Any salmon experts here?

Raging River. Cook to 137 degrees (ala TRex instructions). Soak the plank for 4 hrs in water. You don't want it catching fire.

Here is the way I always do it. I've modified a Cooks Illustrated recipe a bit and get raves every time. The cooking time seems insane but it it really works (it took me several times to muster up the courage to cook it that long!).

Hot-Smoked Salmon

Origin: Cook's Illustrated

Alterations By: A.F. Cremer

Yield: 4 to 6

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cooking Time: 1 1/2 Hours

Ingredients:

● 1/2 cup kosher salt
● 1 cup sugar
● 1 salmon fillet (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin on, pin bones removed
● olive oil
● DP Raging River
● Maple syrup

Directions:

Removing Pin Bones from Salmon: Locating and removing the pinbones from salmon can be tricky. Running your fingers along the flesh is one way to locate them, but we like to drape the salmon over an inverted mixing bowl. The curvature of the bowl forces the pinbones to stick up and out, so they are easier to spot, grasp with needle-nose pliers or tweezers, and remove, (see related quick tip for illustration).

1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 cups of hot water in gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag. Add 5 cups cold water and salmon, seal bag, and refrigerate until fish is fully brined, about 3 hours.

2. Remove salmon from brine and blot dry completely with paper towels. Place fillet, skin-side down, on 30-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. Rub both sides of fillet, especially skin side, with oil. Dust flesh side of fillet with Raging River. Drizzle on some maple syrup

3. Meanwhile, set up the Big Green Egg for indirect heat or direct, elevated heat. Stabilize at about 300℉ then add a mild smoking wood, such as Apple or Peach.

4. Slide salmon off foil and onto grill rack. Barbecue until cooked through and heavily flavored with smoke, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Use two spatulas to remove salmon from grill. Serve either hot or at room temperature, cutting through flesh but not skin to divide salmon into individual portions and sliding spatula between flesh and skin to remove individual pieces, leaving skin behind.

Hi H.H.
It is all a matter of taste and everyone varies. Me personally I soak board overnight. I pat dry the fish side and coat lightly with EVOO and fish skin side. Place skin side on plank. Season to your liking, I use sometimes for salmon P.P. Salmon Magic. I then cook at 325 till 140-160 depending of fish, thickness and size. Temps will vary with your personal taste. I have been cooking cedar plank style for over 20 years and use my planks over and over, some have lasted for 10-15 filets till I finally used a new one.

best hint I ever got was from Chris at DP - using a sharp knife cut that mud vein out that runs down the side under the skin. That removes the part that taints the rest of the salmon that turns off a lot of people about salmon.

I have done salmon lots of ways and since I found the DP recipe it has become my favorite.
I still use the cedar plank. I do it indirect, so a one or two hour soak is plenty.
DP Raging River, 350 dome til internal about 138, apply the butter/syrup glaze about halfway through. Cook will take 30-40 min, depending on thickness of fish.


It is terriffic! :woohoo:

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

I think you have plenty of recipes and cooking methods offered here. I would just add that my favorite way to prepare it is to cut in small pieces like Capt Frank's picture. That way each piece has it's own nice slightly crispy edge. I coat the planks with olive oil and poor honey garlic sauce on the fish before the cook.

I cook em' at 450 - 500 degrees direct. Unbelievably moist :P