Cedar plank cooking featuring a delicious grilled trout recipe cooked on cedar planks topped with a simple spice rub. Easy, minimal prep, and the sweet smokey cedar aroma and taste make this fish Da Bomb for weeknight or weekend grilling.
MOOD MUSIC
When I get fresh new fish, I do a lil dance and if a grilling opportunity presents itself then its mo' better. I crank up this remix version of a Billie Holiday classic and get it!
Grilled Trout Ingredients
Ingredients are literally fresh fish + your favorite seasoning mix. Keep the seasoning as simple or complex as you prefer. Make your own or use a pre-made seasoning blend. I like to use jerk seasoning and occasionally Piri Piri seasoning.
Grilling Trout On Cedar Planks
Soak the planks ahead of time for at least 30 minutes.
Allow trout to reach room temperature then season. A good sea salt and coarse black pepper work great, but you can feel free to jazz things up as you like with other spices.
Place the fish on the planks skin side down.
Setup your grill and once ready, add the fish then grill with the lid closed for about 10-20 minutes depending on cut and thickness of the trout.
Serve from the plank.
Cedar Plank Cooking Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is plank grilling?
Planking is using small wooden boards during grilling to add additional flavor to food. This provides that deep wood smoke flavor which is great especially if you don't have a smoker that utilizes wood logs/chunks or just don't have access to wood.
How to prevent planks from catching fire
This is easy. Anytime you plan to do plank grilling you'll want to soak the planks in water ahead of time for about 30 minutes.
Can you use planks in the oven?
Yes, but the flavor will be milder compared to grill use.
What are the different types of wood planks?
Cedar planks are by far the most popular/most used. Odds are any recipe you come across for plank grilling will be for cedar. Plank grilling is basically synonymous with cedar planks. However, you can find alder, oak, cherry, apple and pecan wooden planks in certain select places.
What food pairs well with plank grilling?
Fish (especially salmon) is the most common food cooked via planks. However, other foods like chicken, pork, and even hard vegetables like broccoli, portobello mushrooms, etc. all work well.
Where to buy planks?
You can definitely order them online or from a specialty grilling or outdoor furniture stores, but plank grilling is so popular these days you can find at pretty much any grocery store or hardware places like Home Depot or Lowes.
Can You Reuse The Planks?
You can definitely reuse grilling planks, but there are a few considerations before you do it. Only do it if the plank is good shape, recognizing that your second grilled item will take on the flavor from the first grilling. For second grilling you'll better off using a plank that was used for short-time grilling, unless it was used for indirect-grilling initially.
Serving Suggestions
Cuban Avocado Salad (ensalada de aguacate)
Mexican Strawberries and Cream (Fresas Con Crema)
What does Grilled Cedar Plank Trout Taste Like?
Grilling it on a wooden plank imparts a subtle, but flavorful smokiness that goes nicely with the spice mix (kosher salt, coarse black pepper, Aleppo pepper, dried thyme, and crushed mustard seeds). The beauty of the dish is its simple to make, requires little to no technique besides starting a grill and presents well if you're serving others.
For other cedar plank cooking recipe try these:
Cedar Plank Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Fresh Steelhead Trout cut into quarters
- 1 Cedar Wood Plank
- Spice Mix personal preference
Instructions
- Soak the cedar plank in water for a minimum of one hour prior to grilling
- Season the fish with choice of seasoning and let sit for 30 minutes
- Place the fillet skin side down onto the soaked cedar plank.
- Place the planked fish on a hot grill and close the lid. The plank will begin to smoke.
- Cook to desired doneness (usually 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish)
- Remove and serve straight from the plank.
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