Grilling Planks

[Adelpiero]

Any good online sites to buy a set of them?

i've seen sets of 4-6 before with different flavors.

[Cicatrix]

Find someplace that only sells BBQ stuff. They should have them. Dont waste money on shipping unless you really have to. BBQ Country is a store here that sells them. I looked at them and decided they would not be worth it as I have the flavors of wood chips to do the same thing but at way less cost.

[Mikey]

I cooked some King salmon on Saturday night, using this method for the second time (two for two on coming out awesome):

Lay out the salmon fillets (skin side down), and season liberally with fresh minced garlic, some sea salt and some black pepper. After 5 or 10 minutes, spray liberally with EVOO.

Start the fire. I've been using this stuff called "Cowboy Charcoal", which is a mixed hardwood lump charcoal. You can use any natural charcoal (avoid the briquettes). I start it with one of those charcoal chimneys that you put newspaper under to get it going. When the charcoal is almost all burning, it will have sunk a little in the chimney. At that time I add a few chunks of mesquite wood. In another 10 minutes or so I dump the charcoal and wood out into the grill. The mesquite will still be smoking pretty good.

Grill the salmon with the skin side up for 4 minutes or so with the grill fairly near the coals and the lid closed. Turn the fillets over, raise the grill (or lower the coals) somewhat and grill skin side down for maybe another 6 or 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove from the fire when the center is still a little raw. Let them sit for a few minutes while you toss the salad, boil the pasta or whatever.

Salmon and mesquite smoke go really well together.

[Dinsdale]

Grill the salmon with the skin side up for 4 minutes or so with the grill fairly near the coals and the lid closed. Turn the fillets over, raise the grill (or lower the coals) somewhat and grill skin side down for maybe another 6 or 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Ouch.


When grilling, don't turn salmon. Put it on skin-side down, and cook it entirely that way -- it tends to dry if it goes skin-side up.



And if you're planking (a U&L thing-btw), use alder for salmon. It's just how it's done.

Planking is an interesting twist on indirect grilling, for sure.

[Mikey]

Skin side down if going completely indirect.

I like to get a little searing on the other side and, if you do it right, it definitely does not dry out the fish. In fact, it seals the moisture in. The best way to dry it out is to overcook it, which I carefully avoid. I also like those tiny pieces of garlic to come out a little crispy.

[Dinsdale]

And again -- if you spread mayonaise on the skin before cooking, it doesn't impart any flavor, but generally makes the skin fall off.


Pretty good trick... U&L style.