Cedar Planked Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Herbs
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Grilled cedar planked salmon has a delightfully smoky flavor and never sticks to the grill!
Cedar planked salmon is a mainstay on restaurant menus, yet it’s so easy to make at home. Marinating the salmon in lemon zest, garlic, and herbs in one of my favorite ways to prepare it. The citrus and garlic add zing while the cedar plank and herbs impart a smoky, woodsy flavor. To make life easy, I buy the salmon already skinned and portioned at the supermarket. Once home, I quickly whip up the marinade, refrigerate the salmon, and go about my day. Come dinnertime, all that’s left to do is soak the plank, fire up the grill, and make the side dishes. What’s more, not only does the plank prevent the fish from sticking to the grill, but it also makes clean-up a breeze. Serve the salmon with sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes or ratatouille and focaccia.
What you’ll need to make Cedar Planked Salmon
As you can see, the ingredients are very straightforward. The cedar planks are easy to find; most large supermarkets carry them near the seafood department.
How to make Cedar Planked Salmon
Begin by making the marinade: combine the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a dish large enough to hold the salmon. Add the salmon to the dish and turn to coat evenly. Let the salmon marinate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill.
Meanwhile, soak the cedar plank in a sink or bowl of water for at least one hour, otherwise, it will be more prone to catch fire on the grill. Then, pat dry and place the marinated salmon on the plank.
Grill over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is done to your liking.
Serve the salmon right off the plank with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
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Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary
Grilled cedar planked salmon has a delightfully smoky flavor and never sticks to the grill!
Ingredients
- Cedar plank(s) for grilling
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl or sink with water. Soak the cedar plank(s) under the water for at least 1 hour.
- In a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Mix well. Add the salmon and turn to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to grill (you can do this up to 4 hours ahead of time).
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F).
- Pat the soaked plank(s) dry and place the salmon on top. Place the plank(s) on the grill grates, close the cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until salmon is done to your liking. Douse or mist the plank(s) with a bit of water if it catches fire. Serve the salmon on a platter right off the plank(s) with lemon wedges.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 478
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 392 mg
- Cholesterol: 94 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Can you marinade this longer then 4 hours in the refridgerator if needed? Thank you
Yes, Betsy – should be fine. Enjoy!
This is so easy and so nice. rather than a plank I have these lovely sheets of cedar that I wrap around them and put this on the grill (it works!). Also, my new favorite thing is preserved lemon rind. Since I made a lot of it I can spare some small bits, very thoroughly rinsed and dried then fine julienne over the top.
Absolutely perfect! Made double the sauce since we had so much salmon! Kids, everyone loved the taste. Served with roasted broccoli and your Kale/Brussels Sprouts Salad. Yummy!
Your side dishes sound like a good match.
Thank you so very much for this fabulous recipe! This is the only way I prepare my Salmon anymore! Since I do not have a cedar plank I just leave the skin on and grill my salmon until done, or I simply sauté it in a pan on the stove in the winter when I put my grill away. Its just delicious! 🙂
When I don’t have fresh herbs, I use dried, approximately 1/3 the recipe amount. It is still delicious.
If you use salmon with skin, put the soaked plank on the barbeque and let it get hot before putting on the salmon. The skin will stick to the plank and the rest of the salmon comes off pristine. This is a recipe I made many times this summer to rave reviews.
This is now a family favorite! I have made this many times both on a cedar plank on the grill and indoors in my oven. When cooking in the oven I lower the temp to 375 degrees ,line a pan with tin foil and cook for 10 minutes per inch of height. Perfect every time. Every guest I have served this to raves and asks for the recipe. I serve this with your Strawberry Spinach Salad…. another awesome recipe! I tell everyone about your website and terrific recipes!!!
Everyone loved it, even the kids.
My family enjoyed this salmon immensely! I used parsley and dill and it was delicious.I’ve read many cedar plank salmon recipes and this was the simplest. I am a firm believer that less is more and I am so happy I chose this one! Thank you Jen!
This was really, really good! I did it in the oven and it did take abut half as much time to cook. So worth it!
The salmon was delicious and moist; I will be using the cedar plank all summer. My kids prefer a sweeter marinade – soy sauce/brown sugar/olive oil/salt/pepper…do you think I could use that with the cedar plank? I usually roast it in the oven. I love your recipes.
Hi Lisa, I think that marinade will work but I would suggest not having too much liquid from the marinade on the cedar plank as it could burn. I’d love to hear how it turns out with these flavors!