes about 30 minutes to soak these planks and get them ready to use.
Also, you can present these grilling planks as a gift to outdoorsy chefs. The Coastal Cuisine Cedar Grilling Planks comes with detailed instructions to ensure first-time users get it right without hassle.
This wood slab is roomy enough to hold lots of food, which makes it great for cooking lamb, beef, wild game, poultry, pork, and other cuts of meat. Also, they come in handy for grilling fruits and vegetables while delivering that sweet, rich, unique wood flavour for a great meal.
Top 3 – NATURE CARRIER 12 Pack Cedar Grilling Planks
When it comes to planks that pack intense aroma, you want to stick with the 12 Pack Cedar Grilling Planks from Nature Carrier. These grilling planks are made from Chinese cedar to deliver a stronger and sweeter cedar scent than other options out there.
Furthermore, this pack comes with 12 slabs of wood. Each piece measures 12-inch long, 6 inches wide and 4/10 inches thick. These cedar grilling planks are thick enough to withstand lengthy grilling without burning. Also, their long length provides enough space to fit a whole fish and is wide to allow you to grill your salmon.
Moving ahead, this product is well polished to guarantee this unit does not crack and splinter. The grilling planks are properly dried for excellent moisture absorption. However, this product needs to be soaked for hours to deliver a sweet, smoky flavour.
Top 4 – Primal Grilling Premium Cedar Planks
The Primal Grilling Premium Cedar Planks is designed for repeated use. They are about 7/16 inches thick, which means these cedar planks won’t burn when using them on the grill. Also, its high thickness makes it suitable for sandling, soaking, washing and reusing.
For those new to grilling with wooden slabs, this product comes with a recipe booklet and detailed instructions to ensure you get the most out of the Primal Grilling Premium Cedar Planks. Each cedar plank is made of 10% natural Western Red Cedar.
Talking about quality, this product does not include any harmful chemicals, and they have been kiln-dried for optimal water absorption without creating excess smoke. This unit is great for grilling vegetables, fish and meats. It’s about half-inch wider than most options to accommodate plenty of food and fit most grills. Also, this slab of wood can function as a serving board.
Even better, this unit comes with a unique burlap bag to store your charred cedar wood to keep these wooden slabs safe and ready for the next grilling session.
Top 5 – CEDAR ALPHA 16 Pk, Canadian Western Red Cedar Planks
The CEDAR ALPHA 16 Pk, Canadian Western Red Cedar Planks come in different thickness options from ¼ to ? inches thickness to pick from. These units pass through lots of quality procedures, which makes them reliable and durable.
Also, they are available in different set options. However, there’s a lot included in the package for several grilling sessions. The CEDAR ALPHA 16 Pk, Canadian Western Red Cedar Planks has been sanded for a smooth surface to prevent splitting and cracking.
However, you want to soak these cedar planks for up to 2 hours before using them to guarantee it impart your food with a rich smoky flavour.
Things to Consider Before Buying Cedar Planks for Grilling
Size
Purchasing the right size of cedar plank depends on what you intend to cook with it. There are different size options on the market, which means there’s a plank large enough to accommodate your food.
Furthermore, you want to consider the size of the food portion of the number of people you intend to feed. The higher the numbers, the bigger the plank that would be suitable. The best cedar planks for grilling to buy should offer enough room to accommodate as much food as you prefer.
However, you can always place these grill planks side by side for a large cooking surface area when cooking a full fillet of salmon or a whole fish. But with small portions of food and a large plank, you can cook your chicken and veggies next to each other.
Wood flavour
One of the things we find interesting about grilling planks is their range of wood flavour options. Although people think grilling planks are just best for imparting cedar into their meat and salmon, there are other options to try out.
- Alder – vegetables, seafood, and white-fish
- Maple – pineapple, pizza, pork
- Cedar, vegetables, chicken, seafood, salmon and other fish
- Cherry – vegetables, poultry, chicken, and fruits
- Hickory – fruits, wild game, lamb, and beef
- Red Oak – fish, lamb, pork, beef and wild game
How to Prepare your Plank for Grilling
Most wood planks require some preparation before use, and here is a quick guide on how to prepare your cedar planks for grilling.
Soak the Plank
Unlike wood chips, these grilling planks need to be soaked for at least 30 minutes before using them on the grill. Some products come pre-soaked, while others are kiln-dried. Therefore, it’s essential to read the packaging.
Also, the length of soaking periods differs from wood to wood. Thicker options often have a longer soaking time compared to thin ones. In addition, you can increase the flavour by soaking the planks in a variety of liquids such as beer, wine or liquor. Also, you can try other types of wood for planking, such as cherry, hickory, etc., for different flavours.
Toast your Plank
Place the pre-soaked wood for planking over the grill under medium heat for less than 5 minutes. When you notice some light smoke, flip the plank over and repeat the process.
Storing Reusable Cedar Plank
If you opted for reusable planks for grilling, then it’s essential you know how to store them correctly. In this section, we’ll discuss crucial steps to clean and keep these planks.
- After grilling with a reusable cedar plank, remove it and allow it to cool before washing thoroughly.
- Hang to dry and store in a dry place
- Re-soak whenever you want to grill with the plank
FAQs
How to use grilling planks?
- Soak the plank in warm water
- Place seasoned food on the grilling plank
- Place plank in an oven or on preheated grill
- Cook food as desired
- Serve and enjoy
Where to buy cedar planks for grilling salmon?
You can purchase your grilling planks at any grocery store, kitchen speciality, and hardware store. Also, you can find these products in online stores.
Are grilling planks reusable?
There are some wood planks made to be used more than once before disposing of them.
Are grilling planks good?
Yes, they help impart your food with a sweet, rich smoky flavour
How do grilling planks work?
A hardwood plank acts as a heat shield to keep the food away from the grill’s direct heat while infusing your food with wood flavour.
How long do cedar grilling planks last?
Technically, you can use a grilling plank several times, but you won’t be enjoying that fresh wood flavour on subsequent uses.
Conclusion
All in all, we’ve reviewed the top 5 best cedar planks for grilling. Now, the choice is yours. But regardless of the grilling plank you settle for, we are confident you’ll enjoy a sweet cedar flavoured meal.
