Planking is one way to get juicy, tender chicken, seafood and other meats on the barbecue grill. Using planks imparts a smoky flavor similar to wood chips in a barbecue smoker, but since it protects the meat from the direct heat of the grill it keeps them tender even over direct heat from a barbecue grill.

Chicken cooks well on the grill with a plank, and you can even leave the skin on the chicken and make it nice and crunchy. The only thing you need to buy extra are the planks. This method works well with almost any cut including bone-in chicken pieces, such as drumsticks, thighs, breasts, wings, etc.

About an hour before lighting the grill, unwrap the plank and put it in the sink or a pan large enough to lay it flat. Cover it with a few inches of water and use a can of soup to weight it down under the water. Soaking the plank before using it on the barbecue grill causes it to smoke rather than flame up and burn. Season your chicken to taste. Light the barbecue grill and allow the temperature to reach medium high, between 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the plank from the water. Shake it to get most of the drops of water off. Do not put the plank on the grill until you are ready to put the chicken on, because the plank will burn quickly with no food on it. Place the plank directly on the barbecue grill grates over direct heat and put the chicken pieces on top, meat side down.

Cook the chicken as you normally would, omitting turning. There is no need to flip the food halfway through the cooking process when planking. You can baste the chicken with lemon juice during grilling to keep it moist. If the chicken has skin, you need to brown the skin and crisp it. When the chicken is done, remove the plank and place the chicken on the grill grates over direct heat, skin side down, for five to six minutes. This tightens up the skin and gives it some crunch.

Planks are great for grilling fish on the barbecue grill, and even pork roasts cook wonderfully with this method. Each type of wood plank has its own flavor, just as wood chips do. Cedar is popular for planking seafood and poultry, especially salmon. Apple and hickory planks both impart a delicious smoky flavor. Always use planks that were designed for grilling. Using a wood plank from the backyard can be dangerous if the wood is treated with chemicals.

You can modify many recipes for the barbecue grill to use on a plank. The temperatures and cooking times remain the same, but your food is more flavorful, tender and juicy when cooked on a plank. And there is no need to worry about the flame ups from direct grilling. Try this method with seafood, poultry and pork. Foods that are good on a barbecue smoker are great for planking.