a 2-fer! (bourbon salmon, maple salmon)

[addicted-to-smoke]

2 fillets marinated by the grocer with "bourbon" and whatnot
2 fillets purchased basic; I sprinkled some Old Bay and a layer of maple syrup. Topped with sliced clementine.

Reused Coshell (maybe only 1/4 chimney) and some lump brought it up to about 3/4 of chimney ... fully lit, tossed into char baskets already filled with a little cold lump. Waited about 10 minutes for that and the CI grate to get hot. Should be hot, yes? Wasn't. Didn't wait long enough. Too bad, I'll just let it ride longer. Or even longer, as a water-soaked cedar plank is one heck of a heat sink, indirect or not.

At launch:




About 20 mins later, looking better:


About another 25 minutes ... this is more like it ... the cedar smell was immediately noticed as I walked outside ... and therefore, it's DONE:



with brown rice, broccoli and kale:


Both very good but if I'm being honest the bourbon/soy sauce variety was more flavorful. They likely soaked the poor bastards in sugar but I wasn't complaining. I've absolutely KILLED on maple glazed salmon before. Hopefully I'll remember what I did some day. (Probably wasn't planked.)

[MacEggs]

First off … That plated pic looks delicious!

My experience with cedar planks is to soak them for at least 6 hours, and up to 24 hours.

The last few times, I have gone with direct.  After soaking, put the plank on the grill (sans meat) for no more than 5 minutes direct.  Add fish … then monitor.

I tend to go with the intakes fully open, and it's done in 20-30 minutes.

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/fish-tacos-cedar-planked-cod/

[addicted-to-smoke]

Interesting. So if I had soaked them longer and "preheated" the planks it all would have gone much quicker?

[WNC]

Hey a-t-s, great minds must think alike, just posted up a plank salmon cook. Yours looks great!
I'm with MacEggs. I like to soak the plank for as long as I can, at least an hour. Then I put the plank direct, right over the coals, all vents fully open, and it takes about 20-25 minutes to get to 130-135 degrees. I don't pre-heat the plank though. Nice Cook!

[1buckie]

I've always done the planks by soaking for a few hours....hot grill......set down the plank for a few minutes until it smoulders lightly.........FLIP OVER.........set on fish & go......

[addicted-to-smoke]

As you can see in my pictures, I was still thinking "indirect" but then again, with a plank barrier ... coals straight underneath would still be indirect. My plank showed only from grill marks underneath instead of charring up crispy, that's probably why. I'll try it direct next time I plank.

[MacEggs]

I have gone with indirect for the plank before, and it turned out fine.  Still gave it a pre-heat.

In fact, I believe I re-used this piece by giving it another soak.  However, after 2 uses, it was tossed.

[ClubChapin]

I typically break the planks and use them as smoking wood. That seems to impart more cedar flavor.

Otoh, I've read that conifer smoke is poisonous. If true, not sure why we would want cedar at all.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Interesting. Hadn't read that. But that's OK, I don't really love cedar smoke all that much anyway. Mesquite is another I won't bother with; read that's really not wise to use a lot.