Cedar Plank Salmon with Citrus Rub
My family loves this cedar plank salmon made with the easiest citrus and brown sugar rub! The salmon stays soft and juicy in the middle and takes on the most delicious smoky flavor from the cedar plank. I love cooking salmon fillets on cedar planks. They add a delicious smoky flavor and make clean-up so easy! The rub used for this recipe is similar to the one used for our brown sugar baked salmon. It’s fast to put together and works perfectly with salmon! I use my outdoor grill for this cedar plank recipe, but you can adapt this recipe for your oven. See my tips below for how to do it! This salmon makes me think of summer, so I love serving it next to some of my favorite summery sides, like this incredible corn salad, our avocado salad, or these roasted fingerling potatoes with a potato salad-inspired dipping sauce. Key Ingredients Cedar Plank: When choosing a cedar plank for cooking salmon, make sure it’s untreated, large enough for your fillet, and sold specifically for cooking. It’s essential to soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the plank to absorb moisture and create the fragrant steam that flavors the salmon. Salmon: Any salmon fillet will work for this cedar plank salmon recipe. I especially love salmon with higher fat content, like sockeye, king, and coho. After cooking, salmon with a higher fat content stays soft and moist. I also prefer using skin-on salmon. The skin acts as an extra barrier to the heat below and easily slides off once the salmon is cooked. Homemade Citrus Rub: I love this easy rub made with brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, and smoked paprika. It’s amazing with the salmon! I like rubbing it all over my salmon and letting it sit for 15 minutes before cooking. Thyme: This is optional, but I love sneaking a few thyme sprigs underneath the salmon. It adds a bit more flavor to the fish and works really well with the flavors in the rub. Cedar Plank: When choosing a cedar plank for cooking salmon, make sure it’s untreated, large enough for your fillet, and sold specifically for cooking. It’s essential to soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the plank to absorb moisture and create the fragrant steam that flavors the salmon. Salmon: Any salmon fillet will work for this cedar plank salmon recipe. I especially love salmon with higher fat content, like sockeye, king, and coho. After cooking, salmon with a higher fat content stays soft and moist. I also prefer using skin-on salmon. The skin acts as an extra barrier to the heat below and easily slides off once the salmon is cooked. Homemade Citrus Rub: I love this easy rub made with brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, and smoked paprika. It’s amazing with the salmon! I like rubbing it all over my salmon and letting it sit for 15 minutes before cooking. Thyme: This is optional, but I love sneaking a few thyme sprigs underneath the salmon. It adds a bit more flavor to the fish and works really well with the flavors in the rub. How to Make Cedar Plank Salmon Grilled salmon can be tricky, so I am excited to share this practically no-fail way of cooking salmon on the grill. The cedar plank protects the fish from the heat and prevents it from sticking to the grill grates, which, if you’ve experienced it, is a real pain! You’ll prepare the cedar plank first. Remember, you really want to soak it before using it. Thirty minutes is a minimum. You need the plank wet inside so it steams and releases all the smoky, cedar flavors. Add the rub about 15 minutes before you cook your salmon. I use my fingers to massage it into the salmon, then set it aside for 15 minutes to let things marinate a bit. While the salmon sits, get the grill ready. You are looking for medium-high heat. Since the salmon only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook, I like putting the previously soaked cedar plank on the grill for a few minutes before adding the salmon. This way, the plank gets a little color and begins to smoke. Once the grill smells like smoky cedar (amazing, by the way), I flip the plank, add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, and then lay the salmon right on top. You’ll also notice lemon halves to the side of the plank. If you’ve never roasted or grilled lemon, you are missing out. In the time it takes for the salmon to cook, the lemon halves become lightly charred and sweet. They are perfect for squeezing over the cooked salmon. The salmon should take between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on the type of salmon you choose and the thickness. And that’s it! The salmon is tender, incredibly moist, and so flavorful. The sweet citrus rub on top works so nicely against the woodsy cedar smoke. Cedar Plank Salmon with Citrus Rub PREP 30 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 50 mins PREP 30 mins COOK 20 mins TOTAL 50 mins Since the salmon cooks slowly, cedar plank salmon is ridiculously tender, moist, and flavorful. We love this sweet citrus rub. It works beautifully with the woodsy cedar smoke the salmon soaks up from the plank below. Hands-on time for this recipe is low, and the extra 30 minutes called for in the prep time are for soaking the cedar plank in water. 4 Servings You Will Need 1 cedar plank, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes 1 pound (450g) skin-on salmon, cut into 4 fillets 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 3 to 4 thyme sprigs, optional Directions 1Prepare the rub: zest the lemon to get about 1 teaspoon of zest, then combine it in a small bowl with brown sugar, salt, and smoked paprika. Set the lemon aside. 2Pat your salmon dry and rub the spice mixture all over it. Let the salmon sit with the rub for 15 minutes. 3While the salmon marinates, preheat your grill to medium heat. 4Once the grill is ready, place your soaked cedar plank directly on the grill grates, cover the grill, and let it heat for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the cedar smoking. 5Flip the plank over, scatter a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top, and then place the salmon skin-side down on the plank. Close the grill lid and cook until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness. 6While the salmon cooks, cut the lemon in half and place the halves cut-side down on the grill grates. Grill the lemon until it softens and browns slightly. Serve the grilled lemon halves with the cooked salmon. 1Prepare the rub: zest the lemon to get about 1 teaspoon of zest, then combine it in a small bowl with brown sugar, salt, and smoked paprika. Set the lemon aside. 2Pat your salmon dry and rub the spice mixture all over it. Let the salmon sit with the rub for 15 minutes. 3While the salmon marinates, preheat your grill to medium heat. 4Once the grill is ready, place your soaked cedar plank directly on the grill grates, cover the grill, and let it heat for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the cedar smoking. 5Flip the plank over, scatter a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top, and then place the salmon skin-side down on the plank. Close the grill lid and cook until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness. 6While the salmon cooks, cut the lemon in half and place the halves cut-side down on the grill grates. Grill the lemon until it softens and browns slightly. Serve the grilled lemon halves with the cooked salmon. Adam and Joanne's Tips Grilling with a cedar plank: Check the plank occasionally, if the edges start to catch fire, mist with a little water (or, pour a little out of a glass over the singed area of the plank) and move the plank to a cooler part of the grill with more indirect heat. Adapt this recipe for the oven: To bake cedar plank salmon, soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare the rub as directed. Rub the salmon with the spice mixture and let it sit for 15 minutes. Place the soaked plank on the oven rack and arrange the salmon on top. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F. Roast lemon halves alongside the salmon if desired. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Grilling with a cedar plank: Check the plank occasionally, if the edges start to catch fire, mist with a little water (or, pour a little out of a glass over the singed area of the plank) and move the plank to a cooler part of the grill with more indirect heat. Adapt this recipe for the oven: To bake cedar plank salmon, soak the plank in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare the rub as directed. Rub the salmon with the spice mixture and let it sit for 15 minutes. Place the soaked plank on the oven rack and arrange the salmon on top. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 135°F. Roast lemon halves alongside the salmon if desired. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 4 ounces (1/4 of recipe) / Calories 179 / Protein 24.7 g / Carbohydrate 3.7 g / Dietary Fiber 0.5 g / Total Sugars 2.6 g / Total Fat 6.8 g / Saturated Fat 1.5 g / Cholesterol 51 mg / Sodium 344 mg AUTHOR: Adam Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us