I took advantage of the heat-wave today (about 50 degrees - snow coming later on....again!). Since it was a small window of time until the return of the snow and frigid temperatures, my hubby wanted me to make my Cedar Plank Salmon on the grill. I thought it was a capital idea! I hadn't prepared this dish in a long time, so that made it extra special.
I love this dish. It helped remind me of summer even though summer is several months away. I first prepare the cedar plank. (I buy mine in the grocery store in the aisle with the grilling supplies.) You must soak the plank/s for at least an hour before using them on the grill, or guess what? Yep, it will catch on fire. I use equal parts red wine and water to soak my plank in. The red wine just adds another dimension to the flavor. (I've tried using white wine before, but I couldn't tell any difference in the flavor.) The red wine with the water works perfectly! I put the wine/water mixture in a roasting pan. The grooves in the bottom of the roasting pan help give channels for the liquid to absorb from the bottom into the wood plank.
The wood is light-weight enough, that it wanted to float, so I put a glass on it to keep it from floating. I also flipped it over a few times during the hour that it soaked. You want it thoroughly soaked with the liquid.
Then I prepared the salmon. I placed the salmon on a tray skin side down. I lightly rubbed olive oil over it. This helps keep it moist while grilling it. Next I drizzled fresh squeezed lemon over it, then sprinkled it with salt and a bit of pepper. I added fresh cut dill to cover the whole slab. Last, I added lemon slices to top it off. The lemon will release more juice at it heats up. I covered the salmon with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator while the cedar plank was soaking. (1 hour).
Lastly, I prepared the dill sauce so it could also sit for an hour. It actually tastes better if it's prepared the day before, but since this was a spur of the moment decision, it only got 1 hour. I mixed equal parts of sour cream and mayonnaise, so it depends on how much you're making. Today, I used about 1/4 cup of each. This made more than enough for just the two of us today. The rest of the ingredients weren't really measured, so it's hard for me to say exactly how much went in. I will guesstimate for you. I cut up maybe a tablespoon of fresh dill. Squeezed some fresh lemon juice in (maybe 1/2 tsp.). Sprinkled a tad bit of garlic powder (less than 1/8 tsp.) To give it more intense flavor I squirted some lemon concentrate into it (probably 1/2 tsp.) Then I also added about 1/2 tsp. of dill pickle juice. The trick is to not add too much juice at the same time so it doesn't break down the creaminess of the sauce. The combination of fresh ingredients with the bottled juices makes for a fresh, but flavorful dill sauce. We love it!
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| About 1/4 cup mayo (left) and 1/4 sour cream (right) with fresh dill sprigs |
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| All ingredients mixed up and served with a fresh dill sprig |
With all items prepared, you can take it easy for an hour. Then pre-heat the grill to 350 degrees. Put the cedar plan in the grill and let it heat for about 3 minutes, then turn it over and heat it again for another 3 minutes, then add the salmon directly onto the heated cedar plank. Close the lid and let the grill do all the work for you. You will want to mind the grill because our plank did actually catch on fire. Luckily my husband was able to blow out the flame before it was ruined! Cook the salmon for about 15-20 minutes. It will be opaque pink when done and will flake easily. For some reason today, mine didn't get done even in 20 minutes. I suspect either the grill thermostat was inaccurate, or the chilly wind may have slowed things down. I didn't want to continue to cook it in the grill because salmon can dry out and become tough pretty easily. So, I brought it in and took it off the plank and put it onto a baking sheet. Then I popped it into the oven under "Low Broil" for 5 minutes and it was perfect! I had intended to photo the salmon on the cedar plank, but got distracted by the flame up and then having to transfer it to the over and forgot. I served the salmon with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli and it was an awesome 'summer-time' meal in the dead of winter!!
