Cedar-Planked Salmon with Lemon-Dill Butter Sauce

Wild-caught Pacific salmon – king (Chinook), sockeye, or coho – is the ideal choice. The higher fat content of king salmon makes it particularly forgiving on the plank; the fat bastes the fish from within as it cooks. Sockeye is leaner with a deeper, more pronounced flavor. Either works beautifully. Look for a center-cut fillet, skin-on, approximately 2 inches thick at its thickest point. A 2 to 2½ lb fillet feeds four comfortably. Ask your fishmonger to pin-bone it for you.

Use untreated Western red cedar planks, available at most kitchen stores or online. Soak the plank in water for a minimum of 1 hour – 2 hours is better. A fully saturated plank smolders slowly and evenly; a dry plank risks catching fire. Weigh it down with a heavy pot or bottle to keep it submerged. You can reuse planks once or twice if they haven't charred through. After that, retire them to the compost.

SERVES 4

Cedar-planked salmon pairs beautifully with: Grilled asparagus or broccolini – cook directly on the Delta Heat grates alongside the plank Herbed couscous or wild rice – the nutty, earthy notes complement the smoky salmon A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay – the same wine you used in the sauce works perfectly in the glass

Don't skip the soak. A dry plank will ignite rather than smolder. One hour minimum; two hours is better. Buy center-cut salmon. It has uniform thickness, which means even cooking from edge to edge. Avoid tail pieces for this recipe. Keep the butter cold. Cold butter emulsifies into the sauce gradually – warm or room-temperature butter will cause the sauce to break. Use the lid. The Delta Heat grill's lid traps smoke and circulates heat evenly around the fish. Resist the urge to peek too often. Reuse the plank (once). If the plank isn't fully charred, you can reuse it one more time after a thorough soak.

Cedar-planked salmon is forgiving by nature – the plank insulates the fish from direct heat, making it nearly impossible to overcook if you're watching your grill temperature. Pair that with the Delta Heat grill's consistent BTU output and the Made In saucier's precision heat control for the butter sauce, and you've got a recipe with a very high floor and a very high ceiling. Whether you're cooking for two on a Tuesday or feeding a backyard full of guests on a Saturday, this is the kind of dish that makes people think you trained in a professional kitchen. You don't have to tell them how easy it actually was. Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1–2 hours plank soaking) Cook Time: 15–18 minutes Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS RECIPE

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