You might be wondering: what is so special about cedar planks? One of the coolest reasons to use a cedar plank for your next dinner is the smoky, cedar taste imparted in the seafood. Also, cedar planks can make almost any recipe foolproof! The cedar must be soaked before using - for safety - but it also creates a moist atmosphere for the seafood to cook. 😃

Always soaking the planks prior to use is a crucial step to ensure the planks will not catch fire in high heat environments – and it gives you a deliciously moist piece of fish! We recommend soaking your cedar planks in submerged water for one hour (if grilling), or 15 minutes (if baking), to ensure they are thoroughly soaked through.

After the cedar planks have been soaked, let the fish feast begin! We have a few tasty recipes that are centered around using cedar planks, but the great thing is that you can cook nearly any recipe on cedar planks using the oven or grill! (*We do not recommend using any other form of cooking with cedar planks)

If you want to use cedar planks with other oven or grill recipes, here are our recommendations on the method! 👩‍🍳

🐟 How to Grill with a Cedar Plank 🐟

Before you do anything with an open flame on the grill, make sure you have a fire extinguisher nearby. A small spray bottle with water may help with small flames at the edges of the cedar plank on a grill, but do not attempt to use water to extinguish a flame near hot oil! This can be highly combustible beyond any existing flame.

1. Set up your grill so that you’ll be able to place the cedar plank over indirect heat. Do this by only loading one side of the grate with coals. If you’re using gas, turn half the burners up to medium-high and leave the other burners off. Basically, you want to leave enough space on the grill for the cedar to steam rather than to singe over a flame.

2. Allow the grill to preheat to about 400F.

3. Meanwhile, brush the top of your cedar plank with a little bit of high heat cooking oil, then place your thawed and seasoned seafood on it. If you’re cooking a skin-on fish like sablefish or wild salmon, make sure it’s skin-side down.

4. When the grill is hot, place plank on the cooler side of the grill, then close the grill lid and allow the food to cook per your recipe’s instructions. Cook times will vary depending on the type of seafood you’re using.

🐟 How to Bake with a Cedar Plank 🐟

You can use your oven to cook with a cedar plank. The flavor of the wood won’t come through quite as prominently when baking with a cedar plank, since there won’t be an open flame in your oven, but the plank will still produce plenty of aromatic steam as it heats up, and will keep your filet impossibly moist.

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

2. Meanwhile, brush the top of your cedar plank with a little bit of cooking oil, then place your prepped seafood on it. If you’re cooking a skin-on fish like sablefish or wild salmon, make sure it’s skin-side down.

3. Place cedar planks on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and cook to your recipe’s time or temperature doneness.

✨ Fun fact ✨ : did you know that you can reuse your cedar plank up to three times? It depends on if the plank is able to be cleaned without using soap (cleaning with soap creates a soapy flavor!). If the plank can be rinsed/scrubbed with just water and a clean non-soapy kitchen rag, and the wood is not burned, you are free to reuse your cedar plank for another delicious dinner! Make sure to dry out the rinsed-off cedar plank in a well-ventilated area to avoid the growth of mold.

If you have any questions or concerns, we are just a message away. ✉️ You can reach out to our awesome Member Experience team 7 days a week by following this link! 😁 Our team can also set you up with cedar planks in your next order if you missed the recent specials.