Grilled Cedar Rum Salmon

salmon fillets on a plate with pieces flaked off.

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5 from 22 votes

Grill up something new that's packed full of smoky cedar and complex rum flavors!

Course Grilled, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cedar Soaking / Marinating 1 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings 4 oz servings

Calories 397kcal

Author Tracy

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lbs center cut salmon fillets

Marinade

1/4 cup dark rum
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro chopped and packed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Prep Cedar Plank: Add cedar plank (or planks) to a baking dish deep/wide enough to fit the plank or a sink filled with cool water and let soak for at least 1 hour and up to 12.
Prep Marinade: Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisk. Set aside until you're ready to use, or add to a ziplock bag. Marinade can be made up to a day in advance.
Marinate Salmon: Gently add the salmon to the zip lock bag with the marinade, skin side up so that the flesh of the salmon rests in the marinade. Remove as much air as possible from the ziplock bag and seal. Let marinate for 20 - 30 (max) minutes, at room temperature. This will allow the salmon to come up to room temp before grilling.
Prepare Grill: Preheat the grill over medium-high.
Grill: Add the planks to the hot grill and then gently add the salmon to the cedar planks. Brush one last time with the marinade before closing the grill. Allow the planks to smolder, but not burn and let your salmon cook for 12-16 minutes. The salmon will be done when the salmon flesh is firm when you touch it and has turned to an opaque pink color. To ensure doneness, it's always best to use a food thermometer. Test the thickest part of the salmon and it will be medium rare if it reads 125 - 130 degrees F.

Notes

Salmon Cuts

You can use any cut that you'd like for this recipe, but we prefer center-cut fillets. Keep in mind the thickness of the cut will affect the cooking time. Thin tail fillets will take much less time to cook.

Cooking Times

According to the FDA, seafood should be cooked well-done which means an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. However, many find well-done salmon to be too dry and most prefer a medium or medium rare for the best flaky and moist texture. Medium rare is 120 degrees F internal temp, and medium is 125 - 130 degrees F. It's always best to use a food thermometer to ensure doneness, but also, your salmon will be cooked once the flesh is firm to the touch and has an opaque whitish-pink color on the outside and a more translucent pink on the inside. If it's a much darker pink color on the inside, then it's still far. Also, cooked salmon will flake easily.

Also, keep in mind, there is some carryover cooking that will occur, so you want to remove the salmon from the heat just before it reaches the temp you want.

Substitutions

Rum: Dark rum is going to be the best for flavor. A light rum won't add the same complexity. No dark rum? Then try a sweet bourbon or even a brandy!

Cilantro: Dried works fine, too. Use two tablespoons in place of the 1/4 cup.

Lime Juice: You can also use lemon. We prefer lime with the cilantro, though.

Sugar: White sugar will work too, although the molasses flavor of the brown really compliments the other flavors. Molasses would be a better sub than white sugar.

Baked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking rack with foil and add the salmon to the center of the foil (so you can fold the foil over) and spoon the glaze over it. Use only about 1/4 of the marinade. Bake for 14-15 mins. Uncover and broil for 2 mins. By baking though you will lose that cedar flavor and instead will have a much stronger rum flavor.

Grill Without Cedar Planks

You can absolutely grill this salmon without the cedar planks, although it will change the flavor. Still delicious, just without the smoky cedar flavor. To grill without the planks, be sure your grill grates are clean. Heat on high, oil grates right before adding the fish, and add fish directly to the grill, skin side down. Be careful of flare-ups because of alcohol in the marinade. Grill skin side down until basically the salmon is fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Otherwise, the sugar will cause the fish to stick to the grill grates. You'll know it's ready when the salmon easily separates from the grates. Once flipped, grill on the other side for another 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 minutes, depending the thickness of the fish.

Prepare in Advance

You can make the marinade up to a day in advance. If it's anything overnight, just add it to the fridge. But be sure to take it out and bring it back up to room temperature well before using.

Nutrition