Grilled Orange Cured Salmon on Cedar

grilled orange cured salmon on cedar

It's that time of year…for the last week squirrels have been harvesting the acorns from the oaks around our house, pelting the roof with their discards. There is also the sweet sound of rain all night, the first birds of the morning and a sense of summer's long days sliding into the next season. What to do?

Invite friends over for another meal on the porch and celebrate our good fortune in these difficult times.

I'm a fan of simplicity and here is one of the most simple ways to serve salmon. This recipe is a combination of a Spanish dish…the cure and Native American ways….the cooking.

Grilled Orange Cured Salmon on Cedar

You'll need a cedar roof shingle split along the grain to a width of 2 inches or so (also available from your favorite kitchen store). Cut 6 pieces of salmon across the grain. Each piece should be between 6-8 oz. and no more than an inch wide.

Prepare the cure: the rind of 2 oranges or 2 T-spoons mixed with 2 T-spoons of Kosher Salt, ¼ c of sugar and 1t-spoon of fresh black pepper. Dip each piece of salmon into the cure and place face down on a glass baking dish with a lid. Refrigerate until ready to use…usually overnight. Refrigerate any leftover cure in a glass jar in for future use.

Soak the cedar plank in water for an hour or so while the grill heats up to a medium fire. Place the salmon pieces along the length of the shingle…3 pieces usually fit on one. Place the shingle over the fire and watch the magic. The heat of the flame will seal in the juices of the salmon and in 15 minutes it should be perfect. You can cook in advance and serve at room temperature or serve right off the grill. If it's a rainy day I start the smoking on top of the stove and finish in a hot oven but unless you have good ventilation and a workhorse stove top we don't recommend it!

I love to serve this with corn pudding and a fresh arugula salad. Enjoy!

Michèle

All photos by Michèle Miller unless otherwise noted