Imperfect Alder Grilling Planks

The planks you'll find in this listing are "Imperfect Grilling Planks." These are different from the premium planks found on our main site, as they may have brands, incorrect instructions, rough edges, or knots. They are still just as flavorful and enjoyable as their premium counterpart, just at a lower cost and a bit rough around the edges (metaphorically speaking, but also quite literally).

What is an alder grilling plank?

Our alder grilling planks are an all-natural and effective way to add a delicate, earthy flavor and a hint of sweetness to your white fish, seafood, vegetables, fruit and so much more. 

Just soak the plank, place your food on it, place it on the grill, and cook it like you would any other food, just with all of the added benefits of grilling on a plank instead of an open flame. Make sure to stay tuned until later on to learn more about how to use the plank and what benefits it gives.

What does grilling on an alder plank do?

There are three major benefits to alder grilling planks!

1. Alder grilling planks add a sweet, smokey flavor

The primary reason most people purchase our alder grilling planks is for their flavor. Alder (which our planks are made of) gives a delicate, earthy flavor and a hint of sweetness to your meat, veggies, and more. Many people find this gives their food that extra oomph and positively enhances their experience.

2. These planks present moisture for your meat

While the primary purpose of soaking our planks is to prevent the planks for combusting, another major benefit to this is the moisture. The water in the grilling planks blends with your food to give a much more moisture rich environment for your food. This means more moisture in your food, and keeps your food from going dry.

3. Planks keep your food from falling through your grill's grates

Every griller has this problem, especially when grilling veggies and other smaller foods. Grill grates are amazing for allowing heat through, but it also lets food through, wasting your food (and money). Grilling planks give more surface area for your food to sit on, leaving your food edible, and not charred and lost forever underneath of the grates.

4. Grilling planks offer a unique, quality presentation

Set the stage for your meal with grilling planks. There's no better way to bring your salmon or meat to the table than on a slightly charred grilling plank. It's an experience your guests won't forget.

What do our different plank sizes offer?

• 3.5" x 7": These are considered single-serve grilling planks. They are best for one chicken breast, one portion of salmon (2-3 oz.), or two portobello mushrooms.
• 4" x 6": With a bit more width and a bit less in height, this plank is perfect for wider meats like burgers but is also great for veggies like a good ole portabella mushroom.
• 5" x 6": You can count on a single serving of most of your different types of protein, whether it be salmon, steak, or burgers; they'll just be able to be a bit larger than our smaller single-serving planks.
• 5" x 7": This plank size is perfect for 1 to 2 servings of food. Much like its larger brethren (the 5" x 8"), it does well with a flatbread or two portions of salmon.
• 5" x 8": This size of grilling plank is perfect for 1 to 2 servings of food. Best for (but not limited to) 1 flatbread, two portions of salmon (2-3 oz. each), or one flank steak.
• 5" x 11": This medium-sized grilling plank is great for two to four servings. Some great meal examples are three chicken thighs, four portions of salmon (2-3 oz. each), or two pork chops.
• 5" x 15": This is one of our larger grilling planks, perfect for up to six or even eight servings. One Copper River salmon filet, one party-size pizza, or even 7-8 full-size burgers will fit well on this plank size.
• 7" x 7": We consider this our burger plank! It will fit 2-3 standard burgers (or 4-5 sliders), or if you want to get adventurous, it can fit one wheel of Brie or one personal-size pizza.
• 7" x 15": This is our largest plank and will fit 6 to 8 servings or a meal for four. Some awesome ways to use it are for one king salmon filet, one party-size pizza, or 7-8 full-size burgers

Who is an alder grilling plank for?

Our alder grilling planks aren't just for experts and definitely are not only for beginners. They are perfect for anyone on the range of grilling experience, here's why:

• Experts: Grilling planks offer that last little bit of additional flavor to your meal. Wow, your guests (or yourself) make your white fish, seafood, vegetables, fruit and more different from the rest of the pack by adding a delicate, earthy flavor and a hint of sweetness to your meat
• Intermediates: Moisture is a huge part of making a fantastic steak or a delicious salmon meal. Our grilling planks add moisture to your meal, so it's much easier to attain an amazing king salmon serving without making it dry.
• Beginners: It's difficult to keep your protein and even more difficult to keep your veggies from sticking to or falling through the grates on the grill. Our planks give a larger surface area so beginners can be more confident in their grilling abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Grilling Planks

1. Do you remove the skin of salmon when cooking on an alder plank?

This is completely up to you as the BBQ Master. While most people utilize our planks with the skin removed, if you prefer to leave the skin on, you will be just as at home with our grilling planks.

2. How long to soak alder grilling planks?

After years of testing, we have found out that the perfect time frame for soaking your planks is 15 minutes. This allows moisture to soak into the wood to give you the added benefits (and less likely to flare up), but isn't too long to make your grilling experience less enjoyable.

3. Can you put alder plank in the oven?

Placing your alder planks, salmon, or any other meal in the oven with our alder grilling planks is an awesome idea. We regularly do this in the winter months or any time you don't want to grill outside.

4. How many times can you reuse alder planks for grilling?

We never recommend reusing a grilling plank. No matter how much you wash or clean a grilling plank, you will not be able to remove all of the meat from inside of the plank's pores. These do not age well and can cause issues if used again. It also is expected for a plank to char, leaving it less than ideal for future uses.

5. Do you flip fish on a alder plank?

We definitely recommend experimenting with different ways of using planks for your own purposes! That said, you do not have to flip your fish when grilling with our planks. They give an indirect cooking surface for your fish, meaning they won't burn on the bottom during usage.

6. How do you clean alder planks after grilling?

You should not clean your alder planks after grilling. Instead, we recommend discarding the planks. Grilling planks are a one-time usage product, and regardless of how clean they may look, food will be left in the pores of the wood.

What flavors do our different wood plank options offer?

1. Western Red Cedar - Cedar grilling planks are the fragrance and spice of the Pacific Northwest. They pair well with salmon, other seafood, vegetables, and more. To add a spicy, fragrant flavor to food naturally, use these planks on the grill or in the oven. These are the perfect planks for cooking Cedar Planked Salmon.
2. Alder - Cooking your food on an Alder plank will infuse it with a delicate, earthy flavor and a hint of sweetness. This all-purpose smokiness is a must-have for white fish, seafood, vegetables, and fruit. Simply soak the plank for 1 to 2 hours, place your favorite food on the plank, and place the food-loaded plank on the grill or in the oven.
3. Cherry - Our Wild Cherry planks add a vaguely sweet and fruity smoke flavor to your food. This especially pairs well with poultry, turkey, peaches and vegetables.
4. Hickory - Hickory wood produces a strong and bold smoke flavor. It puts the twang in Southern-style BBQ. For a distinctive, savory smoke, choose Hickory for beef, lamb, wild game, bacon, portobello mushrooms, and fruits.
5. Maple - Maple is the sweetest smoke of the grilling woods, yet it is also subtle and balanced. It is the perfect combination for anything pork, so if you are planning on Maple, wrap your food in bacon. It pairs well with pork, pizza, soft cheeses with a rind, pineapple, and vegetables. One of our favorite Maple plank recipes is these maple-planked pork chops.