Although there are different types of wood planks that can be used for cooking, cedar seems to be the most popular and adds a great smoky flavor to salmon. The flavor of the wood smoke is infused in the salmon that creates a flavorful filet. The history of wood plank cooking started with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest and were used for all kinds of meats.
Preparing the Cedar Planks
- Many grocery stores carry cedar planks. Make sure that the planks are untreated.
- Soak cedar planks completely submerged in water with added salt for at least one hour.
- Set grill for indirect heat by turning off the middle burner(s) on a gas grill. For a charcoal grill divide the charcoal in half by leaving an empty space in the center of the grill
- Place cedar planks in the hot grill for 6 minutes, turning once. It’s important to grill both sides evenly to avoid warping.
- Remove planks from grill and coat planks with olive oil. Be careful, the planks will be hot. The planks are now ready for the filets.
Preparing the Salmon
There is a multitude of ways to prepare salmon for cedar plank cooking. Preparing the salmon depends on personal preference. If someone has a special recipe for salmon, they may want to try it with the cedar plank method, keeping in mind that the cedar flavor will be infused with the fish. Here is a simple method of preparing the salmon.
- Salmon filets, about 1 1/2 inches thick, skinned and rinsed
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Lemon pepper to taste
- Olive oil
Directions:
- Lightly coat the salmon filets with olive oil. Sprinkle filets with ground pepper and lemon pepper. Place salmon filets on cedar planks skin side down. Place cedar planks in center of grill, not directly over heat. Keep grill covered during cooking and cook salmon for approximately 20 minutes for a grill temperature of 350 degrees. Since indirect cooking, grill temperatures may vary, adjust cooking time accordingly. Salmon should reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees and flake easily with a fork.
- Directly cooking the salmon over the heat source is another method that can be used. Using direct heat will add an even stronger cedar flavor to the salmon. If the direct method is used it must be watched carefully because the planks will catch fire. Keep a spray bottle of water and a fire extinguisher next to the grill in case the fire gets out of control. One disadvantage to direct cooking with wood planks is the planks can only be used once. Cooking with indirect heat allows the planks to be used several times.
Besides Salmon, other meats and fish can be grilled using wood planks. Another big advantage to using wood planks for grilling is that it keeps the grill clean. Once the used planks are cooled and cleaned, coat them with water and place them in a sealed plastic bag while they’re still wet. Place the planks in the freezer and they’re ready to be used again without presoaking them.
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