Sailor: Perchance I may have pilfered a few of your pieces of eight, Captain, but in return, I have prepared for you this fine smoked salmon - a culinary delight worthy of the most pampered monarch.
Captain: I won’t hear such language aboard me ship! Lads, have the rogue walk the plank!
Lads: But the plankee’s missin’ Cap’n! Dunno where she’s gone t’all!
Never, I repeat, Never, put wood items used for food in soapy water. This includes wooden spoons, cutting boards, and these lovely planks. They absolutely absorb flavor from whatever comes into contact with it. Use 'em, toss 'em, next.
Texans selling cedar planks… I never thought I’d see the day. I happen to be an expert planker from up here in the Pacific Northwest. My favorite method I call Danger Planking. I let the plank start to burn on the bottom. As noted in the desc., use a squirt bottle to put out any big flames. Your salmon will have a cedar smoke flavor with an unbelievably moist texture. If done right juice will shoot out of the fillet when you cut it.
Planks work best for fish lean meats. Try chicken breast and pork tenderloin medallions. Beef tenderloin might work, but most steak just gets tough.
I never reuse them either, but they make great kindling!
When tossing, I am only referring to the planks for sale here, not the spoons or cutting boards as you are not cooking them on a grill Spoons and cutting boards get clean using hot, hot water only. Olive oil is and excellent way to season them after and it keeps them from drying out.
As regards soaking these - I do quite a lot of smokehouse type stuff. If you have some inexpensive whiskey or bourbon it can be added to the soaking water. The wine mix is really good for salmon, but bourbon adds a very different (and good) taste too.
Problem with olive oil - any vegetable oil really - is that over time it breaks down and/or goes rancid. The best stuff for seasoning wooden utencils is mineral oil. And yeah - I am serious.
I understand that you CAN do it. What I was wondering is if it tastes good. I’ve mainly only seen people saying they cook fish on it, so that is why I asked. I don’t know what cedar tastes like so I wasn’t sure if people generally like it with things other than fish.