Alder Planks v Cedar Planks

vidalia1

My wife and I have not done any food on planks yet. She got some Alder planks thinking they were Cedar. Can someone tell me the difference in taste,smell, etc? Just curious if I should exchange this since we have had neither.

Kim Youngblood
(aka vidalia1)
Lawrenceville, GA

Rusty Rooster

I have not grilled on alder planks but have used it for smoking & have used many cedar planks. I would expect the alder to be a much milder planking flavor. Hope that helps a bit.
Tom

thirdeye

You need to try all the flavors.....I actually don't care for cedar planks at all. I buy the alder ones for seafood and brie, and the hickory ones for pork loin and tenderloin.

stike

...just try them. don't let me (or anyone else) tell you what you should eat.
hahaha

EatMoeQ

Thanks for your website. You have accumulated a lot of really good information that has been most helpful and kept me from ruining a few cooks.

I agree with you on the cedar planks.... the pine resin doesn't go with food at all.

Moe

ThrRoff

I am with Thirdeye and Moe, I think cedar has a funny taste. I much prefer alder, for salmon anyway. Oak is great with a steak.

Eggscaper

I like the Alder for fish.Cedar I like to use with pork. But that is just my taste buds.Happy Eggin

stike

i'd agree that cedar smoke in any great amount is bad, but the right amount can actually (i find) work well with the fat in a good chunk of salmon. it's an oiler, fattier fish, and i think the right amount of cedar can compliment it. too many folks use planks of cedar thinking they should get billowing smoke from it. i just use it as a sacrificial indirect barrier, and look for a tinge of smoke at the end.

i actually find that a correctly soaked cedar plank will only smolder a bit at the end of the cook. the idea isn't to 'smoke' with it, but to accept a little smoke at the end as the wood starts to catch..

EatMoeQ

Thanks for the feedback. I've tried to like cedar planked salmon and have cooked it a few times where the planks have hardly smoldered at all. It probably comes down to taste. Having wood worked a lot of cedar, it's a scent/flavor I have a hard time associating with food. But I'd be open to trying it again if it were cooked for me.

Moe

stike

it's definitely a tricky taste. too much, and it's resiny and acrid. like having a campfire with pine wood.
hahaha

EatMoeQ

mmmmmmmmm. Resiny and acrid salmon. Délicieux!

Rick's Tropical Delight

when i was in washington state visiting a friend, all the firewood was alder and i coulda jumped into that fire it smelled so good! :P

cedar planks are good too... you'll have to try them both to see what you prefer...

stike

zackly. it's like salt, pepper, or any other "flavorant", too much, used incorrectly, and it's horrible.

Mike in Abita

Where's your sense of adventure? Try em.