Help with planked fish

i am no expert but i have never soaked any wood i have ever put on my egg including planks.

i would go direct put the dry board on there when it starts to smoke flip it over and put your fish on there.

i have no idea if redwood qwould work someone else would have to answer that question..


but i would not put any extra wood for smoke. that is what the plank is for

redwood is close to cedar.... probably fine to sub for it.

i personally soak cedar (but no other wood). i soak cedar because a cook where cedar is smoking the whole time will give you a real resiny piece of meat. cedar isn't a flavorful smoke. it can be acrid in any amount that's significant.

the whole idea behind the plank is that you are using it to protect the fish from the fire. it's a sacrificial indirect cook. soaking the cedar delays the point at which it starts smoking until the middle/ end of the cook. much more than that and you'll be eating pine tar.

i don't soak other woods, because i find that hardwoods can smoke throughout without adversely affecting the meat. hickory is sweet. cedar is not.

to each his own. but the general style behind planking is to add a slight tinge from the plank (if it's cedar). with strong fish like salmon, the slightly resiny flavor will actually cut the fattiness. like drinking a sauv blanc with fish. it is strong enough to pair with the flavor of the fish.

cedar bacon would be crap. maple goes good with bacon, cedar goes decently with salmon. but not much else.