Executive Chef Stevie Provencio shares his tips for making restaurant-quality cedar plank salmon. In Oregon, the classic salmon pairing is Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, but to change things up for summer try it with our 2024 King Estate Goschie Pinot Gris. Just follow these steps and you’ll be grilling like a pro!
Preparing the plank. Soak for a minimum of 2 hours; overnight is better. Pre-char the plank by placing the soaked plank directly over the grill for 2–3 minutes until it begins to smoke. Flip it and place the salmon on the charred side. This creates cleaner smoke and deeper cedar aroma.
Seasoning kept simple. For every pound of salmon, sprinkle with two teaspoons of kosher salt, a grind of black pepper and a very light brush of neutral oil. Avoid sugar or heavy rubs. Season 30 minutes before cooking and let the fish and the cedar work their magic.
Grilling in two zones, one side hot and one side medium. Target grill temperature is between 350° and 375°F. Place the plank with the salmon on the medium side and close the lid, gently roasting the salmon while infusing smoke. The difference between restaurant-quality salmon and dry salmon is often just 5 degrees. Remove the salmon when the temperature reaches 118°F for medium rare, 122°F for medium. Rest 5 minutes. The final temperature should land around 125°F. During the last 3 minutes, brush the salmon lightly with browned butter and a tiny squeeze of lemon. The butter catches the cedar smoke and creates incredible aroma.
