There are some dishes in a foodie’s life that one never forgets. You remember the very first time you ate it. The memory stays with you for the rest of your life. It changes the way you cook at home. It sparks your cooking creativity to reach out into the unknown. For me, cedar plank salmon is one of those dishes. The first time it was served to me was at a silly chain restaurant, but there was NO denying the way the cedar plank changed the fish’s flavor. I immediately went in search of cedar planks at my local grocery store, and there they were! I felt like such a fool for not knowing about this sooner and it’s changed the way I grill my salmon ever since!
Today I’m adding some amazing marinade ingredients and stepping up that smoky cedar smell with some Primo grilling action! Constructed with the highest quality ceramics and American made quality, Primo’s oval design offers a larger cooking surface, perfect for those cedar planks! I’ve almost always paired my salmon dishes with fresh rosemary, but to make today’s recipe extra special, I’m adding some orange marmalade, a freshly picked Meyer lemon from my back yard’s tree and some authentic Irish whiskey. Meyer lemons are a hybrid citrus. They’re half lemon, half orange and they have amazing orange aroma and that super sour lemon flavor. I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this salmon turned out. I truly wish we could add smells to blog articles, because the heaven that filled my nose while grilling this recipe was absolutely magical!
You’ll want to soak your cedar planks for at least an hour with this recipe. I used a SUPER hot Primo grill to cook the salmon just right, so soaking the boards keeps them from catching on fire. I prepped my Primo by filling it up 2/3 of the way with Primo’s 100% natural lump charcoal. I added a single Primo Quick Start as low down into the charcoal as I could. After lighting the Quick Start, I closed the lid and opened the vents until the grill reached a full 500 degrees. Then I closed the vents about 3/4 of the way so that the smoke would fill the oval and the temperature would hold.
The marinade for the salmon had TONS of flavor and didn’t need a ton of time to sit. You can prep the salmon and let it marinate while the grill is coming up to its final temperature. I placed some extra rosemary and Meyer lemon rinds onto the cedar plank to really step up the aroma on the grill and get it all into the salmon. The fish cooks quickly at such a high temperature, which it should. It came out browned and crispy on the outside, super soft and moist on the inside.
There’s really nothing else needed to enjoy this recipe. It’s quick, easy and amazingly delicious. Well, maybe another pour of the whiskey over some ice would be a good idea. You can never have enough of that!
Orange and Whiskey Glazed Cedar Plank Salmon
Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cooking time: 8 minutes / Servings: 2 salmon fillets
Ingredients:
2 large salmon fillets (about 8 oz. each)
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 oz. Irish whiskey
2 tbsp. Chopped fresh rosemary (plus a few more sprigs for grilling)
Zest and juice of one medium Meyer lemon (normal lemons and/or oranges work too)
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Onion powder
1/4 tsp. Each salt and pepper
1 large cedar plank (about 12” x 8”)
Steps:
Soak the cedar plank in cold water for at least one hour.
Fill your primo 2/3 of the way up with Primo 100% natural charcoal. Place a single Quick Start stick as far down as you can into the center of the charcoal pile. Light the Quick Start stick. Close the lid with the vents open. When the grill reaches 500 degrees, close both vents 3/4 of the way to maintain and hold the grill’s temperature.
While the grill is coming up to temperature, prepare the salmon. In a large mixing bowl combine the orange marmalade, whiskey, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add the salmon fillets to the mixing bowl and coat them in the marinade completely. Allow them to rest while the grill finishes heating up.
Arrange the marinated salmon onto the soaked cedar plank. If there’s room, add any remaining rosemary sprigs and the lemon rind to the plank.
Place the plank onto the Primo and close the lid. Allow the salmon to cook for about 8 minutes, until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 145 degrees. Remove from the heat, allow it to rest for about 5 minutes and serve while still warm.
