Cedar planked trout

Something I really wanted to try for a while and which turned out to be a huge success, was cedar planked fish. Unable to find any salmon at a reasonable enough price, I bought a large pink, grey and red skinned trout. The cedar is basically a bought ready made plank, cut to size and soaked in cold water for several hours. On the charcoal barbecue it smolders away slowly on very gentle heat until the fish is cooked, imparting a smoky, woody taste to the fish which intensifies it's sweetness.

Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, lemon juice, lemon slices and some fennel from the back lane, the fish was outstanding. Sweet, delicate pink flakes which were meaty and toothsome were flavoured robustly with the cedar, smoky and herbal.

The plank is supposed to be re-usable, but half had completely turned to charcoal. We cut it in half and are going to try and use it again. Only once the wood has started to dry out on the coals and begins to smoulder, does it release flavour, but, of course, by then it is beginning to burn a little. 

 

 

Recipe : Cedar planked trout
1 piece of trout, about 1 lb
1 lemon, half sliced into thin slices
2 tsp salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
4 - 6 large fronds of fennel or other herb

1 piece of cedar for grilling

Following the manufacturer's instructions, the cedar should be soaked for at least 4 hours.

Place the the trout directly onto the cedar and lay the lemon slices on top. Squeeze the other half of the lemon all over the fish, season with the salt and pepper and lay the fennel or other herb on top.

Place the piece of cedar with the fish straight onto the grill, which should be medium to low or even indirect heat. Close the lid.

Gradually, the cedar will dry out and start to smolder slowly, releasing the aroma that will permeate the fish. This could take a long time, ours took almost 45 minutes. Keep checking and ensure the cedar does not catch on fire, keep a water spray handy. 

Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the board and cut into slices. Serve with some tartare sauce or mayonnaise spiked with some extra lemon juice and fennel. 

We tried to wash and re-use the cedar, (even putting it through the dishwasher), but the flavourful fragrance had gone.