Nothing matches the taste of salmon cooked on wood. It’s primal, capturing the essence of the both the fish and the wood. Planking is a cooking method that according to the Great Lakes Grilling Co., originated with
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Market
Native Americans occupying the Pacific Northwest. [They] would spear or club salmon from the shores of the inland streams during the annual salmon runs. The fish were then brought back to their settlements for cleaning and smoking, then stored for the hard winter months ahead.
In the early days, the catch was hung over open fires or tacked to big wood slabs and then slowly cooked, absorbing the natural flavors from the smoke.
This slow cooking method is surprising easy and produces a sightly smoky-sweet, exceedingly moist and amazingly flavorful piece of salmon. Keep it simple. Avoid coating the fish with ingredients that cover up the true salmon flavor, like brown sugar, soy and mustard, All you’ll need is a touch of olive oil, a little acid from a squeeze of lemon and the best sea salt and cracked pepper you can find.
