Northwest Alder-Plank Grilled Salmon

Native Americans have been cooking salmon over roaring fires in the Pacific Northwest for quite some time.  The combination of fresh salmon and alder wood makes a smooth and savory taste with nuances of the forrest.  Although you could prepare whole salmon over a roaring fire like they do here in Tillicum Indian Village, using one of these alder grill planks is a much more manageable way to get the same wonderful flavor from your fish.

Ingredients

1 Alder grilling plank
1 Salmon fillet
½ Cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chile powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
½ Teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ Teaspoon salt Lemon

Instructions

Soak grilling plank in water for at least one hour, and up to eight hours.

Preheat grill or oven to medium-high, or 400ºF (190ºC).

Mix brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt together. Rub mixture on salmon.

Add to grill or oven. *When grilling salmon, keep the grill lid closed during cooking.

Cook until internal temperature of salmon reaches 145ºF (63ºC), or for about 20 minutes.

Remove from grill and serve on the plank with plenty lemon.

*Keep a spray bottle of water at hand for dousing flare-ups on the grill.

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