Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon

[Mister Coaster]

Here is a simple recipe for cedar plank grilled salmon that I actually did for a cooking class almost a year ago. Since grilling season is upon us (at least here in Southern California) I thought I'd post it. Cooking quality salmon on a cedar plank will give a subtle smoky/woody taste that will not overpower the fish the way regular smoking of a salmon can. Don't get me wrong, I love smoked salmon, but this is a much different thing, and very elegant.

1 Large Salmon Fillet, about 2 lbs.
1-2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
1 Bunch Fresh Dill
1 Lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Cedar Wood Grilling Plank (food safe)
1 oz. Capers (optional)

Salmon: try to get the best salmon you can. Always look for wild caught salmon, farm raised salmon is just tasteless once you aquire a taste for the real good stuff. Even if you can only find previously frozen wild salmon, it will be better than fresh farm raised salmon.

Soak cedar plank in water for at least an hour. Allow salmon fillet to come to room temperature, also about an hour.

Rub the salmon fillet with olive oil, just enough to thinly coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar, Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, but not too much, just enough to get a fair overall dusting. Lay enough fresh dill on top to cover the fillet. Lay lemon slices on top of dill, again just enough to cover the fish.

Prepare your grill (charcoal or gas) for medium heat. Place cedar plank over a “cooler spot” in the coals or between the burners on a gas grill. Allow the plank to heat up, when the top of the plank has become dry, place salmon fillet directly on plank, skin side down, and close lid. Check every few minutes to make sure the plank is not on fire. The plank should just smolder slightly, but if it actually catches fire, spray with a water sprayer/mister to extinguish flames and move it to a place where no heat is coming from underneath and close the lid.

Cook for 10 -30 minutes, depending on thickness (I know that is a rather random cook time, but some fillets are quite thick, others are quite thin). When the center of the thickest part of the fillet is no longer opaque, the salmon is done. Remove and discard dill and lemons. Serve with fresh dill, fresh lemons and capers (if desired).

Try it, you'll like it. One of the people in the class told me that they have a friend who thinks their salmon recipe is the best thing ever, and she told me this was better than theirs. Lemme know what you think!

[shakran]

That sounds freaking GOOD. I'm gonna have to try that this summer. Where can I get this cedar plank? I'm assuming the local lumberyard isn't the greatest idea

[Mister Coaster]

I have heard different things about lumber yard cedar. Some say it's OK as long as it's not treated with chemicals. If others know for sure, please chime in. To be safe, I'd look at a higher end retail market. (I work at Whole Foods Market, and we sell them) Otherwise, I just did a search on Amazon, and found these... Cedar Planks.

[splck]

This sounds almost exactly what we do up here. As long as you use untreated red cedar you'll be fine. Any decent lumber yard will have what you need. After looking around on the web at what some people charge for a piece of cedar , I should change jobs and start selling the shit. You shouldn't pay more than $3 or $4 for a decent chunk of cedar.

[amonkie]

Being a fan of this form of salmon for a while, I'm definitely gonna have to try this one out.

I heard about this through work and decided to try cooking some halibit with a similar recipe. The cooking method is fantastic. The fish was cooked and was so moist and tender it just strung apart. Definatly the best fish I have ever had.