Alder Plank Smoked Salmon Food

CEDAR PLANK-SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Brine the fish: Combine the brown sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 4 cups water in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the salmon and weigh down with a can or skillet to keep it submerged. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Soak the wood chips and cedar plank in water 1 hour, then prepare your grill for smoking.
• About 30 minutes before smoking, remove the salmon from the refrigerator; drain and pat dry. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on the cedar plank and season with salt and pepper. Top with the lemon slices and thyme sprigs. Let stand at room temperature to dry out, 30 minutes.
• Once the grill reaches 250 degrees F, place the plank with the salmon on the cooler side of the grill. Close the grill and let smoke until golden and just cooked through, about 20 minutes. If using a gas grill, turn off the flame and let the fish sit 10 more minutes (this is not necessary if using charcoal; it imparts more smoky flavor). Remove from the grill and serve hot or at room temperature.

ALDER-PLANKED SALMON WITH EGG SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add shallots and saute 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt. Add lemon juice, wine, stock and cream. Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
• Lower the heat and whisk in the remaining butter 1 tablespoon at a time, adding each piece when the previous one is almost melted.
• Add hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, into a bowl. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
• Mix together the mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Brush the top of the salmon fillets with the melted butter. Season both sides with the mustard mixture and set aside.
• Put the soaked shingles in the oven, directly on the racks, for about 3 to 5 minutes until the wood is lightly browned on top. Carefully take the shingles out of the oven and place them on a heat-proof surface.
• Turn on the oven broiler.
• Immediately brush the shingles with a thin layer of olive oil and lay the salmon fillets, skinned side down, on the browned side of each shingle. Place the shingles under the broiler and cook the fish for about 5 to 7 minutes, until firm but not dry. Remove the fillets to a platter or serve directly from the shingles.
• Just before serving, stir the parsley and grated eggs into the reserved warm egg sauce. Fold in chives and caviar if using. Top the fillets with the egg sauce and a sprinkling of chives, and a dollop of caviar if using.

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

Steps:

• Soak cedar plank in salted water for 2 hours, then drain. Remove skin from salmon fillet. Remove any remaining bones. Rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay the salmon (on what was skin-side down) on the cedar plank and carefully spread the mustard over the top and sides. Place the brown sugar in a bowl and crumble between your fingers, then sprinkle over the mustard.
• Set grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Place the cedar plank in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook until cooked through, around 20 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature should read 135 degrees F. Transfer the salmon and plank to a platter and serve right off the plank.
• Cook's Note: A direct method to grill the salmon may be used. Soak the cedar plank well. Spread the mustard and brown sugar on the salmon, but do not place the fish on the plank. Set up the grill for direct grilling on medium-high. When ready to cook, place the plank on the hot grate and leave it until there is a smell of smoke, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the plank over and place the fish on top. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. Check the plank occasionally. If the edges start to catch fire, mist with water, or move the plank to a cooler part of the grill.

CEDAR PLANK-SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Combine butter, garlic, 3 sprigs dill, and salt in a heat-proof dish. Place in the smoker until butter is melted and infused with flavor, at least 20 minutes. Remove from the smoker.
• Lay salmon on the plank of wood. Brush salmon with the flavored butter. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the smoker and close the door.
• Cook salmon until easily flaked with a fork, about 40 minutes. Check at 10-minute intervals and baste with butter.
• Serve garnished with lemon slices, remaining dill, and remaining flavored butter.

ALDER PLANK SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Soak the salmon fillet in a brine solution for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Also, submerge the alder wood in water, placing a heavy object on top of it to prevent floating.
• Preheat an outdoor smoker for 160°F to 180°F (70°C to 90°C).
• Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse thoroughly under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the wood plank from the water, and lay the fish out on the plank. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Smoke the salmon for at least 2 hours, checking after 1 1/2 hours for doneness. The fish is done when it flakes with a fork, but it should also not be too salty. As the fish smokes, the salt content reduces. Adjust the cooking time and salty flavor to your taste. (NOTE: Smoking a fillet can take 2 to 6 hours depending on your taste, the size of the fillet, and the fat content of the fish.).
• During the last 30 minutes of smoking mix together the brown sugar and water to form a paste. Brush this liberally onto the salmon.

ALDER ROASTED KING SALMON WITH WILD FENNEL POLLEN

Steps:

• Mix sugar, salt, water, and anise flavored liqueur. Pour over salmon halves in a 3-inch deep pan. Marinate, chilled, in the brine mixture for 4 to 8 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry. Brush the salmon with oil. Season with wild fennel pollen, salt, and pepper. Place on Alder plank and soak in cold water overnight. Sometimes a nail through the tail end is used to hold the salmon in place. Lean the plank against an Alder wood fire that has mostly died down to very hot coals. Be careful not to let the plank catch fire. The heat and the smoke from the fire will cook and season the salmon. Serve right off the plank.

ALDER PLANK SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Soak the salmon fillet in a brine solution for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Also, submerge the alder wood plank in water, placing a heavy object on top of it to prevent floating.
• Preheat an outdoor smoker for 160 to 180 degrees F (70 to 80 degrees C).
• Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse thoroughly under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the wood plank from the water, and lay the fish out on the plank. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Smoke the salmon for at least 2 hours, checking after 1 1/2 hours for doneness. The fish is done when it flakes with a fork, but it should also not be too salty. As the fish smokes, the salt content reduces. Adjust the cooking time and salty flavor to your taste. (Note: Smoking a fillet can take 2 to 6 hours depending on your taste, the size of the fillet, and the fat content of the fish.)
• During the last 30 minutes of smoking, mix together the brown sugar and water to form a paste. Brush this liberally onto the salmon.

BBQ PLANK SALMON

Steps:

• Seriously, read this thoroughly first. Cooking planks is a fire hazard if handled carelessly. Your home is not worth the best salmon you'll ever have. Almost, though. Also important, farm raised salmon has been consistently found to be the MOST TOXIC meat produced for consumption. Don't trust me, Google it! This makes preserving wild salmon runs that much more important.
• An hour and a half prior to cooking soak your plank in water for at least 45 minutes. hot water's best. This is important to keep it from catching fire in the BBQ.
• After soaked, place rinsed salmon on plank skin down. No flesh should be hanging off the edges, this makes picking a fillet's size really important because it is easier to pick the size of fillet than find or cut a plank to fit the fish. I use planks packaged and marked for this. Don't waste your time with cedar BBQ envelopes/pockets. These products are crap.
• Again, with the skin down, spread your mustard over the pink flesh to cover but not to smother.
• Sprinkle paprika or cayenne pepper on fillet to your taste preference.
• Let rest until cooking time. Meanwhile, prepare BBQ to a high heat and get together the tools/instruments you are going to use to remove the burnt plank from the grill. Keep these close by and ready. Also, consider where are you going to let the plank with an underside covered in red hot embers rest? Think this through thoroughly!
• You're going to lay the plank directly on the grill to cook the fish. As the damp wood starts to burn it will smoke the fish. It creates a lot of smoke, so BBQ placement might have to be evaluated.
• When your grill is ready place planked fish on grill and cover. Vent the BBQ medium, you want to retain as much smoke around the fish, but not suffocate your heat source. Cooking takes about 10 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillet. If you know how to test steak for rareness, the fillet should feel medium. Remember to let the meat rest and allow for it to finish cooking off the grill, so pulling it a little early is a good thing.
• Now, removing the plank is serious business! ITS UNDERSIDE WILL BE BURNING RED HOT AND WILL CATCH OTHER WOOD ON FIRE IF YOU LET THEM STAY IN CONTACT! I use a heavy duty spatula to support one end and a strong pair of cooking tongs that allow me to really grip the plank tightly for the other end. Your goal is to find something that will hold the plank so tightly WITHOUT DAMAGING FISH that you can hold it with one hand if necessary, and it will likely be necessary. Let the meat rest 5 minutes before serving. I put mine on the hot-plate burner cover of my gas grill. Its metal, making it safe.
• Alternatively, you do not need to use mustard for a good plank salmon. It's better with it, even on premium king fillets. It just is. And, cedar planks are likely easier to find. I have used a 1X9X2' of cedar I bought at a local hardware store to cook this recipe and it worked beautifully. the guys at the store assured me that the processing of the wood did not include toxic chemicals.

ALDER PLANKED SALMON WITH SOY GINGER MARINADE

Steps:

• Soak plank in water to cover for 1 hour or longer if possible and drain.
• Prepare barbeque.
• Combine garlic, soy sauce, ginger, parsley, and oil in large zip bag. Shake to combine.
• Add salmon to marinade.
• Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.
• Place soaked plank on grill grate over medium-heat. Heat plank for 2 to 3 minutes, urn plank, and continue heating for an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove salmon from marinade; discard marinade and place salmon, skin side down on charred side of plank.
• Grill salmon, with lid down, approximately 15 minutes, or until fish is medium rare or to your liking.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.