Cedar Plank Salmon with Moroccan Spice Rub

I’ve been hearing about how good salmon is when cooked on a cedar plank for some time now, but I only recently gave it a try for myself. I was in Safeway and I happened to notice a nice pink slab of salmon stretched out on a cedar plank packaged with two small plastic containers filled with Moroccan spice. It was on sale so I thought: what the heck, let’s do this!

Wow, I’m so glad I did, because it was amazing. The cedar plank gave it the most lovely smoky flavor, and the Moroccan spice rub was incredible. I usually use some type of sauce on salmon but I think the spice rub is the way to go. The spices stick on there so much better than with a sauce. I liked this Moroccan rub so much that I actually emailed Safeway to ask where I could get more, but alas, they never wrote me back. I finally decided to make my own rub.

My version wasn’t exactly the same as the one I had gotten from the grocery store, but I was still pretty happy with it. I bought another filet of salmon and a fresh cedar plank, and tested out my new homemade spice rub. It turned out just as good as the first time. I’m in love with this salmon! I don’t know if I could cook salmon any other way now that I’ve tried it on a cedar plank.

Tony was as impressed as I was, and he doesn’t usually like fish of any kind. Cole seemed to agree, because he ate two big helping of this salmon. Unfortunately Ayla and Bennett didn’t like it one bit! Ayla refused to eat any, and Bennett said he didn’t like the flavour. I’m not sure if it was the Moroccan spice or the cedar flavour he was opposed to, but he just wasn’t enjoying it at all. So I guess it just depends on your taste. Anyway, 3 out of 5 Whine Critics approved.

The spice rub is not just great on fish – you can use it on all sorts of meats and vegetables. I’ve used it on chicken, pork tenderloin, and roasted potatoes. It’s really versatile. This recipe makes more than you need for one fish, so save it in a jar and use it on whatever you’d  like.

Ingredients

• 1 untreated cedar plank
• 1 salmon filet
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 3 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the cedar plank in water for 2-6 hours
2. In a jar, combine the spices.
3. Place the salmon on the plank after it’s finished soaking. 
4. Sprinkle with enough spice rub to cover the whole top side of the salmon. 
5. Place the cedar plank on a barbecue over medium heat. Close the lid and grill for about 20 minutes, until the salmon is flaky. 

Notes