The answer to this question is very straightforward and the technique involved is no different than how you would cook anything on a grilling plank. Soak the plank in hot water for at least 15 minutes, remove it from the water, place your salmon on the wood, set it on the grill or in the oven, close the lid or door and cook until done. Then enjoy a tasty amalgamation of Cedar and salmon.
Cedar and salmon have a beautiful relationship, there is a reason these complimentary flavors have been utilized for centuries. Other than flavor, there are a variety of benefits to cooking salmon on Cedar. Not everyone enjoys the texture and flavor of salmon skin and some prefer to cook this fish without it.
How to cook skinless salmon
On a grill, a skinless piece of salmon can be tricky. To pull this off successfully, your grill needs to be very clean, well-seasoned, and your fish will require some sort of lubricant like oil or cooking spray.
Salmon, like most fish, is delicate in nature and overhandling can ruin the appearance and overall structural integrity. Salmon that has no skin tends to stick to the grill and can easily fall apart when being turned over. When it comes to skinless salmon, the major benefit is that the wood acts as a barrier between fish and grill. This omits the issue of your meal getting stuck to the grates.
Another advantage to cooking skinless salmon on a plank is that there is no need to turn the salmon over, this greatly reduces the chances of your fish falling to pieces.
Finally, the use of oil to help prevent sticking can be omitted when cooking on a plank, so we can safely say that the overall fat content of your dish is significantly reduced.
So, before you turn that skinless piece of salmon into something charred and unattractive, consider dropping a plank in some hot water for 15 minutes and becoming this evening’s dinner hero.
Matt worked his first kitchen job in the country of Malta at the age of 15. He has worked as a restaurant Chef in Arizona, Maine, Spain, the UK, Oregon and finally North Idaho. Now the Executive Chef at Wildwood Grilling, he thoroughly enjoys his day job. Make sure to also follow him on Instagram.
