BBQ Plank Salmon
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour marinating/soaking time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
- 1 14x38cm/5.6x15inch cedar plank, soaked in cold water for 1 hour (or overnight but 1 hour is enough)*
- 1.5 kilo/3lb salmon fillet, ask the fishmonger to trim it to the size of the board and try keeping the fillet the same width throughout i.e. avoid as much of the tail as it will cook faster
- 1.5 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 inch ginger, finely grated
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
- 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
- Fresh coriander to serve
I bought my cedar planks at the Weber store because they had the largest size I could find at 14x38cms but they can also be found at Bunnings (although they're slightly smaller at 13x28cms). They are less than $10 a plank but they come in packs of 2 or 3.
Step 1 - Make sure the cedar board is soaked for at least 1 hour. Mix the miso, sugar, mirin, sake, oil, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a bowl and brush over the salmon and allow to rest at room temperature for that hour (don't put it on the plank just yet).
Step 2 - Have a spritzer bottle of water ready in case the plank catches fire (we didn't need it and please don't let that put you off). Preheat the grill on high (this can take 10-15 minutes). Take the soaked plank and char it on the grill for 5 minutes. Turn over the plank and place the salmon on it.
Step 3 - Place the blood orange on top of the salmon and place on the open grill section-I put the tail or thinner part on the cooler bit so it wouldn't overcook. Grill for 10-15 minutes. My father's bbq didn't have a lid so we finished off the top under a grill in the oven to give it a nice finish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander leaves.