Whether heading home from Rainbow Bend Lodges with boxes full of fresh sockeye salmon, king salmon fillets, or tasty cohos, we get many people asking how to cook it all. When it comes to catching large quantities of great eating, healthy salmon, you want to be sure and make the most of it. Here’s a favorite recipe that’s fun, easy and will keep you wanting more.
The process of cooking food on cut wood dates back to Native American cultures on both the East and West coasts of North America. This style of cooking results in tender, juicy, smokey meats. Fish and lean meats lend themselves well to plank cooking as the plank helps retain moisture during the cooking process.
There is no limit to what can be plank cooked, from vegetables to cheeses to nuts and desserts, smoke flavors enhance many foods. Cedar and alder planks are the most common planking woods but virtually any non-resinous, untreated wood will work. Plank cooking can be done in the oven or on the grill. Give this unique method a try, you won’t regret it!
INGREDIENTS
•1 fillet of salmon or steelhead (3-6 servings)
•1 teaspoon fish seasoning of choice
•Juice of 1/2 lemon
•1 lemon, sliced
•Olive oil for brushing
•1 prepared cedar plank, soaked in water at least 1 hour
PREPARATION
Place sliced lemons on prepared plank. Place fish, skin-side down on lemon layer. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over fish. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Grill or bake at 375º 20-25 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes in large chunks or reaches an internal temperature of 135º.
NOTE:
One of the benefits of plank cooking is that food can be served right off the plank. Also when using single serve size planks, fish can be flavored in multiple ways, accommodating many palates. Fish can be planked cooked in the oven but smoke flavors will be much deeper if cooked on the grill. Don’t be afraid of flare-ups, that’s what brings on rich flavors. Just be at the ready with a spray bottle of water and adjust grill heat if necessary.
WARNING:
When cooking, never leave planks unattended. Planks can be placed close together in the oven, but if grilling, make sure there is at least 1-inch between planks for air movement. Avoid repeatedly opening grill cover as this can cause flare-ups and lost heat. When opening grill, take caution not to inhale or stand in direct smoke, and extinguish flare-ups with a spray bottle of water.
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