Cookin' With Wood: Plank Steak and Cedar Wraps
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Steak on a cedar plank. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....find a recipe at grillinfools

Woodchips, boards, and veneers find a great good on holiday weekends - time to fire up the grill. But not just charcoal, this time - get the flavor wood right on to your plate. It's actually a business, too - just ask the dozens of sellers of wood cooking items like CedarPaper.com and AmericanMetalCraft.com.

At Webrestaurantstore.com you can find recipies and cooking advice like this:

We only recommend cooking and grilling with western red cedar. The high sap content in eastern cedar, white cedar, and inland cedar planks imparts a bitter flavor to foods and is unsanitary. Our cedar planks are cut from clear grade western red cedar, which produces superior flavor. 11 3/4" x 5 1/2" cedar grilling plank! Great for grilling meats, poultry, seafood, vegetables and more, this fragrant plank will produce a unique taste, subtly flavored by the wood's essential oils.

Cedar wraps tied with green onion, grilled then served on a cedar plank.

Here's a rundown on cookin' with wood

Hickory chunks: this clean burning wood is favored for barbeque and hot, smoke fire cooking, wood burning ovens, smoking, and grilling.

Mesquite chunks and Mesquite chips: seasoned thoroughly, this wood will perform in the same manner as hickory, but produce a southwestern flavor of mesquite.

Alder wood chips: imparts a smoky, alder flavor that is best suited for use with pork, fish, game, and vegetables.Apple wood chips: imparts a smoky, apple flavor that is best suited for use with chicken, ribs, pork, fish, game, lamb, turkey, and vegetables.

Cherry wood chips: imparts a smoky, cherry flavor that is best suited for use with chicken, ribs, pork, fish, game, lamb, and turkey.

Pecan wood chips: imparts a smoky, pecan flavor that is best suited for use with chicken, ribs, pork, fish, lamb, and turkey.

Salmon on a cedar plank. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Beyond planks and chunks, there's also veneer, known to the restaurant trade a "wood paper." Cedarhouse.com sells cedar paper grilling wraps for use on the grill and in the oven, where the cedar paper infuses a smoky cedar flavor into the food. "Our cedar paper grilling wraps are made from Premium Western red cedar from the Pacific Northwest," says the company. "We are proud that our cedar paper grilling wraps are 100% natural and chemical free."

Cedarhouse.com says its cedar paper grilling sheets, measuring 8″ x 7.25″, are 20% larger than other cedar paper grilling wraps on the market.

"Our engineers have optimized the thickness to eliminate breakage and tears while maintaining pliability. We’ve also strategically aligned the grains of each the premium cedar paper grilling wraps to maximize flexibility to provide ultimate coverage of your seafood, meat, and/or vegetables.

Here's a recipe for using them:

Soak cedar paper grilling wraps in water, wine, or apple juice …in a dish, or oversize zip lock bag for 10 minutes.

Heat grill or pan to 375°F or medium-high heat. Place food face down in center of soaked cedar paper grilling wraps in same direction as the grain of wood. Fold cedar paper’s edges towards each other until they overlap. Tie cedar paper grilling wrap with butcher’s twine string and place on grill …seam side up.

Smoke your food with the cedar paper wraps directly on grill grates or grill pan, close lid (if using grill), and cook for 8-10 minutes until food is done to your liking. If you are using a grill…do not open lid.

Serve cedar paper grilled wrapped foods straight on a plate or remove food from cedar paper wraps and garnish food with chives for plating.

Cooking Tip #1:

Soak papers in wine, sake, or bourbon for extra flavor. Keep open bottles of alcohol away from heat source.

Cooking Tip #2

Leave the cedar paper grilling wraps seam side up and do not turn over. This way precious juices remain in the cedar paper wrap and natrual steam keeps your food moist.

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.