Cedar plank salmon is a summer favorite! A wild-caught filet of salmon is layered with a tangy, lemony dill sauce that gently cooks over the hot grill.
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About This Recipe
This cedar plank salmon is a summer staple in our house! A wild caught filet of sockeye salmon gently cooks on a cedar plank, which embarks a slight layer of smokiness while keeping it tender and flaky.
The creamy dill sauce is flavored with lemon and garlic and coats the entire filet, adding a delicious creamy layer to the salmon. The lemony dill sauce would be fantastic served alongside air fryer sea bass as well!
If you love grilled fish as much as I do, try my grilled branzino with lemon and fresh herbs or my other favorite way to eat salmon, in this Greek salad with Grilled salmon.
📋 Ingredients
- Salmon: Look for wild caught salmon that does not have any added dyes. Depending on what type of salmon you are using, some filets will be thicker or thinner, so adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Sour Cream and Yogurt: Both create a tangy and creamy sauce that gently cooks on top of the salmon filet. You can use all yourt or all sour cream.
- Garlic: Look for tight garlic bulbs, which means the garlic is fresh. Use a microplane to grate the garlic into a fine consistency.
- Dijon Mustard: A touch of Dijon mustard gives the sauce a savory layer of flavor and works well with the fresh lemon and tangy sour cream.
- Lemon: Both the lemon zest and lemon juice are used to brighten the creamy sauce. Save the other half of the lemon for slicing and layering onto the salmon.
- Dill: Fresh dill is added to the creamy dill sauce and as as garnishing the salmon. Dill gives the cedar plank salmon a fresh and slightly earthy flavor.
- Cedar Planks: Look for Cedar Planks that are not treated and are safe for cooking. Make sure to soak the planks in water for at least 2 hours before cooking.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Cook Salmon on Cedar Planks
You can find wood planks at many grocery stores and even home improvement stores and Amazon has cedar planks as well. I have also seen oak wood planks, hickory wood planks and apple wood planks, just make sure it is safe for cooking and not treated.
All you need to do is soak the planks in water for at least 2 hours before cooking. Then remove the planks from soaking and place the salmon fillets onto the planks and grill as usual.
Step 1. To a bowl, add the yogurt, sour cream, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2. Give the sauce a good mix, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Step 3. Place the salmon filet, skin side down onto the soaked cedar plank.
Step 4. Spread a thin layer of the creamy dill sauce onto the salmon and top with lemon slices and fresh dill.
Step 5. Place the plank directly onto the grill over medium heat.
Step 6. Cook the cedar plank salmon for 12-15 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Can you Cook Cedar Plank Salmon in the Oven?
Yes, instead of placing the planks on a grill, follow the same method and place the planked salmon in the oven on a baking sheet, for easier transporting.
Bake the salmon at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-18 minutes until the salmon is just cooked though.
Recipe Tips
- Soak the Cedar Planks: The most important tip is to soak the planks for at least 2 hours before cooking. This will prevent the wood from burning.
- Dry the Fish: Before seasoning the fish, pat the fish dry with paper towels.
- Prep the Fish: Remove any pin bones from the fish before cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Cedar plank salmon goes alongside just about anything! Serve the salmon with yellow Mediterranean rice, grilled panzanella salad or grilled potato salad.
More Grilling Ideas
Cedar Plank Salmon Recipe with Creamy Dill Sauce
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 1 pound sockeye salmon fillet pin bones removed
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves grated or chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped + more for garnish
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the cedar planks in water for at least 2 hours. This will prevent the wood for burning during cooking.
- Make the creamy dill sauce. To a medium sized bowl, add the sour cream, yogurt, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, and chopped dill and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and adjust seasoning.
- When planks are done soaking, place the salmon filet on top, skin side down.
- Reserve about ½ cup of yogurt sauce and spoon the rest of the sauce over the salmon. Top with additional lemon slices and extra fresh dill.
- Place the planked salmon on a heated grill over medium heat and cook for about 12-15 minutes, depending how thick salmon is. The edges of the planks will slightly char and salmon should be tender in the middle.
- Once done, remove the plank from the frill and flake into serving sizes. Serve with reserved dill sauce.
Notes
- Soak the Cedar Planks: The most important tip is to soak the planks for at least 2 hours before cooking. This will prevent the wood from burning.
- Dry the Fish: Before seasoning the fish, pat the fish dry with paper towels.
- Prep the Fish: Remove any pin bones from the fish before cooking.
- To cook planked salmon in the oven: Place the soaked planks on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 15-18 minutes.
BrightLemonyKitchen says
Salmon is our Go-To fish for summertime grilling. We did the Sazon Tacos and now we are loving the plank cooking method. Soak the plank in almost any liquid. We used a can of beer and mixed it with water. It was WONDERFUL, Super moist!
Karen Ching says
Can I just say.. this is so mouth-watering! This is perfect for our next family get-together. My mother would love this for sure!
Samantha says
Hi Karen!! Thank you so much! I hope you do make it and please let me know how it comes out! I am planning on grilling more fish recipes this summer 🙂
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
I know I told you this on Twitter, but the blog looks great! Kita did an excellent job. And you did a great job with this salmon! It looks delicious! The creamy dill sauce is perfect!
Liz says
I adore salmon...and this looks like an amazing recipe! I have some cedar planks waiting to test out your recipe 🙂
Samantha says
Awesome! Would love to hear how it turns out!
Jen @ Juanita's Cocina says
Oh. em. gee. I am literally drooling and refraining from licking my screen! Beautiful pics, too!
Griffin's Grub says
Love cedar planked salmon, but have never had a creamy dill sauce before. Will definitely try that next time.
Interesting you say that you soak your planks 2 hours? I've always heard, and done< 30 minutes. Do you think the longer soak time benefits it at all?
admin says
I've never done it for less because the directions on the wood say to soak for at least 2 hrs 🙂