08. Cooking on a Plank

Thin, delicate foods such as fish fillets can stick to the grill, break apart, and become difficult to serve. A wood plank solves these problems and adds smoky flavors to the food. It also allows delicate foods to cook more gently and gradually because the wood forms a barrier between the food and the flame. This technique is used most often with salmon fillets (try Mustard-Glazed Planked Salmon with Horseradish-Dill Sauce), but can be applied to other fish fillets or delicate foods such as fruit, cheese, vegetables, and ground meats.