Great minds really do think alike. Prior to reviewing this month’s blog post by our grilling expert Joi Disroe I sent her an email describing an upcoming cooking class I was teaching for Father’s Day “The Thrill of the Grill”, and asked her if she had any tips for me to pass on to my students. I ran down my menu which included cedar planked salmon and cod on the grill. Lo and behold a few hours later I’m reading Joi’s post and what do I see but “Sizzling Cedar Planked Salmon on the Grill”. Perfect for this upcoming Father’s Day or any other day when the sun is shining and the grill is hot. And Happy Father’s Day to all of you out there who are on your post today and everyday making a difference in the lives of those who matter most, your children. ~ Heather Watkins Jones
Father’s day is just a few short days away, so what better way to celebrate it than provide a great recipe for the man in your life.
Instead of sticking with your traditional grilling routine impress your family and guests this year with some of the best grilled salmon you will ever have. The best way to cook seafood, especially salmon is on a wood plank. There are various types of wood planks you can purchase. Cedar, Oak and Hickory are the most common and can be found at your local Whole Foods, grocery stores, gourmet shops and even the Home Depot. Try to purchase all natural wood, if you can. Planks enhance your seafood and vegetables with an authentic smoky flavor.
It’s recommended to soak the planks for three to six hours, soaking overnight will ensure complete saturation. The most common method of soaking planks is to place them in the kitchen sink and hold them under water. We use a 5 gallon pail to soak our planks. If you want to infuse more flavors, try a bottle of wine or apple cider.
Grilling preparation:
After your planks have been presoaked dry them off a bit and brush both sides of the planks with olive oil. Season the planks with sea salt, we like using a combination of Himalayan Pink, Hawaiian Red and Australian White Sea salts. The Pink Sea salts provides many health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and providing better circulatory and detoxification from heavy metals.
Layer orange slices in a line on the plank and place the salmon on top of the orange slices. This will allow for extra moisture for the salmon and provide a sweet smoky flavor to the salmon.
Basting Ingredients:¼ cup Maple Syrup
¼ cup Apple Juice or 1/3 Orange Juice or both
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
Mix together syrup and apple/orange juice
Baste the Salmon on the plank.
Grill the salmon at medium heat until done at 130 degrees. It’s best to use an instant read thermometer; you’ll want to test the fillet with a fork to determine if it has becomes flaky.
It’s recommended to have some grill (high temperature) gloves to remove your plank from the grill, you can easily remove the salmon once done with a spatula carefully or you can cut into several pieces for easy removal.
If your plank hasn’t become too charred, you can reuse it. Place in hot water to completely sanitize (don’t use dishwashing detergent).
Add a few grilled asparagus to complete your father’s day dish, I guarantee you this will become one of your new grilling favorites!
The Blacker The Berry Food “Grilling and BBQ Expert” Joi Disroe is The CFO (Chief Food Officer) at Meat-Me-At-The-Grill in Atlanta, GA. Click here to learn more about this mistress of Meat.
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This look amazing I look forward to trying it.