If you are a backyard chef, a grill is probably in your arsenal when cooking for friends or family. Using cedar planks for direct grilling can give not only a unique flavor, but a fresh new presentation of everyday grilling staples.Getting your planks readyTo correctly grill with cedar planks, there are a few easy steps. The first is to prepare the planks for grilling. Pre-soaking the planks is the first step. Soaking the planks in water opens the pores of the planks for good grilling. You can use just water, or try a citrus juice to give your planks a different flavor when grilling. An overnight pre-soak is always recommended, but if you only have a few hours, it is fine to go without one.You can store pre-soaked planks in the freezer, so they are ready when it is time to grill. When you are ready to cook, just take the planks out of the freezer and thaw them using hot water, and you are ready to grill in less than 30 minutes. Get the planks ready for the grillAfter the planks are pre-soaked, wipe them down and rub them with some oil, so they are ready to cook any meat or vegetables you want. You can even add spices like garlic, salt and pepper to the planks to give them an extra kick as they grill meat. Get your grill started, and put the planks on to get them preheated.Always have a spray bottle of water with you, in case the planks or the food grilling catches on fire. Plank your meatNow you are ready to grill. Get the meat for grilling, season it and put it on the plank. Once the heat hits the plank, it smolders, so the flavor of the cedar transfers to the meat, giving it full flavor. Cook the meat to your desired taste, and serve it up.Grilling with cedar planks is a way to transfer the taste from the planks into fish and other meats by simply using a few steps to extract the flavor.