Cedar plank salmon


 
T

tmfast

TVWBB Super Fan
My boss brought in some cedar plank smoked salmon, and it was the outstanding!
I would like to try this on my WSM this weekend. I never really liked the brown sugar way it’s done as suggested on the cooking topics. He told me he just brushed on some oil, and cracked pepper. Soaked a cedar plank for a few hours, and put it in his “electric” smoker for 2 hours at 225.
Yeh, I like to poke fun at him now and then about his electric smoker, but he is kicking my butt!
Set it and forget it?? I’m not going to cave in!!
Does anyone have any advice on this? Water in the pan or foil. At $15 a pound for real salmon, I would like to get it right.
 
I've never tried cedar plank at 225F. I've always done it over direct heat at much higher temp for the plank to release smoke.
 
If you can get an alder plank, i would go that route. I find cedar to be too harsh and really enjoy the milder smoke that you get from alder.A short 90 minute brine is nice to use too. You can add flavors to the brine. I think you could go without the pan,because you want the plank to char some and give off smoke.Soak the plank as he suggested and then do a short pre heat in the smoker before placing the salmon on.Some people brush a light coat of oil on the plank first.Cook to an internal temp of 140 to 145*

Paul
 
Try the brined appetizer style salmon. Cut the salt by 1/3. And cook as you would your normal planked salmon. Or, cook as described, but take it off earlier, before it begins to dry. It works great on the WSM with a little sugar maple.
 
If you don't have planks but have chips you could do it like this. It's high heat, though. We stopped doing it on planks after finding this technique. We like it much better and the chips are so much cheaper.
 
Thank you all for your replies.
I found some alder planks, got one soaking now. Maybe I should just do this on the grill.
 
Thank you Paul for your help.
Alder plank has been soaking for 2 hours, just pulled the salmon from brine, letting it get some air.
Going on the grill in an hour or so.
 
I like this recipe. You don't need the planks. I have done it with soaked hickory chips and it was nice.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by patrick sullivan:
Here is the recipe from America's Test Kitchen (hopefully ok to post since it is offered for free on their web site):

From the episode: Surefire Seafood

Aromatic woods such as cedar and alder give the most authentic flavor.

Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 skin-on salmon fillets (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 1/4 inches thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups wood chips , soaked for 15 minutes

Instructions
1. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Brush flesh side of salmon with oil and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Following photos 1 and 2, use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make four 7- by 5-inch trays. Using tip of knife, perforate bottom of each tray. Divide wood chips among trays and place salmon skin-side down on top of wood chips.

2. Place trays with salmon over hot fire and grill, covered, until center of each fillet is still just translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove trays from grill. Following photo 3, slide metal spatula between skin and flesh of fish and transfer to platter. Serve. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
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