Planked Salmon with Mustard-Mayo-Dill Slather
Serves 4

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Planking fish or shellfish is one of the easiest, most foolproof ways to grill seafood. The fish won’t fall through the grill grate, and you don’t have to turn it. This technique is perfect for delicate fillets like freshwater bass and crappie. You can plank almost any fish or shellfish, but for the best outcome, choose varieties that are not more than 1 inch thick, so that you get more flavor from the wood underneath. For maximum flavor, the flesh should touch the wood plank, so purchase skinless fish or skin it yourself. With planking, as with grilling, the thickness of the fish (measured at the thickest part) determines the timing. A 3/4-inch thick fillet will take 25 to 30 minutes using this indirect method.

Planking fish adds two flavors: the aromatic wood flavor of the plank (usually cedar or alder for fish) on the bottom of the fish fillet and the flavor of the grill on the top. The slather ensures that you’ll have a moist finished dish.

There are many ways to plank – over direct heat, over indirect heat, or using dual heat. The most common way to plank fish uses an indirect fire, meaning that only one side of the grill is hot. You put a presoaked plank with the food arranged on it over the no heat side, close the lid, and cook.

INGREDIENTS:
Mustard-Mayo-Dill Slather
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

One 3/4-inch-thick salmon fillet, 1-1/2 – 2 pounds, skin removed
One 15 x 6-1/2 x 3/8-inch cedar or alder grilling plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

METHOD:
1. Prepare an indirect fire in a grill, with a hot fire on one side and no fire on the other.

2. To make the slather, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

3. Compare the length of the plank with the length of the salmon filet and trim the salmon to fit the plank, if necessary. Place the salmon on the prepared plank and spread the mustard slather over the top.

4. Place the plank on the grill grate on the no-heat side. Cover the grill and cook until the fish begins to flake when tested with a fork in the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the salmon hot, right from the plank.