How to Grill Salmon
Have you looked at those wooden planks stacked in the seafood section at your market and wondered how to grill salmon with them? Turns out, it's an easy way to add a smoky flavor to a simple salmon fillet. You can serve the salmon right on the plank, an eye-catching way to showcase this delicious fish that is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and high in protein and vitamin D.Transcript
-Hi. Im Kristina with recipe.com. Today, I'm gonna show you
how to make a grilled herb salmon. And not just
any grilled salmon, we're gonna cook it on a cedar
plank and infuse all that great flavor into the fish.
So here's what you're gonna need, a cedar grill plank,
1 to 2 pounds of fresh salmon, 1 tablespoon of
snipped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon of snipped fresh sage, a
quarter teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of freshly
ground black pepper and then there's a great cucumber dill
yoghurt sauce that you serve on the side, 1 cup
of diced cucumber, a quarter cup of plain yoghurt, 2
tablespoons of light mayonnaise, and 2 teaspoons of dill. Now,
1 hour before you start grilling, you're gonna want to
soak your cedar plank in water. You wanna get that
nice and wet because otherwise when you put it on
the grill, it might start on fire. Nobody wants that.
I'm gonna take our salmon and put it skin side
down on the cedar plank. Then I will brush it
with the oil and now I'll sprinkle on some of
the parsley. I love the look of that green next
to the pink salmon. It looks so pretty. And then
the sage. And then finally a little bit of salt
and pepper. So, the grill is ready to go at
about medium heat and I'm just gonna put the entire
thing, the cedar plank and the salmon, on the grill
for about 18 to 22 minutes until the fish flakes
easily. What makes the salmon a true standout is the
sauce we're gonna serve alongside of it. It's very simple,
just some cucumber, some yoghurt, a little bit of mayonnaise,
and fresh dill and that's it, a nice creamy sauce
to serve alongside the salmon. So, the salmon has been
on the grill for about 20 minutes. It smells heavenly.
It actually smells like the inside of a sauna with
that cedar cooking. So, let's take it off the grill
and get ready to eat. Gorgeous! I mean that's as
pretty as a picture right there. I think it looks
beautiful to serve it right on the cedar plank, very
rustic and delicious. Now, I'm just gonna spoon on some
of our cucumber and dill yoghurt sauce. How gorgeous is
that? Cedar plank grilled herb salmon. Thanks for watching. For
more great recipes and savings, visit us at recipe.com.
What You'll Need
- 1 12x6x1/2-inch cedar grill plank*
- 1 2-pound fresh or frozen salmon fillet (with skin), about 1 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon snipped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh sage (optional)
- 1 recipe Blackberry Sauce and/or Cucumber Dill Sauce
Step By Step
1
At least 1 hour before grilling, soak cedar plank in enough water to cover, weighting it to keep submerged. Thaw salmon, if frozen. Rinse salmon with cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
2
Remove cedar plank from water. Place salmon fillet on the plank, skin side down. Brush oil atop the salmon. Sprinkle with parsley, sage, salt, and pepper. If desired, garnish salmon with additional fresh sage.
3
Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Test for medium heat above center of grill (not over coals). Place salmon on plank in center of the grill rack. Cover and grill for 18 to 22 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
4
Serve with Blackberry Sauce and/or Cucumber Dill Sauce. Makes 8 servings.
5
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries or raspberries; 2 tablespoons cranberry juice, apple juice, or water; 1 tablespoon sugar; and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 8 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring occasionally. If desired, strain out seeds. Serve warm or cooled. Makes 1/2 cup.
6
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup finely chopped cucumber, 1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt, 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise or salad dressing, and 2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill. Makes about 1 cup.
Plank-grilled salmon dates back to the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, who get credit for discovering this ingenious way to grill salmon over open fires. Campers still find it a favorite way to cook salmon.
Once you feel confident about how to grill salmon on a plank, try some other planked-grilled foods like meats, vegetables or other fish. And if you don't have a plank handy, you can get great results by grilling your salmon skin-side down over medium heat on your indoor or outdoor grill. Let it grill for about 15 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.
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