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Lots of Cedar Wood Planks - what else besides salmon?

Sent the family to Costco this afternoon by themselves (very $$! - LOL) They came home with an item they considered really interesting - 9 large cedar planks. So, besides salmon, what else can you use them for? Have some baby backs in the freezer and was planning a hoisin/5 spice/sambal marinade - can I use them for the browning on the fire? We have a gas grill, will this still work? Can the cedar plank be re-used if I wash it really good? or is there another way to clean it? TIA!

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  1. We can usually get two uses out of ours(we typically use alder which we prefer but same principle). Depends on what you're cooking and how long it's on the grill...seafood tends to cook quickly.

    Along with salmon we like to do trout on them. You could do shrimp as well. I've never tried doing any meats myself. Vegetables can be nice. We've been doing a lot of green beans lately....put blanched ones on a plank wiht some pecans....just takes about 5 minutes...then sprinkle with some blue cheese and leave another minute or two just til the cheese starts melting. I've read about doing mashed potatoes or yams but haven't tried that myself. Sounds tasty though so may do some soon...

    Try soaking the plank in some less expensive red wine for the salmon...this can add a nice flavor as well.

    1. I have those planks and love them more than most. They impart a gorgeous smoky flavor and color to salmon, and it comes out delicious. I just started tossing mine after one use because they burn pretty badly even after a good long soak, and I think the smokiness is less apparent on the second use. I have reused thicker ones and I have been satisfied with the second try.

      As for what to cook: 1) boneless chicken breast; 2) boneless pork chop (or leave in the bone if you must), 3) Pork tenderloin. Also other similar fish such as trout, steelhead, even tuna.

      1. There is a recipe in last month's Bon Appetite for Cedar-Planked Shrimp that looks divine. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to.


        1. I make an orange/teriyaki pork loin on a cedar plank. Its amazing.

          1. You can do brie on the plank to just soften and then top with whatever you wish - apricot jjam, or roasted peppers etc.