How do you take raw-milled red cedar planks and make them suitable for cooking?
This wood is green, oozing sap, and has bark on the edges. The "planks" I've
seen in the BBQ section at Home Depot are little milled squares about 6x6x1/4",
look like something you'd put in your underwear drawer to make it smell good.
Do I need to plane or sand the wood? Dry the wood? Cut off the bark?

I am happy, because I found a sawmill operator locally who is willing to trade
seasoned wood (cherry, maple, oak, cedar ..) for welding.

Grant Erwin
in the Pacific NW

"Grant Erwin" > wrote in message
news:dv5tj.2345$eU3.1185@trndny04...
> How do you take raw-milled red cedar planks and make them suitable for
> cooking?
> This wood is green, oozing sap, and has bark on the edges. The "planks"
> I've
> seen in the BBQ section at Home Depot are little milled squares about
> 6x6x1/4",
> look like something you'd put in your underwear drawer to make it smell
> good.
> Do I need to plane or sand the wood? Dry the wood? Cut off the bark?
>
> I am happy, because I found a sawmill operator locally who is willing to
> trade
> seasoned wood (cherry, maple, oak, cedar ..) for welding.
>
> Grant Erwin
> in the Pacific NW


I don't think the thickness really matter as I have seen the planks range
from 1/4" to 1/2" and are usually good for one or two uses, but I've also
seen thicker slabs that are good for 5-8 cooks, these are usually over an
inch thick, sometimes two inches.

Whatever you use, they do need to be dried first. Most commercially sold
cooking planks are kiln dried.

Also note that some cedar is not safe to use and very toxic. MAKE sure you
are using western red cedar.

Matt

The "good eats" guy (Alton Brown) said in one of his shows to buy either
furniture grade or cabinet grade (can't remember exactly). Such would be
kiln dried and free of preservatives.

--
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Property Systems Real Estate
Foreclosure Specialist; General Sales and Listings
Email:
Phone Direct 678-409-7891
Toll Free 1-877-522-5577, ext 8074
Fax 1-866-458-7444
"Grant Erwin" > wrote in message
news:dv5tj.2345$eU3.1185@trndny04...
> How do you take raw-milled red cedar planks and make them suitable for
> cooking?
> This wood is green, oozing sap, and has bark on the edges. The "planks"
> I've
> seen in the BBQ section at Home Depot are little milled squares about
> 6x6x1/4",
> look like something you'd put in your underwear drawer to make it smell
> good.
> Do I need to plane or sand the wood? Dry the wood? Cut off the bark?
>
> I am happy, because I found a sawmill operator locally who is willing to
> trade
> seasoned wood (cherry, maple, oak, cedar ..) for welding.
>
> Grant Erwin
> in the Pacific NW