I know a lot of people who claim to not like fish. They often say it is because of the “fishy” flavor that fish has. A lot of people I know who do like fish don’t like to make it at home because they think that the recipe has to be elaborate or the process of making the fish is time consuming. They would rather go out to a seafood restaurant and order up their fish than to make it at home.
My husband and I used to be like that. We would only go out to eat if we wanted seafood. We had a “fish phobia” that neither of us were willing to do anything about…we were intimidated by the entire fish process.
A few years ago this all changed when I decided to give Tilapia a try at home. I had several great attempts with various Tilapia recipes (click here to see some of my favorite Tilapia recipes). My confidence and desire to learn how to cook other varieties of fish grew. I discovered that cooking fish is really simple. I have no idea why I thought it was so difficult because it really is not.
One of the seafood recipes my husband and I love to make now is just about as simple as it gets. It is a cedar plank salmon recipe that uses few ingredients but packs restaurant quality flavor into every single bite. We don’t go out to eat at seafood restaurants anymore, thanks to recipes like this. If you are ready to get over your fish phobia head to your nearest fish market, of if you are in the midwest like us, head to Costco. Make it easy on yourself and buy your fish already skinned and de-boned. Then follow this recipe and take your first step into fish phobia freedom
Easy Cedar Plank Salmon
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb salmon fillet de-boned, skinned, and cleaned
- salt
- pepper
- brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into small bits
- 1 cedar plank untreated, cut to fit the grill
Instructions
- Cut a cedar plank to fit your barbecue grill. You won't be saving this, so no need to be fancy. (We usually get a 1"-thick, 12" wide board and cut it into appropriately sized pieces.) Completely submerse the cedar plank in water for 15 minutes.
- Put the salmon"skin-side" down on the wet plank. (Remember that anything hanging off the side of the board will burn, so try to maneuver the salmon all onto the board.)
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- If you have a favorite herb or spice, you might want to add a sprinkle now.
- Pat a thickish coating of brown sugar evenly over the top of the salmon. We like our salmon well-glazed, so we pat about a 1/4" layer onto the fish.
- Dot with little chunks of the butter, use more or less to your taste.
- Grill (on a rack) above medium hot coals for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature reads 135 degrees.
- To serve, just pop the plank onto a platter and cut pieces off the salmon at the table.
Ohhhhh… As you know, fish is the only meat I eat and salmon is my favorite. I will definitely have to try this. It looks so easy and I’ll bet that the brown sugar really gives it a great flavor!
I was so like you!! I was very intimidated by fish,but after finally trying to cook it, I realized that it is actually easier than anything else for me to cook. I usually overcook chicken, but I can cook salmon perfectly! This recipe sounds great. I have some salmon – I’ll have to give it a try.
Fish is one of my favorites. It’s so easy and so quick. Tilapia is my favorite to make but I also do flounder (unfortunately frozen), catfish, and sometimes salmon. I got my parents a cedar grill plank for Christmas…think I’ll have to check and see if they’ve used it yet!
I’m one of those people who doesn’t care too much for fish, but I find myself craving salmon often. I haven’t ever made it and my sister (who pretty much lives on salmon and has lost a ton of weight with her new healthy diet of salmon!) has told me it’s not that hard to make it at all. I need to try it sometime, for sure.
Tilapia, huh? Maybe I’ll give that a try sometime too.
Salmon is so good.I’ve been preparing it with a sweet soy glaze lately, and even my youngest will eat it.
This is the beginning of fresh salmon season, too. I always look forward to that, and your recipe reminds me to haul out my plank!
Oooh that looks so pretty and very tasty. I can’t wait try it, modified for WW (sans butter). Fish has been my best friend since I started the program. I might be growing fins soon. 🙂
I love, love, love fish…but hate the smell it leaves in the house. Any suggestions, other than grilling outdoors?
The salmon looks fabulous! We cook fish at least once a week (at least!) but most times for each type of fish we use the same recipe – like perch we fry, walley or halibut we steam with onions and garlic, orange roughy is usually thrown under the broiler with lots of garlic butter etc.. What I’d really like to do is start using different recipes instead of always the same old same old, yanno?
So I’m very happy to see this new recipe – it sounds delish! I hope you post more of your fishy recipes in the future =)
xoxo
I love salmon and have always been curious but a little scared about the cedar planks at the grocery store. Thanks for sharing this simple recipe – next time I won’t wimp out and pass on them!
Delicious! When done well, fish is so easy and impressive! 🙂
Salmon was my fav. fish for a long time, until earlier this week when I tried Lake Trout. It was soo delicious (and cheap). Usually with fish I leave the skin on, just make sure to dry it very well with paper towels. The skin pan-fried with olive oil tastes buttery and crisy, almost like a french fry! Makes you feel as if you are actually eating something unhealthy, (fish skin has fat, but its good, unsaturated fat, and also has loads of Omega 3 fatty acids) and who doesn’t want that feeling!
Salmon is my favorite fish and I’ve always wanted to try the plank thing. Jason fixes us salmon when we’re in Seattle that is fresh and so wonderful. You make it sound easy enough and I already know it’s good enough.
Gorgeous picture, lovely red!!!
I had the same fear about cooking fish, especially inside. I have two salmon recipes that I use all the time now (one on the grill – uses brown sugar, like yours) and one to cook in the oven, but I’ve never tried the cedar plank technique and will have to give your recipe a try.
I found a delicious recipe for sea bass and have tried it with tilapia, as well. I won’t link to any of these here, but if you like, head over to my blog and look for the seafood labels. (http://lesleyskitchen.blogspot.com)
Hi there! I have just been enjoying your blog for a few minutes. I’m a fellow Paper Palate writer but haven’t written that much for the site; I write a bit more for Wine Sediments. There’s so much blogging to do!
Oh yes and I meant to tell you that salmon is the one fish I can get the whole family to enjoy…
I love fish.. its part of my diet. You can find a lot of recipes over a good fish…