Living in British Columbia, we are so lucky to have access to high quality, fresh wild salmon. Growing up, my dad was a commercial fisherman, so we ate a lot of fresh caught fish. As an adult, I continue to eat fish, especially salmon at least once or twice a week. During the summer salmon run, I usually head to the docks in Steveston and buy a couple of fish to portion and freeze for the winter. The freshness of wild just-caught salmon can't be beat!
One of my favourite methods to cook salmon is on the barbecue, using a cedar plank. Placing the salmon with the plank in-between the flesh and the grill releases a subtle smokiness from the wood that is absorbed by the fish. The salmon cooks quickly enough that the smoke does not become too overpowering of a flavour.
There are many different types of wood planks that are perfect for barbecuing. I tend to like cedar, but applewood and mesquite planks also work well. Make sure they are food safe though before you grill!
Happy Grilling,
Krista
Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon
Ingredients
For the Salmon
1 1/2 pounds (around 1/2 kilogram), wild sockeye salmon fillet (I keep the skin on for flavour, feel free to trim off)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced for cooking
1/2 lemon quartered for finishing garnish
For the Paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons Potlatch Seasoning Rub (*see recipe note below)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Method
1-2 hours before cooking, submerge cedar plank in water to soak.
Take fish out of refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes prior to cooking).
Preheat outdoor grill to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl add garlic, Potlatch Seasoning Rub* and olive oil. Stir to combine ingredients into a paste. Place salmon on soaked cedar plank and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top, to cover entire fillet. Gently rub paste, into all sides of the fillet with a brush or your hands. Arrange sliced lemons over top of salmon and place plank with salmon onto grill.
Cook for 20 minutes or until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 140 - 145 degrees F and flakes easily with a fork. Remove plank - it will be very hot and place onto a baking sheet. Tent salmon with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. It will continue to cook while tented.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
* This recipe uses a pre-purchased Potlatch Seasoning Rub from Williams Sonoma (linked here). Please feel free to use your own if you have a favourite.
** It is very important to pre-soak your wooden plank in water (fully submerged) for a minimum of 1-2 hours before using, to prevent the wood from burning.
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