So I have a confession to make. There is a dish that we have been making three times per week, for about five years now. Through summer and winter. In other words, I have eaten this same dinner approximately 780 times in the last several years. And it is this two-ingredient salmon. You’d think I’d say it’s because it’s SO darn simple… with literally only two ingredients. But the REAL reason is this: it comes out perfect EVERY time. Dare I say comparable, and sometimes better than what we get in restaurants. But there are a few “catches”.
THE MUST HAVE GRILLING TOOL
The first thing to mention is that we always cook the salmon on a cedar plank. Grilling (or oven baking) on cedar not only imparts a gorgeous smoky flavor into the fish, but it does a great job at keeping the fish moist without the use of oils or butter. Because grilling on the cedar plank is our go-to way to cook the fish, we always keep a supply of disposable planks on hand. We’ve been ordering these from Amazon for years now, so we’re not entering dinner hour searching around town for a plank. I recommend soaking the plank for at least an hour in water before you grill it to avoid it catching fire. We submerge ours in a baking dish for a few hours before, like this:
SALMON LIKE NO OTHER
The next thing to mention is that all salmon is not created equal. I highly recommend you use the Faroe Island salmon from the case at Moby Rick’s. Our family has been a huge fan of Moby Rick’s since they opened on Lake, and continue to stop at their new location in Congress Plaza several times a week. (Remember when I showed you my Five-Minute Poké Bowl, which I often use their fish for!) I don’t know a ton about fish and their sources, but what I do know is this: the fattiness of this fish keeps it super moist, even on those days we accidentally overcook it. To me, this is a huge advantage of using the Faroe Island salmon.
We usually purchase 1/3 – 1/2 lb. per person cut fresh and thick. Once we remove it from the fridge, we’ll let it get to room temp on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before placing it on the pre-soaked plank. We then sprinkle it with just a bit of coarse Kosher Salt, which really makes a huge difference in the final taste. But beware that a little goes a long way.
We set the grill to 425-450ºF, and usually cook for 11-12 minutes on direct heat. We bump the grill time to 13 minutes during the frigid months of winter. And although we do have the occasional plank that sets on fire, pre-soaking according to the directions usually helps to prevent this. (And believe it or not, it still comes out spectacular, even off of a charred plank).
PERFECT EVERY TIME
And there she is. A perfectly-moist-and-flavored-every-time salmon. This is the plate that you’ll see on our table several nights a week. The dinner we NEVER get sick of. This salmon preparation, alongside lots of green. And likely accompanied by one other goody from Moby Ricks… like their squid or seaweed salad, ceviche, or beautiful crab cakes (like this one shown).
It blows our minds that we have not yet gotten sick of this fish preparation, and frankly don’t see it happening anytime soon. I encourage you to stock up on cedar planks this spring, stop at Moby Rick’s and give it a go. And I bet you’ll never go back.