Salmon on the plank: Grace shares more simple grilling recipes
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| Grilling salmon on cedar planks gives the fish a sort of steamed texture. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com) |
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We will pick up where we left off last week with a grilling theme, this week featuring salmon on the plank.
Last week, we grilled some delicious kabobs on my patio. They were filled with every good thing in my kitchen: chicken, green peppers, red peppers, red onions, corn on the cob, new potatoes, and whole mushrooms, with raw red onion rings looped around the outside. My son, Bob, was the guest cook. He topped the kabobs with some fresh pineapple rings, drizzling oil over them as they cooked.
Bob is with us again, and we are now ready to grill salmon on a plank. I will share a couple of salmon recipes, then you will be ready to fire up the grill and give them a try.
The planked salmon are very attractive served right on the plank from the grill. The cedar plank is available in some grocery stores or you can make your own.
You can get cedar by the foot at any lumber yard, then have someone cut a 1-by-6 into 6-inch-long pieces.
The name of Bob’s recipe reveals its degree of difficulty.
Bob’s easy planked salmon
This salmon recipe is super easy, cooked on the grill and served on a cedar plank. The plank gives the salmon a sort of steamed texture.
The salmon can be cooked on the grill or in the oven
Soak the cedar planks in water for 2 hours, then warm the grill or oven to 350 degrees. Cut the salmon into 6-ounce pieces. Wash salmon pieces with hands until the fish gets tacky. Dry salmon with a cloth.
Rub a tablespoon of olive oil or butter on the plank side where you will be putting the fish. Place salmon on the plank. Salt and pepper.
Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise or salad dressing over the salmon; add a sprinkle of garlic powder. Place in oven on top shelf or on the grill over indirect heat (upper shelf). Cook until the fish starts to become firm. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.
Here is another recipe for the salmon:
Grilled salmon with brown sugar and herbs
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus an hour in marinade
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Whisk together the brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, and garlic powder in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the salmon fillets, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate. Remove the salmon from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
Grill the salmon on the preheated grill until browned and the fish easily flakes with a fork, about 5 minutes on each side.
Pork steaks
We also grilled some pork steaks last week, using Bob’s recipe for the barbecue sauce. This is just as good on pork chops and beef steaks.
Bob’s special barbecue sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (any vinegar will do in a pinch)
4 leaves of basil, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic salt
A pinch or 2 of pepper
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and let it marinate for 30 minutes. Apply to meat, after meat is cooked, but don’t let meat get too dry.
You really can’t talk grilling without including pork spare ribs. These are delicious.
Spare ribs on the grill
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Ready in: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
4 pounds pork spare ribs
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup chile sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dash ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut spare ribs into serving-size portions, double-wrap in foil, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap and drain drippings. Place ribs in a large roasting pan.
In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rum, chile sauce, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Coat ribs with sauce and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.
Preheat grill for medium heat. Position grate 4 inches above heat source.
Brush grill grate with oil. Place ribs on grill, and cook for 30 minutes, basting with marinade. Discard any leftover marinade.
You can also bake the ribs in the oven for 30 minutes for the final step, basting with sauce while cooking.
Easy barbecue chicken
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and pepper
Simple barbecue sauce, recipe below
Prepare a medium-hot grill or preheat the broiler. If using the broiler, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on the grill or, if broiling, put it on the prepared baking sheet. Grill or broil, 4 inches from the heat, turning once, for 10 minutes per side.
Put half of the barbecue sauce in a small bowl, for drizzling and serving; reserve. Baste the chicken with the remaining sauce and grill or broil for 5 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, drizzle with some of the reserved sauce, and serve with lime wedges and the remaining reserved sauce.
Simple barbecue sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons honey mustard
Optional: a few shakes of crushed red peppers, to taste
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and some of the green parts
Grated lime zest
Lime juice
In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, mustard, red peppers, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the green onions, lime zest, and lime juice.
Spicy baked chicken
Cook: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
1/3 cup honey mustard
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon steak sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Preheat the grill for medium heat.
In a shallow bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and steak sauce. Set aside a small amount of the honey mustard sauce for basting, and dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until juices run clear. Baste occasionally with the reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes.
Barbecued chicken on the grill
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6
4 pounds of your favorite chicken parts (legs, thighs, wings, breasts), skin on
Salt
Vegetable oil
1 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade
Coat the chicken pieces with vegetable oil and sprinkle salt over them on all sides. Prepare grill for high, direct heat. If you are using charcoal or wood, make sure there is a cool side to the grill where there are fewer coals.
Lay the chicken pieces skin side down on the hot side of the grill in order to sear the skin side well. Grill for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how hot the grill is. Once you have a good sear on one side, move the chicken pieces to the cooler side of the grill, or, if you are using a gas grill, lower the heat to medium low. Cover the grill and cook undisturbed for about 20 minutes. Watch so the chicken does not burn.
Turn over the chicken pieces and baste them with barbecue sauce. Cover the grill again and allow to cook for another 20 minutes. Repeat, turning over the chicken pieces, basting them with sauce, covering, and cooking for another 20 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can check with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken piece. Look for 165 degrees for breasts and 170 degrees for thighs. If the chicken is not done, turn over the pieces and continue to cook at a low temperature. You also can finish with a sear on the hot side of the grill. Allow them to sear and blacken slightly for a minute or two.
Brush with more barbecue sauce and serve.
Tip of the week
Health experts recommend eating fish 2 or 3 times a week, especially if you’re prone to heart disease.
NOTE: Next week we will include some last-minute side dishes to go with your Fourth of July cookout. Dash of Grace will appear in the paper on Tuesday, July 3. Sauk Valley Media will not print on July 4.
