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How Long Should You Soak Cedar Planks For Grilling

How Long Should You Soak Cedar Planks For Grilling

What is the Ideal Soaking Time for Cedar Planks Before Grilling? Once you’ve perfected the art of grilling an impeccable steak and are in search of a fresh challenge, employing cedar planks as a grilling medium offers an excellent opportunity to expand the variety of dishes you can prepare on the grill. Although the process of grilling with cedar planks is simple, there are several essential preparation steps you need to undertake every time they are used.

A large grill with plenty of space can require up to 4 hours to heat up and reach operating temperature. Another factor to consider is the thickness of the meat being cooked. Thin cuts like steaks require less time than thicker cuts like pork loin or rib roasts.

While you may think that cooking times are always set in stone, there are some things you can do within your grilling routine that can help reduce your cooking time and make your meal come out more delicious too! So whether you’re just getting started with grilling or need to brush up on your skills, read on for our ultimate guide.

What is Grilling And Do You Soak Cedar Planks For Grilling

Grilling is a cooking technique that involves grilling food over a fire. It’s a skill that dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, but it’s not common in North America. Grilling a specific cut of meat like ribs takes roughly one hour. The type of grill you use will also affect the time needed for grilling. A large grill with plenty of space can require up to 4 hours to heat up and reach operating temperature. Another factor to consider is the thickness of the meat being cooked. Thin cuts like steaks require less time than thicker cuts like pork loin or rib roasts.

What is Cedar Planks

Cedar planks are long, thin pieces of wood that are used for grilling and smoking food. They can be purchased at most grocery stores or speciality food shops.

If you’re wondering how long the cedar planks should soak, 30 minutes is perfect. But it’s also important to note that the soaking time will vary depending on the thickness of your plank and how much moisture it has in it. So, if your plank is thicker than 1/4 inch (6 mm), soak for an hour instead of 30 minutes. And if the plank is moist, soak for about three hours.

Rinse The Planks 

You’ll need to thoroughly clean the cedar planks to eliminate dust before utilizing them. Use no soap since it will leave a bad taste in your wood and is difficult to remove. To rinse your cedar planks, simply use warm water. Choose a container that will accommodate your cedar planks and be entirely submerged in water. If your sink is large enough, you can even utilize it. Soaking your cedar planks may alternatively be done in a big plastic bin or a five-gallon bucket. To ensure that the fragrance does not sink into your boards, use a container containing no aroma.

Completely Cover The Planks Or Put Them In A Container to Soak A Cedar Plank For Grilling

Put your cedar planks in a container with enough water to cover them to soak. To keep the boards from floating to the top, you may need to weigh on them. When choosing a weight, keep in mind that it should be clean and odorless. It’s remarkable how quickly other odors can penetrate the wood.

Submerge the cedar boards for 1 to 4 hours. Add a spoonful of salt to the water while the planks soak to bring out the cedar flavor. Soaking your cedar planks before grilling with them protects them from burning and adds moisture to the food you’ll be cooking.

Experimentation Is A Good Thing to Soak A Cedar Plank For Grilling

Many people start experimenting with different liquids to add to the water they soak their cedar planks in once they’ve become used to using them for grilling. Each liquid will give the meat or veggies you’re grilling a distinct taste. Apple cider vinegar is one of the most often used. Some prefer white wine vinegar.

Why Do You Need To Soak The Grilling Planks In The First Place

If you’ve never used grilled planks before, we recommend soaking them in water before using them. The following are the reasons why:

First, we must distinguish between smoke taste and what we refer to as fresh wood flavor. Food is effectively given a smoky taste by being exposed to burning wood (for example, beef cooked in a smoker using smoking chips).

The moisture leaving the plank and transferring into the meal may give a grilled plank a fresh wood taste. When you soak the plank for a long time, it collects moisture, which rises to the surface when exposed to heat and imparts the unique wood flavor.

Greater moisture results in more fresh wood flavor transmission in the end. How Long Do You Soak A Cedar Plank For Grilling?

How Long Do You Think It Will Take

As It is already stated, researchers have conducted extensive research. Consider it as an experiment. Here’s how it went about.

They used five grilling planks that were all the same size, weight, and grain pattern (which means the planks were cut from the exact section of the tree, and the natural tree rings all ran in the same direction). Essentially, I wanted the planks to match as closely as possible.

The boards were submerged in water for various amounts of time:

  • There is none (dry)
  • Time limit: 5 minutes
  • Duration: 15 minutes
  • also Duration: 30 minutes
  • Duration: 60 minutes

After soaking, They weighed the boards to assess absorption levels. They had different amount of water absorbed in them.

Conclusion

To soak cedar planks in, you may add almost any juice or flavored beverage to the water. Some recipes will advise substitutions that will improve the flavor of the dish. Citrus and berry liquids, as well as various wine varietals, are all wonderful possibilities. To pick your favorite drink, try a variety of them.

It’s important to remember to soak your cedar planks each time you use them. They are unable to retain moisture for extended periods of time. If you’re afraid about forgetting to soak them on the day, you’ll be utilizing them, soak the cedar planks the night before you actually utilize them.

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