Get ready for a flavor-filled paleo seafood adventure on your grill when you combine two of my favorite things growing up in the Pacific Northwest – cedar trees and wild-caught salmon.
In the northwest, using a small, thin cedar plank is a very common way to cook fish with very little fuss. Because most of the flavor comes from the wood smoking in the grill, you only need to sprinkle a little bit of seasoning on your fish. I just used salt, pepper, a little garlic, lemon slices, and some fresh rosemary tossed on halfway through.
First, you need to locate some cedar planks. You can get them in different sizes; 4″ x 7″ is about right for an individual filet, or there are larger ones out there about a foot long and around 6″ wide that’ll hold two or three pieces of fish. Most will be about 1/4″ or so thick. Make sure you get planks that are untreated and free of chemicals or machine oil – most planks manufactured specifically for grilling are food grade quality.
Amazon.com carries a wide variety, and some grocery stores sell them too. The big box hardware stores usually have them in stock – look in the grilling supplies section.
To prevent a mini-bonfire inside your grill, you need to soak your planks in water first. An hour or two should be enough time. Just stick them in a shallow pan of water or fill up your sink. Put a weight of some kind on top to keep them submerged. For even more flavor you can squeeze a lemon or lime into the water, or even add a little garlic for the wood to soak up.
And by the way, there are other planks out there besides cedar – you can also try alder, hickory, maple or cherry wood to name a few. [av_sidebar widget_area=’Lockerdome’ av_uid=’av-2nnrpk6′]
Once your planks are thoroughly soaked, you need to pre-heat them before the fish goes on. First heat your grill up to about 350ºF (medium to medium-high heat). Next place the wet planks on your grill’s grate directly over the heat source for about 5-10 minutes, or until they start to smoke and char a little. Then turn them over and place your seasoned fish skin side down on the lightly charred side and you’re good to go.
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It’s your choice if you want to remove the salmon’s skins or leave them on. I think you get a little more smokey flavor with the skin removed, but either way works. Grill the fish for about 15 minutes – you can either move your plank away from the direct heat and let it cook longer, or just let it ride over the hot coals – either way you may want to arm yourself with a water bottle or squirt gun just in case the board flares up.
There’s no need to turn the fish over – just let it sit and sizzle away until it’s a cloudy pink color and flakes fairly easy (or if you’re using an internal thermometer, it reaches 135º F). The filet should still be wet in the center – avoid overcooking these babies!
And that’s it! You can eat directly off the plank if it’s not still smoldering (place the planks on something like a serving platter or you’ll have a big sooty mess). Or you can just gently remove the filets with a spatula and place them on plates.
Serve with a veggie of your choice on the side and enjoy the best-tasting paleo grilled salmon meal you’ve ever had!
Ingredients
- Wild-caught salmon filets
- Salt, pepper, garlic (or choose your favorite seasonings - less is more for fish!)
- Fresh rosemary leaves and lemon slices (optional)
- Cedar planks, soaked in water
Instructions
- Soak planks in cool water for 1-2 hours. Set a weight on top to keep submerged
- Season fish as desired
- Remove skin, or leave on – either way works
- Heat grill to about 350º F (Medium to Medium-High)
- Pre-heat planks over direct heat until you smell smoke (usually about 5-10 minutes)
- Turn boards over and place filets on lightly charred side. Top with a slice or two of lemon
- Grill over direct heat about 15 minutes, or move slightly away from heat and grill longer, about 20-30 minutes
- Rotate planks occasionally for even cooking
- Sprinkle with rosemary petals about half-way through cooking
- Check for doneness: filets should be opaque, light pink, and flake easily but remain wet in the center (internal temperature of 135º F)
- Remove from grill and allow filets to rest for a few minutes
- Serve and eat off planks, or transfer filets to plates
- Discard used planks
- Enjoy the best grilled salmon ever!