I have grilled salmon on a cedar plank for years! I have made so many variations of it with different planks, seasonings and techniques. Friends and family absolutely love it. It is my family’s favorite meal by far!

The wait is over! I will be sharing several variations of how to grill salmon on a cedar plank in the coming weeks. We make it once a week without missing a beat.

Welcome to the definitive guide to grilling salmon on a cedar plank.

Cedar plank grilled salmon served with a green salad and lemon

What is the best salmon fillet to buy?

Which Costco salmon to buy

We prefer the farm-raised salmon fillet over wild-caught because the farm-raised one is fattier, which means it is more tender. Wild-caught is obviously healthier, but for us, the farm-raised fillet wins because the buttery result that melts in your mouth is worth it!

Costco sells both fresh farmed steelhead and fresh farmed Atlantic salmon, and either can come from Chile or Norway.

Our favorite is always the Atlantic salmon fillet from Norway, raised without antibiotics.

Our favorite: Atlantic salmon from Norway, raised without antibiotics

Costco farm-raised Atlantic salmon fillet from Norway raised without antibiotics

Costco Norway salmon label showing raised without antibiotics

The other option we've tried: a farmed fillet from Chile

Costco farm-raised fillet from Chile raised with antibiotics

Costco label for the farm-raised fillet from Chile

How do you master the art of grilling salmon?

There are so many variables, but it is actually so easy. All it takes is paying attention to the 4 most important factors:

A good quality salmon fillet
The cedar plank
The seasoning
The temperature

Seasoned salmon on cedar planks with a MEATER thermometer, ready to grill

Good quality salmon fillet

As I mentioned, the best one for grilling is the farm-raised salmon fillet from Norway. I buy it from Costco, but similar great quality products can be found in many grocery stores.

It is also very important to pay close attention to the “Use By” or “Sell By” date. I’ve found that it often makes a noticeable difference in taste when the “Use By” date is many days away. On a couple of occasions, I bought it when the date was only a day away and it simply was not fresh!

Cedar plank

I buy these cedar planks from Amazon. I have also picked up a few over the years from Home Depot and other local stores. They come in different sizes, and so does the salmon fillet.

Soak the plank in water for a minimum of one hour. I almost always leave it submerged in water for 2 to 3 hours. If you don’t soak it at all, it is not the end of the world, but the plank could char too much or catch fire, which may not be pleasant. A little charring, though, is desirable because it helps infuse the food with cedar smoke. So just place the plank in a large baking sheet and add enough water to cover it. The plank will float, and that’s OK as long as there is a little water over it. It won’t hurt to flip the plank halfway through the soaking.

I do my best to cover the entire plank with the salmon fillet so that very little of the plank is exposed. This reduces flare-ups, especially if you didn’t have time to soak it long enough. You can choose to place the entire fillet on the plank and trim any excess, then place the trimmed pieces together on another plank if you like. Another way to do this, which happens to be how I did it this time, is to cut the salmon into ready-to-serve portions and place them on one or two planks. If you have more room on the plank, add your favorite veggies! Experiment!

Two cedar planks soaking in a baking sheet before grilling salmon

Seasoning

Seasoning the salmon is easy but very important. I have experimented with so many combinations over the years. The best, by far, is this:

Drizzle a tiny bit (1 tsp) of olive oil. Use a brush to gently distribute the oil evenly.
Apply a thin, even layer of your favorite salmon seasoning. Picking the best seasoning is so important. I can’t tell you enough how awesome the McCormick Gourmet Cedar Plank Salmon Seafood Seasoning is. I’ve tried so many different ones and this one is the absolute best, by far! If you try this recipe with another seasoning and don’t fully fall in love with it, try it again with the one I’m recommending and you will appreciate how well this seasoning mix suits grilling salmon on a cedar plank. The last time I checked, Costco carries the exact same one as in the link above.
The seasoning is salty, so you shouldn’t need to add salt. Don’t overdo it with the seasoning. Try a thin layer over the entire salmon. The salmon is thicker in the center, so you might need more seasoning there and less elsewhere.

Salmon portions arranged on cedar planks before seasoning

Salmon on cedar planks coated with a thin layer of seasoning

McCormick cedar plank salmon seasoning held over seasoned salmon

Temperature

The most important factor in grilling salmon to the buttery perfection we love is hitting the right temperature. It is way too easy to overcook salmon. Three extra minutes of grilling could totally miss the mark.

I preheat my gas Weber grill to 400°F while I’m seasoning the salmon. At that temperature, the salmon is usually done in about 12-15 minutes, reaching an internal temperature of 127°F. But as mentioned, plus or minus 3 minutes makes a huge difference. So here are some tips:

The FDA recommends cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F.
I shoot for an internal temperature of 127°F and take it off the grill immediately. Then I cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. While resting, the salmon will reach an internal temperature of 145°F-150°F.

Temperature (pro tip)

You may be wondering how I measure the temperature and make sure it’s accurate. In the past, I used to eyeball it, open the grill when I thought it was done and poke the salmon with a thermometer to check. This is exactly what I want to strongly discourage.

If you are looking you ain’t cooking!

The goal is to not open the grill at all until you’re done. It is so helpful to have a thermometer that reads outside the grill. You put the temperature probe inside the salmon and read the temperature on a display outside the grill. Tracking the temperature is very important. Otherwise, it’s going to be hit or miss.

I use the MEATER Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer religiously. Trust me, it is not a gimmick. It has completely transformed grilling in our house. I use it a lot for chicken breast, which can be tricky to grill to a safe temperature without sacrificing tenderness. The MEATER is basically a thermometer that you put in the salmon (or whatever else you’re grilling). Then you start the cook from the app on your phone, selecting what you’re grilling and the desired temperature. The MEATER tells us when the food is ready and when it’s fully rested.

MEATER or no MEATER, tracking the temperature is key to achieving the best results possible when grilling an amazing salmon on a cedar plank. Use what works!