Cedar Planked Salmon

BigC

Wanted to share a recent success I had on Large BGE...Cedar Planked Salmon:
1 lb salmon fillet, rubbed with EVOO, chopped fresh garlic, seasoned with finely ground sea salt and ground black pepper; covered liberally with Blue Cheese crumbles (may sub goat cheese for different flavor profile or leave out altogether)
Soaked cedar plank for a couple of hours
Let seasoned fish sit (on plank) in fridge for hour or so.
Cooked on plank, direct heat on raised grid. 425 for 25 minutes (for medium).
Man, it was awesome...Just wanted to share. Before and after pics below...

BOWHUNR

Wow BigC, you're more adventuresome than I am!  I LOVE blue cheese and I LOVE salmon, but the thought of cheese and fish together kind of freaks me out.

Mike

Cullum

Very nice! Looks awesome. Love cedar plank salmon.

BigC

Thanks guys. @BOWHUNR - give it a try...You won't be disappointed!

BYS1981

You know instead of the expensive planks you can use cedar shingles as long as they don't use any additives and it is just cedar.  A guy used to post about how he used planks on the time.  Search it out on here. Stike and cedar planked salmon. 

I personally have never used them because cedar is a bit too strong for me, but worth a search. 

Mickey

Very nice. Did salmon myself this weekend but w/o the plank.

Griffin

Nicely done, @BigC. We love cedar planking salmon. Never would have thought to add bleu cheese. I see the Central market logo on your plank, assuming you are somewhere up the DFW area? If so, try and make it to the Plano Eggfest on Nov 3rd.

Skiddymarker

@BigC, good looking cook. Have you tried planking using indirect? Same temps, 425-450 at the grid using the setter legs up. With sockeye fillet, light touch of salt, pepper and dill I could not tell the difference between a direct cook and an indirect cook, except for the lack of char on the underside of the plank (or in my case a red cedar shake).

Looks good, have some pink in the freezer, always needs something to help its taste, would have never thought about using blue cheese, must give it a try - Thanks for sharing. 

BigC

Thanks, @Griffin.  Yes, I am Big D and would love to make the Plano Eggfest on Nov 3. Will you be cooking?  Love the blog, by the way. Thanks again!

BigC

@Skiddymarker - Next salmon cook will be indirect. Thanks for the tips. Would love to hear how you like the bleu cheese on yours...I've used goat cheese as well for different flavor profile. Thanks again for the info!

Lip

We tried salmon on the plate setter tonight.  We have run out of cedar planks, so I used thick tin foil as a substitute on the plate setter.  Just used the maple syrup and butter recipe in the cookbook that came with my egg, and apple chips for smoke. 
Turned out very nice, but the flavor was different than when using a cedar plank and no chips.  The texture seemed different, too.  Any one else experience that?  Could the cedar interact with the salmon in a way that tenderizes it somehow?

Chubbs

Looks good BigC. Never done cheese either and I have cheese instead of blood in my veins..... :D

Try holding the salmon on another dish to free up your plank. Then put the plank on the egg for a few minutes before you put the salmon on. This gets the cedar smoking some first. Then put salmon on. Makes it even better IMO. Oh, and I cook mine raised direct. Little to no burn on the plank that way so reuse is possible

SmokeyPitt

That looks great!  I wouldn't have thought of pairing salmon and cheese either, but it sounds good to me.  I have done salmon several different ways and I think the cedar plank was my favorite.  They are just pricey- I'm gonna try to find the shingles sometime.  

My wife wants this for dinner ;). 

henapple

If the cedar is soaked maybe it helps moisturize it?

Skiddymarker

SmokeyPitt said:

That looks great!  I wouldn't have thought of pairing salmon and cheese either, but it sounds good to me.  I have done salmon several different ways and I think the cedar plank was my favorite.  They are just pricey- I'm gonna try to find the shingles sometime.  

My wife wants this for dinner ;). 

Shakes work great, sawn shingles are a tad too thin. Make sure they are untreated, no fire retardant or preservatives. It can be a challenge to find them. I have a bundle I keep for roof repair and have just about used all the "fish sized" ones. Will have to split some of the big ones soon. 

I soak in clean water in the laundry tub overnight, a brick keeps the shake submerged. 

SmokeyPitt

Skiddymarker said:

SmokeyPitt said:

That looks great!  I wouldn't have thought of pairing salmon and cheese either, but it sounds good to me.  I have done salmon several different ways and I think the cedar plank was my favorite.  They are just pricey- I'm gonna try to find the shingles sometime.  

My wife wants this for dinner ;). 

Shakes work great, sawn shingles are a tad too thin. Make sure they are untreated, no fire retardant or preservatives. It can be a challenge to find them. I have a bundle I keep for roof repair and have just about used all the "fish sized" ones. Will have to split some of the big ones soon. 

I soak in clean water in the laundry tub overnight, a brick keeps the shake submerged. 

Thanks for the tips Skiddy! 

SWVABeanCounter

That's some mighty tastin lookin salmon.  Great job.  Thanks for sharin the blue cheede also.  Something I'll definately try soon.  Thanks also to Skiddy for the idea to do indirect.  I prefer the alder planks and have only found then at my BGE dealer and boy are they expensive.  Now maybe I can get more than a few cooks out of them.

burr_baby33

I always use a chunk of alder wood in the coals for salmon.  I got some alder planks recently and used the planks plus the alder chunk.  Alder and salmon are a great combo.

chris123stock

Looks awesome love to cook salmon, great job.

Bham_egger

I wonder how it would do with Brie, since lox is often paired with it.