Cooking Plank

Cedar plank grilled fish- add it to your list of backyard barbecueing recipres to try, for incredible flavor and texture.

Grilling on a wooden plank is fantastic because it allows a good stable surface to hold delicate foods like fish on at the same time giving you that backyard smoked flavor you love.

You’ll need a fresh piece of wood about an inch thick, one that hasn’t been treated chemically. The fish you’re going to grill on it should fit totally on the plank- make sure the plank is long and wide enough. Cedar is the most best wood, being packed of smoky flavors, but there are other good ones to try- maple, and alder are used too. You can purchase grill-ready wood planks online or your localgourmet food shop.

Since this is an untreated wood plank, you MUST soak it well before using it, othrwise it will catch on fire and ruin your fish, if not your whole meal. Soak the plank in water for at least an hour and you will get it saturated to the point of safe usage. If the board does actually catch fire while you are grilling, which happens, spray it with enough water to put out the fire. Try to keep a water spray bottle nearby. Soaking the plank prior to use will also help keep your fish moist and tender.

You will no doubt see the plank smoking and smoldering. Don't panic. That just means the wood is imparting it's hint of flavor to the fish.

If you lightly brush the top of the plank with a little cooking oil, it will keep the fish from sticking to it. It's not necessary to flip the fish over in order to cook the other side since it's an indirect heat. Grilling fish on a plank will take about 50% more time than normal because of that indirect cooking, so plan ahead. Baste the fish during the cooking time with a little lemon juice or butter.

Once the fish is done, use oven mitts and remove the plank from the grill. Sset it down somewhere safe. A cookie sheet or fireproof serving platter is a good place to let it cool. Serve the fish off the planks onto plates with a spatula and watch the smiles on everybody's faces.

Grilling fish on a plank is the perfect way to get flavorful fish. Once you try it, you'll want it again and again.

Simple Tips on Cooking For Two

I come from a fairly large family, so I was used to cooking for a lot of people when I first started cooking. It was hard for me to cut down my cooking proportions to adapt to smaller portions, but that is important when you are cooking for a few. Cooking for two can be a lot of fun and much less expensive than cooking for a lot. You don't have to cut down on quality or elegance just because you are preparing for a few. Many people think it is hard to fix meals for just two people, so they will often eat out because they don't want to go to all the trouble of cooking a meal for just two. This article will give some simple tips on cooking for two that can not only help plan your meals, but make it fun as well.

Cooking for two should be just as rewarding as cooking for many. I've always loved a good challenge and sometimes just fixing a meal for two can seem more like a chore than a privilege. It is up to you the cook, to make each meal a special treat. Your spouse will love the different meals you prepare, and if you are excited and look for new and creative ways of displaying your meals, you will both look forward to the special time together. You can often buy cheaper for two, so you will be able to afford better cuts of meat, fish, or wine, and be able to afford more expensive meals at home more often than most families. Cooking for two can afford you the luxury of gourmet meals at more affordable prices.

It is often easier when cooking for two to prepare extra that can be frozen and pulled out at a later date. On nights when you are limited on time, you can pull out one of your special meals you had already prepared and dress it up a little different than the last time you had prepared it. Your spouse will think you spent a lot of time preparing it and they will appreciate all your effort. You will feel proud of the little time you spent cooking for two and know that this particular night would normally have cost you money eating out, but because you planned ahead while previously cooking for two, you were able to save money that can be used for something else.

Grocery stores have now made cooking for two easy. You can buy just about anything these days in smaller portion sizes. This doesn't always give you the best prices, but in many cases, you can freeze what you don't use the first time. In other cases, buying a larger quantity, dividing and freezing up the portions you will need in cooking for two will allow you to save money for other expenses. With some creative ideas and a little desire on your part, cooking for two can be very fun and rewarding. I know your spouse will feel special that you went to all the trouble.