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Cedar plank salmon

· Dinner

A Pacific salmon fillet grilled on a cedar plank that gives it a characteristic smoky aroma, a Northwest tradition.

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Cedar plank salmon: A Pacific salmon fillet grilled on a cedar plank that gives it a characteristic smoky aroma, a Northwest tradition.
Photo: Sharon Chen · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 100 min🍽 4 servings📊 Intermediate🏷 Commonly associated🌱 Gluten-free🌱 Dairy-free
Preparation
20 min
Cooking
20 min
Waiting and resting
60 min

History

The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast, in Washington and Oregon, cooked salmon fastened to cedar planks beside the fire. That ancestral technique lives on in the regional cuisine: the dampened wood infuses the fish with an unmistakable woodsy aroma. Salmon here is a central food, both cultural and economic.

Ingredients

Adjust quantities

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Soak the cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour so it doesn't burn.

  2. 2

    Mix the maple syrup, mustard, and garlic and brush it on the salmon; season with salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Preheat the grill to medium heat and set the plank on it until it starts to crackle and smoke.

  4. 4

    Place the salmon skin-side down on the plank, cover the grill, and cook 15 to 20 minutes.

  5. 5

    Remove when the salmon flakes easily; serve with lemon and dill.

Cooking tips

  • Use only a cooking-safe plank, keep it away from direct flames and check 63 °C in the salmon.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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