What happens when you use a citrus plank instead of a wood plank to grill fresh salmon? The most delicious and bright planked salmon with a citrusy smoky flavor is what! The flaky salmon gets even better with a tantalizing Chili Lime Sauce.
Don’t be fooled by the simple ingredients and easy cooking technique. The end result is a next-level savory and sweet flavor explosion from the garlic, Sriracha, and honey.
Why You’ll Love the Cedar Plank Salmon Recipe
Of all my favorite ways to enjoy salmon, this is one of the easiest salmon recipes to make on the charcoal grill. It takes no time to make and it’s certainly also the best salmon recipe I have ever made. Even though we are not exactly making cedar-plank salmon here, you can get the woodsy flavors and cedar flavor by using cedar chips alongside your coals.
If you love salmon as much as me, then check out these other recipes from Over the Fire Cooking: Roasted Salmon with Horseradish Sauce, Hot Honey Salmon Bites, Salmon Wrapped Shrimp, and Maple Bacon Bourbon Salmon Bites.
Ingredients Overview for Citrus Plank Salmon
- Salmon – A whole side of salmon (Atlantic salmon, wild salmon, sockeye salmon all work) is infused with smoke flavor from Smoked Chipotle Mezcal, cilantro, and then some orange and lime slices. Feel free to use your favorite spice rub recipe in place of mine.
- Chili Lime Sauce – Minced garlic, cilantro, Sriracha sauce, honey, unsalted butter, orange juice, and then more lime juice create a killer Asian-inspired sauce. It’s savory, spicy, sweet, and so freakin’ delicious!
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After a few straightforward steps, you can create a symphony of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. The irresistible combination of smoky chipotle mezcal seasoning and then that incredible chili lime sauce makes this dish a standout.
How to Grill Planked Salmon
Now, let’s go over the easy but important steps to make the best salmon ever on the grill.
Prep
Preheat your grill to a two-zone medium heat fire to about 325 degrees F. Then, go ahead and cover your salmon in canola oil and a generous amount of the Smoked Chipotle Mezcal seasoning.
Next, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the Chili Lime Sauce. Set aside for a couple of minutes.
Grilling Time
Place salmon on orange and lime slices arranged as a “plank” on the cooler side of the medium-high heat grill for indirect heat. Lay the seasoned salmon on top and go ahead and close lid for 15 minutes.
Uncover the grill, and before the salmon cooks for another 10 minutes, generously brush the chili lime sauce onto the salmon. You’ll know it’s ready when the internal temperature reaches 130º degrees F on your meat thermometer.
What to Serve with Planked Salmon
Planked salmon filets with chili lime sauce pair perfectly with some fragrant jasmine rice. It also goes well with mashed potatoes, of course. Or, another thought is to pair the salmon with some tasty green beans sautéed in garlic and red pepper flakes.
Leftovers & Reheating
Have leftovers? Simply store any leftover salmon fillet in an airtight container. Store for no more than 5 days in the refrigerator. You can easily reheat the salmon inside a foil packet on the grill. Feel free to add a dab of butter for added moisture and flavor.
A great way to enjoy leftover salmon is layered over a green salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. Or, make a salmon salad for sandwiches with mayonnaise just as you would do with tuna or chicken chunks. Add some fresh arugula on top of the sandwich along with some more spicy mayo for a tasty and memorable bite!
More with Salmon
Planked Salmon FAQs
Absolutely! Lemon slices will also work in this recipe. You can also add a finishing touch of lemon zest at the end for another kick of citrus.
Certainly! The beauty of this sauce lies in its flexibility. Prepare it in advance and customize the flavors to your liking.
The term “planked” refers to the method of grilling salmon on a wood plank. For this recipe, my twist is using a bed of citrus slices, instead. This creates a unique and flavorful cooking surface that infuses the salmon with bright flavor from the fruit.
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Planked Salmon
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole Side of Salmon
- 3 tbsp Smoked Chipotle Mezcal
- Chopped Cilantro for garnish
- 4-5 Navel Oranges sliced
- 3-4 Limes sliced
- Canola Oil
Chili Lime Sauce:
- 2.5 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2.5 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
- 1.5 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Honey
- 1.5 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ½ Navel Orange juiced
- ½ Lime juiced
Instructions
- Preheat a two zone medium heat fire (around 325F).
- Lather your salmon with canola oil and generously season with the Smoked Chipotle Mezcal seasoning or your seasoning of choice.
- In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the Chili Lime Sauce.
- Add all your sliced oranges and limes to the cool side of the grill to create a “plank” for your salmon to lay on. Place the salmon on top of the citrus.
- Close your grill lid and cook indirect at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- After the first 15 minutes of cooking, open up the grill and lather your salmon with the Chili Lime Sauce all over. Close the lid and continue cooking the salmon until it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (about 10 more minutes).
- Once done, use a large spatula to pull the salmon off the grill to cool for 1-2 minutes.
- When done, serve the salmon and enjoy!
This looks insane unfortunately I have a gas grill and a smoker. Can this recipe be used for either of those by chance? I’d love to try it.
Hi Lynnae, Yes you could make this recipe on a smoker or gas grill. If using a gas grill, be sure to use a soaked wooden board for smoked under the salmon. Cheers,
I’m going to use this on a pellet smoker/grill. I know depending on what brand you’re cooking on, as long as you cook it close to the 325 and indirect heat you should be fine. Get that internal temp is the key
This Salmon looks so good. Love the combination of oranges and limes.
First time salmon here. It looks like the skin isn’t there? Skin in or off?
Hey Salvatore, this recipe works with skin on or skinless salmon. If you have the skin on, make sure to cook it skin side down. If you do not like salmon skin, you can easily remove it before serving.
What sides would you recommend for the Planked Salmon?
I love asparagus and some cilantro lime rice with salmon!