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Anybody doing cooking planks or chips?

Started by SawyerBrown, March 15, 2015, 06:12:24 PM

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SawyerBrown

I've got more hickory than I know what to do with, quite a bit of cherry, some cedar, and lots of other stuff.  Plus lots of apple orchards around.  So, just for fun, I tried some steaks on the barbie on a hickory plank last fall, and it was delicious.  Also salmon on cedar -- yummy.

Got me thinking (never a good thing, per the Mrs SawyerBrown) -- we have a couple of premium meat stores in town, so I stopped at one the other day and ... long story short ... they might be interested in a supplier for cooking planks, maybe even chips.

Before making any serious commitments or pursuing further, has anybody out there in FF-land ever tried doing planks or chips?  If planks, do you saw them thin and dry them or thicker and re-saw later?  Chips suggests "chipper" (which aren't cheap), are there simpler ways to get started, other than grabbing your hatchet and start whittling?  What other questions should I be asking?

Thanks much for any advice!
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Peter Drouin

What is a cooking plank and how do you use it?
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Magicman

That would be a very selective niche market.
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SawyerBrown

Quote from: Peter Drouin on March 15, 2015, 06:31:05 PM
What is a cooking plank and how do you use it?
Cooking planks are typically about 1/4"-3/8" thick, 6" wide, maybe 12-14" long.  You start with good dry planks, but a few hours before you're ready to cook, you soak them in water so they're good and saturated.  When you're ready to cook, you put the planks over coals for maybe 5 minutes, just to get a slight char on the one side, then flip over, move off of direct heat, and put your meat on the charred side of the plank.  The idea is that the planks get hot enough to "steam" the water out of them and into the meat, picking up some of the wood flavor on the way.  It takes quite a bit longer, since you're not over direct heat, but the meat stays juicier and is delicious.

At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!  (But my experience is limited)   ;D
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Alligator

Quote from: Magicman on March 15, 2015, 06:33:04 PM
That would be a very selective niche market.
MM is right about the niche market. But, with the right packaging and locations. Grilling planks could be really appealing, say to city folks, and also a great way to market short cut offs and otherwise not so marketable slabs. Cut 3/8 or 1/2 live edges wouldn't be unappealing shrink wrap them get some labels with a logo. They are, I assume disposable. I don't know if the chips would pay for the chipper, seeing as everybody and his brother are selling them. Lowes, grill stores, my local, little country meat stores has 3 different flavors of chips, that seem reasonably cheap.
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Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Mooseherder

The latest thing is very thin wood wrapped around Salmon fillets.  We are selling a couple different varieties.  They are tied around the fillet.  I'll have to get you some pics.

Chuck White

I've seen "Grilling Planks" for sale at Lowes and at Walmart.

The sell for $4-5 per 2-pack.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

xlogger

This topic made me think about my ERC, I get lots of overcuts pieces saw off and throw in OWB. So I Google it and found out you should not use ERC only WRC.  >:(
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Cedarman

I have been contacted several times over the years to make lots of planks for cooking.  Once I mention that the difference between ERC and WRC, they know they should use WRC, a completely different species of wood.
Some companies were wanting thousands, but alas, not a market I could enter with ERC.
Why buy a chipper when you could rent one for a day and have a bunch of different species of wood ready to chip?  Chip it and see what the market will bear.  Won't cost that much.  I have been know to do a lot of R&D like that.  I never mention the failures in polite company. :D :D
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

NWP

Another possibility is small chunks. Cut cookies off the logs 2-3" thick and split them into small pieces. Probably could split it with a hatchet or small axe. Bag them up and sell by the species. I've seen them for sale in stores around our area.
1999 Blockbuster 2222, 1997 Duratech HD10, 2021 Kubota SVL97-2, 2011 Case SV250, 2000 Case 1845C, 2004 Case 621D, John Deere 540A, 2011 Freightliner with Prentice 120C, 2012 Chevrolet, 1997 GMC bucket truck, several trailers, and Stihl saws.

drobertson

I looked into it, there's a market,  I ended up sawing out some hickory for friends and family, I use them with salmon, and venison tips, in the oven, did not see the need over a grill.  3/8" thick,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

SawyerBrown

Ok good to know about WRC vs ERC ... so cedar planks are out of the picture for here.  And getting a bunch of wood ready and renting a chipper is a great idea, or thin cookies maybe for smaller quantities   Thanks all!
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

Chuck White

I thought grilling planks were made from other species of wood too, like Hickory!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Joe Hillmann

When chips are sold for cooking do they have bark in the bag as well or is it debarked before it is chipped?  To get by with a smaller chipper you could saw the wood you plan to chip on the mill first to make it easier on the chipper and to get rid of the bark if it is a problem.

xlogger

Wonder if ERC chips have a market? I've got several stacks of slabs, was thinking about taking them to a mulch mill about an hour away but they don't weigh much and not much money for them.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Philngruvy

For chips, why not run some boards through a planer?
LT 15 18G
Bobcat 751

Cedarman

Mulch is bought by the cubic yard most of the time.  So weight doesn't matter.
ERC wood chips are used for playground material.
They are real particular for playgrounds.
Run through a wood hog, you can make mulch.  Wholesale is about 7 to 10 bucks a yard at the mill.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Mooseherder

I got a picture of the Cilantro Lime Cedar Salmon we are selling.  Don't know how they're slicing the wood but it's like a ribbed veneer.
They're retailing at 6.99 for a 5oz. portion.  There is a hand under the quicksheet for scale.  This is selling better than the Cedar Plank Salmon.  In all fairness the Cedar Planks come in frozen while these are never frozen.  The Cedar Planks are also larger with the higher price point.



  

xlogger

Cedarman, Wood hog looks great but buying a $100,000 plus machine to cut a thousand dollars of mulch, I'll have to think on that ;D.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Alligator

Pecan is a great wood for grilling. It has a strong flavor but very good.
Esterer Sash Gang is a  Money Machine

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