Can you put cedar planks in the oven to cook salmon? Yes, you can! This cedar plank oven salmon recipe is delicious and easy to make.
Sponsored by Fire & Flavor.
Cedar Plank Oven Salmon
When I received a package of cedar grilling planks from Fire & Flavor, I couldn't wait to get grilling—but the weather had other ideas. Outdoor grilling was officially rained out. How could I put that sweet, smoky, robust cedar flavor into salmon without a grill? Simple! You can make cedar plank oven salmon, using the same Fire & Flavor Cedar Grilling Planks.
One of the reasons I like to use Fire & Flavor Grilling Planks is that they're sustainably sourced. They're also all natural, HACCP Food Safe Verified, and perfect for fish, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, lamb, or veggies. When you combine a Fire & Flavor Cedar Grilling Plank with a great piece of salmon and some Fire & Flavor Salmon Rub, you've got a recipe for perfection. (Be sure to check out this recipe for how to use cedar grilling wraps.)
Here are some pro tips for making cedar plank oven salmon.
Soaking the Cedar Planks
Cedar planks should be soaked in water for at least 1 hour before cooking. It's the steam that rises from the soaked wood that imparts the flavor of the cedar.
Brining the Salmon Before Oven Baking
If you'd like to see less of the white protein that naturally appears on the surface of the cooked salmon, you can reduce it by brining the salmon in a solution of water and salt. Combine 2 tablespoons of salt with 2 cups of water and submerge the salmon fillets for 10 minutes, then pat dry. The saltwater will gently break down some of the external muscle fibers, preventing them from squeezing out protein as the salmon contracts during the cooking process.
Adding the Salmon Rub
After the planks are soaked and the salmon has been brined and patted to remove excess water, you can coat the fillets with salmon rub. Fire & Flavor Salmon Rub is a no-fuss, no-muss seasoning blend that combines a variety of savory spices plus ancho chili pepper, salt, and brown sugar. It's also Non GMO Project Certified and gluten free.
Preheating the Soaked Cedar Plank
When everything is ready to go, you'll briefly preheat the soaked cedar plank in the hot oven before adding the brined and seasoned salmon, ensuring that the wood is hot enough to begin cooking the salmon evenly.
Be sure to use the Fire & Flavor store locator to find their products near you, or shop online here.
Cedar Plank Oven Salmon
Can you put cedar planks in the oven to cook salmon? Yes, you can! This cedar plank oven salmon recipe is delicious and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salt for the brine
- 1 pound salmon fillets
- Fire & Flavor Salmon Rub see note
- 1 tablespoon melted butter optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill optional
Special Equipment
- 1 Fire & Flavor Cedar Grilling Plank
Instructions
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Soak the cedar plank in water for 1 hour. When it's almost done soaking, begin preheating the oven to 350 F.
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While the oven is preheating, make a brine for the salmon by combining 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of salt. Soak the salmon in the brine for 10 minutes while the oven preheats.
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Remove the cedar plank from the water and shake off excess water. Remove the salmon from the brine and gently pat to remove excess brine. Rub the salmon with the desired amount of salmon rub.
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Place a flat rack on a baking sheet (you can line the baking sheet with foil first, for easy cleanup, if desired). Place the soaked plank on the rack. Put the baking sheet with the rack and plank on it in the oven for 5 minutes to heat up.
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Remove the baking sheet with the rack and plank on it. Place the rubbed salmon on the hot plank; if the end of a salmon filet is thinner than the center, you can gently fold the thin end under so that the salmon cooks more evenly. Return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. (Salmon is fully cooked when it flakes easily with a fork.)
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Optional: glaze salmon fillets with melted butter and sprinkle on chopped fresh dill just before serving.
Recipe Notes
You can also make your own salmon rub by combining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, 2 teaspoons of ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. (Rub recipe courtesy of Fire & Flavor.)
Got planks? Here are more great recipes to try!
- Planked Shrimp with Peach and Avocado Salsa
- Planked Grilled Vegetables
- Planked Brie
- Planked Beef Filet with Spiced Blue Cheese
Oh my gosh, that salmon looks absolutely perfect! So you put the plank in the oven and get the smoky flavor? Is that how it works?
that's what i do, but i put it in a cast iron pan with a little water. i bought the salmon pre-seasoned with the plank.
I've heard of these but have never gotten around to using them. WOW, does that salmon look good!!
Wow, this looks beyond amazing. I'm trying not to drool but, wow. Definitely going to try these out!
wow, these look absolutely amazing! I love salmon and have never had some that looked this delicious!
Salmon is definitely one of my favorites. This looks like it would be so good.
I've never thought of using cedar planks while cooking, but it sounds absolutely amazing, and that Salmon Rub spice is the icing on the cake. Pinning for future reference and plan on making this delicious recipe soon - Thanks so much for sharing!
Cedar planks add such great flavor to salmon. I'm also curious to give that rub a try. It looks so interesting.
Looks so tasty! We have some salmon here and we've been wanting to try a new recipe for it. This is perfect!
I have always grilled plank salmon, which is delicious! So when I saw this oven baked version, I just had to try it. It was fabulous! For the rub, I used McKormick's Applewood Rub. Before serving, I brushed on the melted butter and dill. It was easy and delightful to have an indoor version of planked salmon on this cold February day. Thank you!
Wow, besides the tantalizing recipe, some really great tips for cooking to perfection! folding over thin edge, preheating plank and soaking salmon to reduce white yucky stuff. Pure brilliance, woman!!!
Thank you very much! 🙂
This recipe is great, thank you for teaching us how to brine too! My gf never likes salmon but she loved this and we are making it again tonight!
What is a flat rack? Like an oven rack?
As opposed to a v-shaped or rounded rack, that would hold something like a turkey, a flat rack is a raised oven-safe rack that is flat. Basically, it looks like a rack for cooling cookies - but it's oven safe. The racks I use for cooling cookies are in fact oven safe, so I use them both for baking things (like this recipe) and cooling things. They're also known as baking / cooling racks.
I just had to comment after finding your recipe, Katie. My family was in visiting and I know how much they love salmon, me, I just tolerate it! Well....they LOVED it, but more importantly, I LOVED IT!!! SO flavorful & the brining is genius! There won't be another salmon recipe, only this one! Thank you for sharing and thank you for making our family meal so memorable!
You're very welcome! And thank you for your kind words!