Cedar Plank Salmon
Ingredients
Green amounts are scaled. Anything else is as written, so adjust it yourself.
Method
Amounts and times written inside the steps are for the original quantity.
Pre-soaking the Planks
- We go to Home Depot and buy a length of untreated cedar (please make sure it’s untreated!) then cut the planks so there’s about an inch more on each side of the piece of salmon we’re BBQing. You must soak the cedar plank for prior to grilling.
- We fill our kitchen sink with warm water and put a cast iron pan on top of the plank to keep it submerged. You can also use a roasting pan or a bucket, whatever you have around that will fully submerge the plank.
Preparing the Planks
- This part seems silly but we swear it works. Remove the plank from water, dry and add a layer of sliced lemon and orange, then sprinkle salt like you’re salting a sidewalk in the winter, then drizzle olive oil on top of the citrus.
- Heat your grill on indirect high for with the lid closed. Adjust the temperature to medium heat (350-400°F) and get the plank heated up by placing it on the grill for before adding the salmon.
Preparing the Salmon
- Sockeye is great, Coho is awesome, Spring is amazing. We generally use Sockeye because it’s fatty, cost effective and tastes great!
- Place salmon on a baking sheet, salt liberally and grind lots of ground pepper on top. Slice onion and place rounds on top of the salmon, add a few slices of lemon, then add a layer of butter cut about 1/16 of an inch thick on top of everything. The butter will melt and draw all the flavour into the salmon.
BBQing the Salmon
- Place the salmon skin side down on the plank. Close the lid and cook at 350°F - 400°F for about . Do not turn the salmon over on the plank. It will cook completely with the skin side down. Keep the BBQ lid closed to capture the smoke and retain the heat! This is the hardest step as it is difficult to resist the urge to take a peek.
- Check briefly every for flare-ups. If a flare-up does occur, reduce the heat and use a spray bottle of water to extinguish the flames.
- We grill for about . You can tell when the salmon is done when white fats and juices start rising out or the grain of the meat. Don’t overcook, err on the side of undercooked because it’ll keep cooking slowly until you cut and serve the fish.
Serving the Salmon
- When the salmon is ready, remove from grill, discard the onions and citrus (their sole purpose is to flavour the fish), slice against the grain into portions and serve.
- If you want to be super fancy, remove the entire plank and serve outdoors in a rustic style. Cedar plank salmon is by far the best method of cooking salmon and is super easy, so go get smokey!