Cedar sheets, rather than whole planks, are great for grilling individual portions of fish, especially fish like salmon and halibut that tend to stick to the grill grate. The technique is easy for a weeknight meal and is an eye-catching presentation for entertaining. Cedar sheets are pliable, smooth, and paper-thin. They come in large squares, just the right size to enclose a single serving. The sheets must be soaked in water to make them pliable enough to roll and tie for grilling. The soaking also minimizes charring of the wood. You can secure the cedar packages in a few different ways. If I have long green onion tops or leek greens on hand, I tie them like string around the rolled sheet. I have also used silicone rubber bands, which I buy at cookware stores. Or, I use kitchen twine that I soak in water along with the cedar sheets. Look for cedar grilling sheets at kitchenware stores, at hardware stores selling grills and grill accessories, or online.
Serves 4
4 center-cut salmon fillets, about 6 oz [170 g] each, skin and pin bones removed
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, cut into 8 paper-thin slices
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Long green tops from 4 green onions
You will also need
4 large cedar grilling sheets, each about 8 in [20 cm] square
1Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling to bring it to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towels.
2Submerge the cedar grilling sheets in a pan of warm water until pliable, 15 to 20 minutes.
3Meanwhile, prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium.
4Season the salmon fillets on all sides with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, and cayenne and mix well. Rub the oil mixture all over the salmon fillets. Arrange two lemon slices, overlapping them slightly, on the flesh side of each fillet.
5Place the soaked cedar sheets on a work surface. Place a salmon fillet, skinned-side down, in the center of each sheet, parallel to the grain of the wood. Cut eight long strips from the tops of the green onions to use as ties. Working with one cedar sheet at a time, bring up the sides to encase the piece of salmon, forming a tube and overlapping the edges if possible. Wrap a long strip of green onion around the tube about one-third of the way down from the top edge and carefully tie it to secure the tube. Wrap another strip of green onion about one-third of the way up from the bottom edge and tie it. Repeat to secure the other packets.
6When ready to grill, generously oil the grill grate. Use tongs to arrange the cedar packets, seam-side up, directly over the fire and cover the grill. Grill until the packets begin to smoke and crackle, about 4 minutes. Turn the packets over, re-cover the grill, and “toast” the second side until the salmon is almost opaque throughout but still very moist, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 115° to 120°F [45° to 49°C], 3 to 4 minutes longer.
7Using tongs, transfer each salmon packet to a warmed dinner plate. Cut the green onions with a knife and use tongs to open the packets and unroll the wood sheets, leaving the salmon inside for an attractive presentation. Serve immediately.
