Cedar Plank Salmon
intro
Smoky, tender salmon infused with warm cedar aroma, finished with a bright maple-Dijon glaze for a balanced, restaurant-worthy grilled meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Soak the cedar plank
Submerge the food-grade untreated cedar plank fully in cold tap water, weighing it down with a heavy can or small bowl to keep it fully under the surface. Soak for 60 full minutes at room temperature to prevent the wood from igniting on the grill, and to generate steam that carries soft cedar flavor into the salmon.
Make maple-Dijon glaze
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons (45ml) pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons (30g) Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra-virgin olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves (6g), 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon (1g) freshly ground black pepper until completely smooth. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the mixed glaze to use as a finishing touch after cooking.
Preheat outdoor grill
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (200°C / 400°F), arranging a two-zone cooking area: one side with direct heat from lit burners or hot coals, and the opposite side with no direct heat source. Remove the soaked cedar plank from water, pat its top surface lightly with a paper towel to remove excess dripping water, and set it on the indirect heat side of the grill for 3 minutes to warm through.
Arrange salmon on plank
Pat the 4 skin-on salmon fillets (170g each) completely dry with paper towels to help the glaze adhere. Brush the flesh side (non-skin side) of each fillet evenly with three-quarters of the prepared maple-Dijon glaze, then place the fillets skin-side down on the warmed cedar plank, leaving 2cm of open space between each piece to allow even air and smoke circulation.
Grill the salmon
Close the grill lid fully and cook the salmon over indirect medium-high heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the internal temperature at the thickest part of each fillet reaches 63°C / 145°F, and the flesh flaks easily when prodded with a fork. Resist opening the grill lid frequently, as this traps smoke and maintains consistent cooking temperature.
Finish and plate
Use long, heat-resistant grill tongs to carefully transfer the hot cedar plank to a heatproof wooden serving board. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of reserved glaze over the tops of the cooked salmon fillets, sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons (5g) of chopped fresh dill, and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges on the side.
Tips
2.If you do not have an outdoor grill, you can make this recipe in a home oven preheated to 200°C (400°F): place the soaked plank on a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack, and cook for the same 12 to 15 minute duration.
3.Never place the cedar plank directly over high open flame, as this will cause the wood to ignite and burn quickly, producing bitter, acrid smoke that will ruin the salmon’s flavor instead of imparting mild, sweet cedar notes.
OMG this cedar plank salmon was an absolute game changer for our Sunday family dinner! I was worried it would be too fussy since I’ve never grilled with planks before, but the instructions were so clear. My kids who usually turn their nose up at fish ate two full servings each! I followed the soak time exactly (set a timer so I didn’t cut it short, no burnt planks here!) and the smoky cedar flavor was unreal. 10/10 will be making this for our next neighborhood potluck too.
Really solid salmon recipe! The cedar flavor is next level, I just wish the cook time note was a little more specific for different grill temps — I have a big gas grill and mine was done in 22 minutes instead of 30, so it was a touch more well done than I like. Still SO good though, I’ll just adjust the time next go around. Already bought extra planks to make this for my Fourth of July cookout.
Made this for my roommate’s birthday dinner since she’s obsessed with salmon, and she thought I ordered it from a fancy seafood restaurant! I did forget to soak the plank for the full hour (only did 40 mins oops) and it got a little charred on the edges, but the fish still turned out amazing. Definitely setting three timers next time so I don’t cut the soak short.
As someone who’s been grilling salmon in the PNW for 20+ years, I can confirm this recipe is spot on. The cedar soak time is exactly what I’ve always recommended to friends, and the simple seasoning lets that wood-fired flavor shine through. I made this last weekend when my parents came to visit, and my dad who never compliments anything said it was the best salmon he’s ever had. Wild.
Great recipe for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday and ate it for lunch all week with roasted veggies and quinoa, it held up so well even reheated. My only note is that it’s a little more involved than your average 30 minute meal if you count the plank soak time, so make sure you plan ahead! I almost had a dinner delay when I realized I forgot to start soaking the plank when I got home from work.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and people were literally coming up to me for the recipe all afternoon! I was nervous it would get cold or lose flavor sitting out for a bit, but it was still delicious even room temp. I added a little lemon garlic butter drizzle right before serving and people went crazy for it. 10/10, will be my go-to potluck dish from now on.
Taste was great, but I had a really hard time keeping the plank from catching on fire on my tiny apartment balcony charcoal grill. I soaked it for the full hour like the recipe said, but the edges kept flaring up and I had to spritz it with water every two minutes. Definitely tasted good in the end, but it was way more high maintenance than I expected for a weeknight meal.
Made this over the campfire on our last camping trip and it was the best camp meal we’ve ever had! We soaked the plank in the lake for a little over an hour since we didn’t have a tub big enough at the campsite, set it on the grill grate over the fire, and it came out perfect. Our camp neighbors smelled it and came over to ask what we were making, total campground flex. Will be a staple on all our future trips.
SO good! I’ve made cedar plank salmon at restaurants a dozen times but never tried it at home because I thought it would be too hard, but this recipe made it so approachable. The medium difficulty rating felt totally fair — it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it recipe, but it’s not so complicated that a home cook can’t nail it on the first try. My husband already asked me to put it on the weekly menu rotation.
Wanted to love this, but I think I did something wrong? The salmon had almost no cedar flavor at all, it just tasted like regular baked salmon. I soaked the plank for an hour, used the seasoning as written, grilled it for 30 mins on my gas grill — am I missing a step? Bummed because I was so excited for that smoky wood flavor.
Made this for my mom for Mother’s Day and she raved about it! She’s a total salmon snob who only eats it when we go out for seafood, so that’s the highest possible praise. I served it with roasted asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes, and it felt like a fancy restaurant meal right at home for a fraction of the price. Worth every minute of the plank soak time, trust me.
Full transparency, I’ve been eating mostly plant based for three years but had the craziest salmon craving last week, so I decided to give this a shot. No regrets! The flavor was incredible, the cedar cut through that sometimes fishy taste salmon can have, and I didn’t even overcook it. Knocked a star off because I had to run to three different grocery stores to find cedar planks, but that’s not really the recipe’s fault tbh.
Game changer for quick weeknight dinners! I keep a stack of cedar planks in my garage now so I don’t have to plan ahead too much — I just toss one in water to soak as soon as I walk in the door, season the salmon while it soaks, and 30 minutes of cook time later dinner is done. My kids even ask for it by name now, which is saying something because they usually only ask for pizza and chicken nuggets.
I make salmon at least once a week and this is hands down the best recipe I’ve ever tried. The cedar adds such a warm, smoky depth that you just can’t get from baking it in the oven or pan searing. I’ve started adding a little sprinkle of smoked paprika to the seasoning blend and it pairs so perfectly with the wood flavor. If you’re on the fence about trying this, do it — you won’t regret it.
Really tasty! I don’t have an outdoor grill so I tried making this on my grill pan on the stove top, and it worked pretty well! I opened all the windows and turned on the range hood because it got a little smoky inside, but the cedar flavor still came through. It was a little less smoky than the restaurant version I’ve had, but for a stovetop hack I was super happy with how it turned out.
Made this for my guys’ grill night last weekend and everyone was blown away. We usually do burgers and brats, so switching it up with this salmon was a nice change of pace, and even the guys who say they ‘hate fish’ went back for seconds. I paired it with cold coleslaw and some grilled corn, and it was the perfect summer meal. Will absolutely be making this all grilling season long.