"Bobo Bonobo®" wrote in message
...
On May 9, 12:03 pm, aem wrote:
On May 9, 5:24 am, Bobo Bonobo® wrote: Bobby Flay
was on the local NPR affiliate yesterday. He seemed
clueless about the toxicity ofcedarwood. There's no question that
heatingcedarreleases toxic phenols. He did provide one service
though, by coming out fairly strongly against charcoal lighter fluid.

Nocedarplanks for me, thank you. I'll stick with aluminum foil.

This comes up now and then. The toxicity ofcedarhas to do with its
dust and flakes prodced in milling and woodworking and their
contribution to asthma and other pulmonary ailments, usually after
prolonged exposure. Cedarplanks used in cooking salmon don't produce
such dust, hence no problem.

Nevertheless, cedar does produce VOCs that are toxic, if mildly so. I
don't get cedar, pine, fir or the like anywhere near my grill.

More importantly, cooking salmon oncedarenhances flavor, while cooking
salmon on, or wrapped in, foil
does nothing for flavor other than possibly to contribute a nasty
metallic note.

If you like the flavor of cedar.

-aem

--Bryan

Bryan, it can be a truism that many culinary items have some form of
toxicity or some potential ill effects, some are just ill-founded
preferences or prejudices. But have you ever had a cedar planked or a
juniper smoked salmon?