Cedar Planks made with LOVE!! With the change of the season and warmer weather upon us, most of us have probably started our spring cleaning.  It’s time to pull out the BBQ, fire her up to make sure she’s running fine, and stock up on fresh supplies to get you through this grilling season.  Maybe all you need to get going is a fresh bag of charcoal briquettes or a quick refill of your propane tank.   Others may need a new grill brush or a fashionable new apron.  Whether your trip takes you to Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond, or Barbeque’s Galore, you have most likely seen Cedar Planks for sale to help add another dimension to your grilling repertoire.  Here at Pacific Catch 9th Avenue, we don’t cut corners (no pun intended) by using manufactured or precut planks.  We use only 100% real cedar for grilling our salmon when we serve Cedar Plank Salmon, which just happens to be one of my favorites of our fresh fish Chalkboard specials.  I usually make a run to Home Depot Pro a couple times per year to purchase a bundle of untreated Cedar roofing shingles.  The key word here is UNTREATED.  No matter what you do, please do NOT grill your fish on treated wood.  Most shingles you will find at your local home improvement store have been treated with chemicals, either to withstand the elements of weather or infiltration by pests.  Grilling with these shingles or eating food off of them can be very detrimental to your health.   For the highest quality finished product, two other things should be within your focus.  First, make sure the plank is of the proper size.  If it is cut too small, as Sous Chef Hubert Ramirez always reminds me, the salmon will hang over the edges of the plank, causing the edges of the fish to burn.  We are also cautious to not make the planks too large, as grill space on a busy evening in our restaurant is at a premium.  This probably wouldn’t be as big a concern for grilling on your Q at home.  The second important preparation step is to presoak the plank in cold water.  This will prevent the cedar from catching on fire while on the hot grill. If you attempt to grill at home on your own cedar planks, I wish you the best of luck.  Whether your meal comes out well or not, I highly recommend you stop by Pacific Catch to try our dish.  Just to whet your appetite, our special comes with a 6-ounce piece of fresh Salmon grilled on a cedar plank, served with red creamer mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and Washington green apple chutney.  Yummy!!! Rob Schechtman (aka Bono)General Manager, 9th Ave.

Cedar Planks made with LOVE!!

With the change of the season and warmer weather upon us, most of us have probably started our spring cleaning.  It’s time to pull out the BBQ, fire her up to make sure she’s running fine, and stock up on fresh supplies to get you through this grilling season.  Maybe all you need to get going is a fresh bag of charcoal briquettes or a quick refill of your propane tank.   Others may need a new grill brush or a fashionable new apron.  Whether your trip takes you to Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond, or Barbeque’s Galore, you have most likely seen Cedar Planks for sale to help add another dimension to your grilling repertoire. 

Here at Pacific Catch 9th Avenue, we don’t cut corners (no pun intended) by using manufactured or precut planks.  We use only 100% real cedar for grilling our salmon when we serve Cedar Plank Salmon, which just happens to be one of my favorites of our fresh fish Chalkboard specials.  I usually make a run to Home Depot Pro a couple times per year to purchase a bundle of untreated Cedar roofing shingles.  The key word here is UNTREATED.  No matter what you do, please do NOT grill your fish on treated wood.  Most shingles you will find at your local home improvement store have been treated with chemicals, either to withstand the elements of weather or infiltration by pests.  Grilling with these shingles or eating food off of them can be very detrimental to your health.  

For the highest quality finished product, two other things should be within your focus.  First, make sure the plank is of the proper size.  If it is cut too small, as Sous Chef Hubert Ramirez always reminds me, the salmon will hang over the edges of the plank, causing the edges of the fish to burn.  We are also cautious to not make the planks too large, as grill space on a busy evening in our restaurant is at a premium.  This probably wouldn’t be as big a concern for grilling on your Q at home.  The second important preparation step is to presoak the plank in cold water.  This will prevent the cedar from catching on fire while on the hot grill.

If you attempt to grill at home on your own cedar planks, I wish you the best of luck.  Whether your meal comes out well or not, I highly recommend you stop by Pacific Catch to try our dish.  Just to whet your appetite, our special comes with a 6-ounce piece of fresh Salmon grilled on a cedar plank, served with red creamer mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and Washington green apple chutney.  Yummy!!!

Rob Schechtman (aka Bono)
General Manager, 9th Ave.

Posted 2 years ago
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Tagged: Pacific Catch, Rob Schechtman, Salmon, Cedar Planks, .