Grilled wild Mediterranean cedar plank salmon topped with tomatoes, kalamata olives and red onion.
Grilled Mediterranean Cedar Plank Salmon
This is so flavorful, and simple to make, perfect for weeknight cooking or fancy enough to serve if you’re having guests. Aside from soaking the plank in water, the rest takes under 30 minutes to make. Some grilled sides you can make with this recipe are Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes or Grilled Zucchini and Tomato Salad. You may also like this brown sugar spice rubbed cedar plank salmon.
How To Make Perfect Cedar Plan Salmon
Soak the planks at least 1 hour. Turn the left two burners of the grill on so you’ll have indirect heat on the right side and direct heat on the left, then close the lid. You’ll want the grill to get very hot. Because the smoke is what gives you such great flavor, I place the plank with the fish on the direct heat side for about 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts crackling and smoking, keeping a close eye on it and a water bottle handy just in case. Then I move it to the indirect heat side, close the lid and let the heat finish cooking the salmon. The results are perfectly cooked juicy salmon, with just enough smoky flavor and no fire!
A few more tips, add fresh herbs to the plank before the fish to add more flavor as it cooks. Try soaking the planks in apple juice, cranberry juice or even wine.
Grilled Mediterranean Cedar Plank Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 untreated cedar plank
- 1 1 1/4-pound boneless wild salmon fillet
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- a few sprigs fresh oregano and thyme, optional
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, quartered in long strips
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- fresh oregano for garnish
Instructions
- Soak cedar plank in water 1 hour.
- Slice 1/2 of the lemon into thin slices. Season fish with remaining juice from 1/2 lemon, salt, oregano and black pepper . Cover with refrigerate until ready to grill.
- In a medium bowl combine the tomatoes, red onion, olives, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Place fresh herbs and salmon, skin side down, on the plank. Top with lemon slices.
- Heat the grill to medium-high, leaving the right burners off so you have indirect heat. Close the lid and let the grill get hot.
- Place planked salmon on the direct heat side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the planks start to smoke and get a little charred on the bottom and edges, (check occasionally to make sure edges of plank don't ignite, keep a spray bottle with water handy if they do).
- Transfer the plank to the indirect heat side, cover, and grill 12 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness, or until the salmon is cooked through in the thickest part (I used a fork to take a peak).
- When the fish is cooked, top with tomato mixture and serve.
