Cedar Plank Salmon

Cedar plank salmon is soft and juicy with a pleasant wood aroma infused into every bite. Learn how to make your own salmon on a cedar plank rubbed with a sweet Dijon mustard sauce.

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

There are so many reasons to grill salmon on a cedar plank but the best one is the flavor. Cooking salmon on a cedar plank will infuse it with delicious aroma of wood throughout.

It’s a different cooking process for salmon altogether since it’s slower, steam cooking and not grilling over direct heat. The wood plank heats up by the direct heat underneath and since the wood plank is soaked, it steams the salmon. Salmon will be wonderfully tender, moist, and juicy in the end.

Best part is that you can make this delicious meal just for yourself or for a crowd. If you’re feeding several people, you can cook a whole salmon filet on a cedar plank, as long as it fits entirely on the plank. You can also cook more than one plank at the same time. Just make sure it all fits comfortably on the grill and leave a little space in between each plank.

DO I HAVE TO SOAK THE PLANK?

Yes, absolutely, 100%. It’s very important that you soak the plank because if it’s dry, it will ignite over the hot charcoal or fire. The point of cooking salmon on the plank is also to steam it, so the wood should be thoroughly wet. Give it at least an hour submerged in water, but you can also soak it for 2 hours before cooking.

Can I Use Other Wood?

Yes. I’ve seen several wood plank options like cedar, pecan, hickory, cherry, maple, apple and alder. Alder is a nice and mild option for seafood. Hickory will give you a strong wood flavor is that’s what you want. Cedar is the most popular one though and you will most likely find it at any grocery store.

Can I Reuse My Cedar Plank?

Yes, but I don’t recommend it. It’s tricky to reuse a cooking wood plank. First of all, it’s important to make sure that you use the same plank for the same type of meat. So if you’re making salmon on the wood plank, use that wood plank only for salmon next time. Same goes for other proteins and vegetables.

Of course, make sure that the wood is not charred too much and can be reused. Clean used wood plank with a clean soft scrub sponge and hot water only, no soap. Wipe it with a towel, dry it, and store in the freezer.

QUICK GRILLING NOTES

How long to soak cedar plank? at least an hour, but can soak for 2 hours

Coals: briquettes or lump coal

Grill temperature: medium- 350°-400°

Placement on the grill: direct

How long to grill salmon on the plank? 18-30 minutes (highly depends on the size of salmon so cook it until 135° in the thickest part.)

Wood if desired: cedar, alder

HOW TO GRILL SALMON ON THE PLANK:

Step 1:

Soak the wood plank! Whatever you use to soak the plank, make sure it’s fully submerged in water and soak for 1-2 hours.

Step 2:

Prepare salmon. Rub bottom of the salmon skin with some oil. Whisk ingredients for the mustard sauce and rub salmon all over the top and sides. Set it aside until ready to put on the plank to grill.

Step 3:

Preheat the grill to medium heat with a two-zone fire just in case. Place soaked wood planks on the grill and heat it up for about 5 minutes. Flip the plank and place salmon on it, skin down.

Step 4:

Close the lid and cook salmon until it’s done. I prefer to cook it until it reaches 135° in the thickest part. (USDA recommends salmon safe temperature to be 145° but many people feel that it is overdone.) Depending on the thickness of salmon piece, that could take from 12-20 minutes. A whole  salmon filet that is thick could take well over 20 minutes. You will have to check the temperature with an instant read thermometer.

WHAT SIDES GO WITH GRILLED SALMON?

Salmon is a mild fish and grilled flavors makes me think of summer. I like to use lighter sides like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, carrots, or even a mix of vegetables.

You can serve it over a refreshing green salad or with a cold cucumber salad.

If you want to make it comforting, go with mashed potatoes, grilled potatoes, or baked potatoes.

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @grillingsmokingliving and #grillingsmokingliving so I can see all the things you tried!

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