Cedar Plank Salmon

Introduction:
     Salmon is one of the most common species of fish that Americans eat today and can be dated back to 100 million years old. Salmons are carnivores born in freshwater, mature in the sea, and return to their homes to reproduce.  They develop their muscle mass and fat stores in order to energize their egg production and upstream migration. Salmon are typically harvested when they reach the mouth of their home river. Due to overfishing, most market fish come from salmon farms.  Fish that come farms are typically fattier, while wild fish have a stronger flavor and firmer texture. The aroma of salmon are due to the pink astaxanthin pigment that is accumulated from ocean crustaceans.
     Once fish are caught and killed, distinct aromas begin to develop. The "fishy" aroma is due to the salt water balancing compound TMAO, which bacteria on the fish break down to smelly TMA. Fortunately, the addition of acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar, and tomatoes encourage the stale fragments to react with water and become less volatile. They also add hydrogen ions to TMA and DMA which then bind to water and are not removed from the fish surface.
     Burning wood is a common technique that is used as a flavoring agent. Charred wood and smoke are products of incomplete combustion of organic materials in the presence of of limited oxygen.  Wood consists of three materials, cellulose and hemicellulose, and lignin which contribute to the framework and overall strength of wood. Cellulose and hemicellulose are aggregates of sugar molecules, while lignin is made of phenolic molecules. The higher the lignin content of wood, the hotter it burns due to an increase of combustion.  When wood burns the sugars in cellulose and hemicellulose break down into sweet and bready aromas, while the lignan breaks down into volatile phenols.  The flavor of wood smoke depends on the  type of wood and combustion temperature. In this recipe a Cedar plank will be used to pleasing flavors to the fish. The smoke produced by the Cedar plank will stabilize the flavor of fish and create a pleasing aroma as well.
     The purpose of this recipe is to demonstrate the process of cooking Salmon on a grill and to show how wood smoke affects the flavor of fish.


Materials:
1 slice of Salmon
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Pepper


Methods:
1. Soak plank 3-4 hours in water.  Place weight on top of plank to prevent floating.
2. Season Salmon with olive oil, pepper, and lemon juice.
3. Heat plank on high for 5 minutes with all grill burners on or until smoking occurs.
4. Transfer Salmon to plank.
5. Turn off middle burners. It is not necessary to flip Salmon.
6. Cook 10-20 minutes or till 130 degrees Fahrenheit.


Results:


1. Soak plank 3-4 hours in water.  Place weight on top of plank to prevent floating.

2. Season salmon with olive oil, pepper, and lemon juice.

3. Heat plank on high for 5 minutes with all grill burners on or until smoking occurs.

4. Transfer salmon to plank.

5. Turn off middle burners. It is not necessary to flip salmon.

6. Cook 10-20 minutes or till 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Discussion:
     The purpose of this recipe is to demonstrate the process of cooking Salmon on a grill and to show how wood smoke affects the flavor of fish. The fish was successfully cooked due to the final temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The Salmon also did not smell "fishy" due to the addition of lemon juice. Also the Cedar plank added a sweet texture to the Salmon. The soaking of the plank was crucial in order to cool the heat that the fish receives. Overall this recipe was successful in creating a delicious meal of fish. It was simple to use and I would definitely use it again. In the future I would experiment with different types of wood planks such as Oak and Hickory in order to determine their effects on flavor. I would also use different types of fish and meats to experiment with different flavors and texture are affect by wood.

Citation:
 "Dad's Cedar Plank Salmon." Personal interview. 16 Jan. 2010.