We tried a few recipes for our new grilling planks when we were testing them and everyone's favourite was the salmon. It’s an easy technique and salmon is a good place to start. There are a few simple rules to make your foray into planked foods a success - here are our tips:

1. Soak your plank - we started by using plain water which was fine. Water does create the gentle steamy effect that you’re after but our thoughts quickly turned to how we could amp up our flavours by choosing another moisture medium. We tried white wine, beer and a cider mixture infused with fresh herbs. The world is your oyster as far as flavour combinations is concerned - the only rule is that your plank should be completely submerged for at least an hour, six hours is better and overnight is better still.

2. Heat your BBQ - use either a gas or charcoal grill and heat it about medium (around 180C).

3. Lay down your planks - if you’re using multiple planks, arrange them on your BBQ grill so that they have some room around them for air and heat circulation.

4. Add your salmon (or whatever you’re cooking). A single layer is essential to allow for even cooking.

5. Cook your salmon for around 15 minutes. We like our salmon ‘just’ cooked. If you prefer yours done more or less then feel free to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

6. Gently lift your plank of the grill. Remove the salmon from the plank (the skin should stay behind) and serve. Or use a plank server and serve directly to the table.

Your planks can be reused a number of times. After multiple cookings they will become overly charred or cracked and impossible to clean. Give them a good scrub in clean water and allow to naturally air dry.