Cedar Plank Miso Salmon
Did you know that this weekend is officially the start of summer? Okay, I know that summer officially starts June 21st, but a lot of people consider Memorial Day the beginning. It’s a three day weekend, people go away and there’s a lot of barbecuing. While barbecuing is becoming more and more of a year-round event, I reserve my grill time for warm weekends, especially when they’re three-day weekends.
I love my grill. Cooking outside, basked in the warm summer sun… it just thrills me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kitchen, and my 1940’s oven, but there’s just something about cooking outside that sends a charge through my body. The smells, the grill marks and of course the flavors. So, when the temperature starts to rise and the days get longer, I know it’s time to uncover my grill and start cooking outside. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that those two things seem to happen right around Memorial Day.
To most people Memorial Day means steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs. But there’s also fish. I like it seared or baked, but I absolutely love it grilled. While I could put it directly on the grill plate, I prefer to cook the filets on cedar planks. See, cedar adds a rich, woodsy flavor that enhances the fish. But cedar isn’t the only thing I grill on. Sometimes I grill on a salt block.
While grilling fish straight on the grill plates is a perfectly fine cooking option, I prefer the plank or block. As I said, the plank adds a smoky, cedar taste while the block infuses the fish with a subtle salt. Both are great options depending on what you want your fish to taste like. Sometimes I prefer it on the smokey side, while other times I like the added salt. Not only do both options add great flavor, they also present beautifully, especially if you let the plank char slightly on the edges. Since it’s the unofficial start of summer and the beginning of grilling season, I’d opt for the planks. Not only are they easier to find, you can add them to your charcoal bin once the meal is over. Just break up what’s left of the plank and use it as chips for your next barbecue.
While the plank can be used for a variety of meats, salmon is one of the more common choices. See, salmon is more porous and so soaks up the cedar smoke even more than say a steak or hamburger. Besides, in this day and age when we’re all trying to eat healthier, there’s no doubt that fish, especially salmon, is the healthier choice. So, on a weekend that is guaranteed to be full of rich, maybe not-so-healthy, foods, why not opt for the salmon? That way you won’t feel as guilty reaching for the second piece of pie.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white miso
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 (1-1/2 pound) skin-on wild salmon filet, pin bones removed
Instructions
- Whisk together the first 7 ingredients (through the lemon zest) in a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon. Turn the salmon in the marinade to coat, leaving flesh side down. Let the salmon marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- While the salmon marinates, soak cedar plank in water.
- Preheat your grill to 350 degrees and set up for indirect cooking.
- Leaving a light coating of the marinade on the salmon, place it skin side down on the wet cedar plank. Place the plank on the grill opposite from the coals, close the lid and cook the salmon until opaque and flakes easily, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer plank and salmon to a platter and serve.
