My family loves this cedar plank salmon made with a simple citrus and brown sugar rub! The salmon stays tender and juicy in the middle and takes on a very sweet smoky flavor from the cedar wood.
I like to cook salmon fillets on cedar planks. They add a delicious smoky flavor and make clean up so much easier! The rub used for this recipe is the same as the one used for our brown sugar baked salmon. It’s quick to put together and works great with salmon!
I use my outdoor grill for this cedar wood recipe, but you can adapt this recipe to your oven. See my tips below on how to do it! This salmon makes me think of summer, so I like to serve it alongside my favorite summer sides, like this amazing corn salad, our avocado salad, or these fried fingerling potatoes with a potato salad-inspired dipping sauce.
Key Ingredients
- Cedar Plank: If you choose a cedar plank for cooking salmon, make sure it is untreated, large enough for your fillet, and sold specifically for cooking. It is important to soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the wood to absorb moisture and create a fragrant salmon-flavored steam.
- Salmon: Any salmon fillet will work for this cedar plank salmon recipe. I especially like fatty salmon, like sockeye, king, and coho. After cooking, fatty salmon remains tender and moist. I also choose to use skin-on salmon. The skin acts as an additional barrier to the heat below and slides off easily once the salmon is cooked.
- Homemade Citrus Rub: I love this simple rub made with brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, and smoked paprika. It’s amazing with salmon! I like to rub it all over my salmon and let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking.
- Thyme: This is optional, but I like to sneak a few sprigs of thyme under the salmon. It adds more flavor to the fish and works really well with the flavors in the rub.
How to Make Cedar Plank Salmon
Grilled salmon can be tricky, so I’m excited to share this almost fail-safe way to cook salmon on the grill. The cedar plank protects the fish from the heat and prevents it from sticking to the grill grates, which, if you’ve ever experienced it, is a real pain!
You will prepare the cedar plank first. Remember, you really want to soak it before using it. Thirty minutes minimum. You need a wet log inside to smoke and bring out all the smoky, cedary flavors.
Add the marinade about 15 minutes before cooking your salmon. I use my fingers to massage it into the salmon, then set it aside for 15 minutes to let things slow down. While the salmon is sitting, prepare the grill. You want medium heat.
Since salmon only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook, I like to place a pre-soaked cedar plank on the grill for a few minutes before adding the salmon. In this way, the wood becomes slightly colored and starts to smoke.
When the grill smells like smoky cedar (amazing, by the way), I flip the plank, add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, and place the salmon on top.
You will also see lemon halves on the side of the plank. If you’ve never fried or grated lemon, you’re missing out. During the time it takes for the salmon to cook, the lemon halves heat up a bit and become sweet. They are perfect for squeezing over cooked salmon.
The salmon should take between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on the type of salmon you choose and the size. And that’s it! The salmon is tender, incredibly moist, and very flavorful. The sweet citrus rub on top works very well against the cedar wood smoke.
Cedar Plank Salmon with Citrus Rub
-
PREP
-
COOK
-
TOTAL
As salmon cooks slowly, cedar wood salmon is ridiculously tender, moist, and flavorful. We love this sweet orange drink. It works well with the cedar wood smoke the salmon soaks from the bottom plank. The time required for this recipe is short, and the additional 30 minutes called for during preparation is for soaking the cedar plank in water.
4 Services
You will need it
1 cedar plank, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
1 kilogram (450g) of salmon in the skin, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
3 to 4 sprigs of thyme, optional
Directions
1Prepare the rub: zest the lemon for 1 tablespoon of zest, then combine it in a small bowl with the brown sugar, salt and smoked paprika. Set the lemon aside.
2Pat your salmon dry and rub the spice mixture all over. Let the salmon sit with the rub for 15 minutes.
3While the salmon is marinating, heat your grill to medium heat.
4When the grill is ready, place your soaked cedar plank directly on the grill grates, cover the grill, and let it heat for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the cedar smoking.
5Flip the board over, scatter a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top, and place the salmon skin side down on the board. Close the grill lid and cook until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the quantity.
6While the salmon is cooking, cut the lemon in half and place the halves cut side down on the grill grates. Sauté the lemon until soft and lightly browned. Serve the grated lemon halves with the cooked salmon.
Tips from Adam and Joanne
- Baking with cedar wood: Check the plank from time to time, if the edges start to catch fire, mist with a little water (or, pour a little in a glass over the cleaned area of the plank) and move the plank to the cool part of the grill with an indirect grill. the heat.
- Prepare this recipe in the oven: To bake salmon on cedar planks, soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare the rub as directed. Rub the salmon with the spice mixture and let it sit for 15 minutes. Place the soaked plank on the oven rack and arrange the salmon on top. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135° F. Grill the lemon halves next to the salmon if desired.
- The nutrition facts given below are estimates.
Food Per Serving
Serving Size
4 ounces (1/4 of the recipe)
/
Calories
179
/
Proteins
24.7 g
/
Carbohydrate
3.7 g
/
Dietary fiber
0.5 g
/
Total Sugar
2.6 g
/
Perfect Oils
6.8 g
/
Saturated Fats
1.5 g
/
Cholesterol
51 mg
/
Sodium
344 mg
