Cedar Plank Salmon

Cedar Plank Salmon

From allrecipes.com

Several years ago I was having dinner on a business trip with some fun clients and I discovered Cedar Plank Salmon.  I thought the Cedar Plank part was just a name and was shocked to find that you actually cook it and serve it on a piece of wood!  The wood provides two benefits:  it adds a smoky flavor to the salmon and it helps keep the fish moist.  I was with clients, so I had to stop myself from licking the plate!   Needless to say, after I returned from my trip I started searching for Cedar Plank recipes and found this one.  The marinade actually came from a recipe for Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, but it tastes excellent with this salmon.    

This is my daughter's favorite food of all time.  She had been living overseas for the last three years, but is home now.  Cedar Plank Salmon was the first food she asked me to prepare.    So here you go!  Hope you like it as much as we do.  

Cedar Plank Salmon

From allrecipes.com

1- 12” untreated cedar plank (available at a regular grocery store)

4-5 skinless boneless salmon fillets

Marinade

3 TBL soy sauce

3 TBL Balsamic vinegar

3 TBL honey

1 tsp ground ginger

1 TBL Olive Oil

½ tsp roasted garlic (optional)

Soak cedar plank in warm water for 1-2 hours.  Add a splash of bourbon to the water if desired.

Combine marinade ingredients.

Place fish in a dish, pour marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour.

When you are ready to begin grilling, remove fish from marinade.

Pour marinade in a saucepan or small skillet,.  Simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce has reduced by one-third and is a  syrupy consistency – about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside. If sauce reduces too much, add a little water.

Grilling Instructions

Preheat outdoor grill to medium heat.  Place plank on grill smooth side down.  Turn after 5 minutes. Then grill additional 3-5 minutes.   Plank is ready when it starts to smoke and crackle just a little.

Season salmon with salt and pepper.  Place fillets on the smoking planks.  For best results, cover plank or at least the edges of the plank with the salmon.  Edges of the plank left uncovered are likely to catch fire!  I learned this the hard way! 

Close lid of grill and cook for 10 minutes.   

Move plank around the grill to facilitate even cooking.  Brush with sauce.  

 .  Continue cooking an additional 5-10 minutes until fish turns opaque in the center or raw pink color is nearly gone (but not completely gone) .  Another indication of doneness is if fish remains firm and separates slightly when pressed. (This is called the smoosh test). Best to error on being underdone rather than overdone. Remove from grill, cover with foil and let finish for 5 minutes.  

If the idea of dealing with the planks is a turn off, you can still do a really good job using either  an outdoor grill plate (cast iron - Crate and Barrel) or even in a skillet on the stove top.  Use the same cooking technique and it will be delicious! 

This is my daughter Bridget.  She is happy that I am posting her favorite!