Most people know that grilling planks can be used on the gas grill and in the oven. But planks are also a great way to cook on the charcoal grill.
How to Use Planks on the Charcoal Grill
To use Cedar (and other flavor) planks on the charcoal grill, simply follow the steps as you normally would to preheat your grill. (Add charcoal to grill, light the charcoal, wait for the coals to be covered with gray ash and add your cooking grate to the grill.)
- Soak your plank in water for up to 1 hour.
- Season and prepare your food as desired (for inspiration, check out our planking recipes) and add your food to the soaked plank.
- Then add the plank to the preheated charcoal grill.
Depending on what you’re cooking, you can either use the plank over direct or indirect heat. For things that need to cook low and slow (for example: brisket or ribs), place the plank over indirect heat to reduce the chance of your plank catching fire during the 4 or 6 hour cooking process. For quicker meals, you can place the plank over direct heat.
What can you cook on a Plank, using a Charcoal Grill?
Charcoal grills are great because they can be used to cook low and slow, and also infuse delicious notes of smoke flavor into your food. Pairing this cooking method with the use of planks is a match made in heaven. Foods stay moist and juicy on the plank, because juices are mostly contained on the plank, instead of dripping through the grates.
Some of our favorite charcoal grill & plank recipes include:
Alder Planked Lemon-Pepper Shrimp
This recipe has a delicious savory smoke from the Alder Grilling Plank.
Hickory Planked Cheese-Stuffed Burgers
This recipe takes classic burgers to the next level.
Cedar Planked Buffalo Chicken Bites
The ultimate appetizer recipe.
