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First time Salmon..Tips Please!

fishindoc
fishindoc Posts: 212
in EggHead Forum
Im gonna try Salmon this weekend. Fresh frozen from Lake Michigan earlier this fall. Any suggestions on how to prepare and cook?? Also, can I get red cedar boards from Menards and use them or do I have to buy special cedar?
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    edited December 2015
    I love planked salmon. It's a super easy and fast cook. I imagine the boards you mentioned will work. Soak them for a couple of hours before you start the cook. I like DP Raging River on the fish. I toast one side of the boards over the fire for about a minute, flip them and put on the fish. I cook my planked salmon raised direct at 400 for 12 to 14 minutes.......you will see little nodules of fat sweating out of the fish. 

    The smell of the cedar while it cooks is intoxicating. :)
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • McStew
    McStew Posts: 965

    Personally I love salmon on cedar planks but with s/p and fresh ingredients 
    Hermosa Beach CA 
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    I have a bunch of cedar shingles tjat are sold as undercoursing because they have visible knots. I used them in some construction, but the rest got time on the egg with salmon. I cut off a few inches from the thin end and soak a bit before putting them on the grill with the salmon

    you can use cedar board too

    soaking delays the smoke so that by the time the salmon is done it won't be overly smokey, given that cedar is resinous. 

    Go direct (no platesetter).  The board itself makes it indirect. 
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    I would not recommend using anything not designed for food grade use. Maybe it's unlikely, but you have no idea if chemicals have been added to the wood etc. the planks are cheap, why risk it. I also would not recommend eating mushrooms you picked out of the woods unless you know what they are. Just saying. 
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    edited December 2015
    Cedar is not pressure treated. Just isn't done

    you can find fire retardant cedar, but it'll be marked with cedar council markings and you will pay a premium. It isn't something just randomly done to the wood

    same for furniture grade maple. They don't add "chemicals" to wood for no purpose at all

    no one's advocating using pressure treated pine. 

    As in all things, know what you are dealing with, or don't do it. But don't imagine problems that aren't there either
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,988
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    no one's advocating using pressure treated pine. 

    As in all things, know what you are dealing with, or don't do it. 
    Darby I do agree that folks should not use pine. However we sear Aorta and Vena Cava over pine cones. Been doing it for years. Matter of fact we are going to do some tonight from the fresh hogs we just killed as soon as it's done soaking out. For the record, I'm not recommending that anyone does this. Just something that we have always done. The quoted last 2 lines above says it all my friend. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • jeroldharter
    jeroldharter Posts: 556
    I add some rub, glaze with a brushed on mixture of orange juice and honey, then a little more rub. That on top of your plank should taste pretty good.
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    Cedar is not pressure treated. Just isn't done

    you can find fire retardant cedar, but it'll be marked with cedar council markings and you will pay a premium. It isn't something just randomly done to the wood

    same for furniture grade maple. They don't add "chemicals" to wood for no purpose at all

    no one's advocating using pressure treated pine. 

    As in all things, know what you are dealing with, or don't do it. But don't imagine problems that aren't there either
    Many cedar shingles are fire treated, I've heard anyway. Again, unlikely there would be a problem if you know what you are looking at, but I wouldn't advocate it to save 2 bucks. Cook on whatever you wish. You have people on here that might go to the store and pick up the wrong product out of ignorance. If they make sure they are not fire treated and / or know where they came from, fine. To me it's like driving an hour to save a nickel on a gallon of gas, why? They sell different sized planks,I know are safe, at any supermarket you are at buying your food. 
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  • fishindoc
    fishindoc Posts: 212
    Okie doke..thanks everyone. As far as I know, the cedar boards should just be kiln dried. I will investigate carefully
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  • JethroVA
    JethroVA Posts: 1,251
    Simple but awesome salmon marinade..1/3 cup each of: water, brown sugar, soy sauce.  1/4 cup vegetable oil.  Pepper, salt and garlic to taste.   Marinate filets for an hour or two.  Baste the filets as they cook.   This is a family favorite, lends a savory slightly sweet taste.  Sorry no pics but it does create a nice caramel color. 
    Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here.  Very Extremely Stable Genius. 
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  • SmokeLife
    SmokeLife Posts: 64
    Cedar plank, with blackening seasoning. Good stuff.
    Large BGE
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    Whatever you do don't over cook it.  Salmon dries out fast.   Good luck. Love the plank. I have alder too. 
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
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