Our baked cedar plank trout is tender, buttery and delicately seasoned for an ultra delicious main course! The cedar plank adds a nice smoky flavor to the fish, and cooks the trout gently with indirect heat. The result? Moist and tender trout with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and unbeatable flavor.
Baked or Grilled Trout on Cedar Planks
This simple trout recipe transforms fresh fish into a masterpiece using a wonderful cooking method that originated right here in the Pacific Northwest.
Cedar grilling slabs are one of the best ways to cook fish because the indirect heat gently steams it and adds a woodsy flavor. Whether you choose to bake or grill the trout on the wooden slab, you’ll achieve perfectly tender and flavorful results every time.
Topped with a fresh dill butter and lemon to bring out the delicate taste of the trout, this main course is simply irresistible!
Why This Recipe Works
Unbeatable Flavor: Grilling on a cedar plank infuses the steelhead with a subtle, smoky aroma that pairs perfectly with the seasoning. It’s like bringing a fancy restaurant experience straight to your backyard!
Simple Prep, Big Payoff: With minimal ingredients, this recipe delivers impressive results without the fuss.
Perfectly Juicy Every Time: The wooden planks ensure even cooking, keeping the fish moist and tender. No dry, overcooked trout here – just succulent, flavorful steelhead.
Elegant Presentation: Served with a drizzle of dill butter and fresh lemon wedges, this dish looks as good as it tastes. It’s an effortless way to wow your family or guests without breaking a sweat.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s a look at the main ingredients you’ll need. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the full ingredient list and amounts.
- Cedar plank. You can find these nearly anywhere! Look in your store’s grilling section.
- Steelhead trout. Choose a fillet about 1 to 1-1/2 pounds in size. Rainbow trout is another option if you don’t have Steelhead.
- Old Bay Seasoning. The perfect seasoning blend for seafood, Old Bay Seasoning is sprinkled on top before it cooks.
- Herbs. This simple recipe calls for dried dill and fresh dill, plus extra sprigs for serving.
- Butter. What’s a good fish recipe without butter? Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
- Lemon. A few lemon slices or wedges are optional, but add the perfect finishing touch when serving.
Tips for the Best Results
For baked plank cooking: No grill? No problem! Plank grilling is easy to achieve right in your kitchen. Place the plank directly on the oven rack and bake for 13-15 minutes at 400°F. You will know it is done when the internal temperature registers 145°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
Check for doneness: An instant-read thermometer will give you the best results. If you don’t have one, you can flake off a piece of the fish with a fork to test for doneness. Remember that it will continue to cook from the residual heat of the planks even after you remove it from the grill.
Do you flip the fish? No need to worry about flipping. Since it grills skin side down with the lid closed, treat this process similarly to baking in the oven on a baking sheet.
How do you prevent fish from sticking? You can lightly brush or spray the board with oil if you’re worried about anything sticking.
Seasoning: The Old Bay has salt in it already so you may not need any extra, but add additional salt if desired.
Storage and Make Ahead
To store leftover trout fillets: Cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can gently reheat it on the bbq or in the oven at a medium temperature until it is heated through.
Make ahead tips: To cut down on prep time, you can make the seasoning mix ahead of time along with the dill butter. It can be prepared up to two days in advance. Simply reheat the butter in the microwave right before serving.
What Fish is Good for Plank Cooking?
Trout and salmon are both wonderful options for cedar plank grilled fish because their neutral taste goes well with the subtle flavor of the cedar wood. Some other excellent choices are arctic char, halibut, and mahi mahi.
Recipe Variations
Lemon Herb Trout: Top the fillet with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary. Add thin lemon slices on top before grilling for an extra citrusy punch.
Spicy Cajun Barbecue Trout: Rub the fillets with a blend of 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Serve with a squeeze of lime and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Garlic Parmesan Trout on Cedar Planks: Sprinkle the fillets with a mixture of minced garlic cloves, grated Parmesan cheese, and dried basil. Top with fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges for a deliciously savory and aromatic twist.
A couple more options are to make the soy citrus pan sauce from our whole trout recipe or serve the bbq fish with a side of Miso Butter. You could also serve the grilled trout with our Trout Almondine topping.
Looking for more ways to enjoy trout? Try our Smoked Trout Chowder for a comforting, flavorful dish that makes great use of leftover trout!
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Cedar Plank Baked Trout
Ingredients
- 1 cedar plank
- 1 Steelhead fillet about 1 to 1-½ pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon cracked pepper
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- Fresh dill sprigs for garnish
- 4 lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Soak cedar plank in warm water for at least 30 minutes, overnight if possible.
- Preheat grill to medium heat (~400 degrees F) charcoal or gas grill.
- Remove plank from water and place steelhead fillet skin-side down on top. Pat the surface of the flesh with a paper towel to remove excess moisture then brush olive oil.
- In a small dish combine the cracked pepper, Old Bay seasoning and the dried dill then sprinkle over the fillet,
- Place cedar plank directly on grill, close the cover and cook for 15-18 minutes.
- Transfer the plank from the grill and place on a work space, tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- While the trout is resting, melt the butter in a small microwaveable dish and stir in the chopped fresh dill, set aside.
- To serve, cut the fillet into 4 equal portions and serve each portion with a drizzle of the dill butter. Add lemon wedges and fresh dill sprigs to garnish.
angiesrecipes
Tuesday 16th of July 2024
This looks absolutely mouthwatering, Pat. angiesrecipes
Dahn Boquist
Tuesday 16th of July 2024
Thanks Angie!