Cedar Planked Pike

I eat a lot of fish; and when it’s hot, instead of heating up the house I use the barbecue to cook. Fish can be hard to cook on the barbecue, many people wrap fish in foil to cook it on the barbecue. My favorite way to cook fish on the barbecue is on a cedar plank. This method works on every species from salmon to tuna and shark. You can also carve a plank from a cedar log and cook fish on a bonfire using this method.

You cannot use just any piece of cedar like the scraps from your new patio; virgin cedar that has never been painted or treated in any way, fresh cut from a log is best.

Step 1: Ingredients & Supplies

Barbecue, Ok that is a given.

Cedar Planks 6 x 12 inch standard board, you can buy cedar planks cut just for cooking on the barbecue but if you cut your own it must be virgin cedar.

Large Container, to soak the planks in water.

Bowl, to marinade fish.

Cookie sheet to dry and spice one side of the pike fillets after marinating.

Fish, in this case Pike fillets.

Clove of Garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Thumb size chunk of fresh Ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon Pepper

1 oz Lemon juice

1 oz Soya Sauce

1 oz Worcestershire Sauce

1 oz Liquid Smoke

Water

Paprika

Step 2: Prepping the Cedar Planks

Place cedar planks in a large shallow container and cover the planks with water, weigh them down so the planks are submerged. Soak them for 4 hours.

Step 3: Marinade

After the cedar planks have been soaking for 3 hours; soak the pike in a bowl of marinade made with Garlic or garlic powder, Ginger or ground ginger, Pepper, Lemon, Soya Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Liquid Smoke, and just enough water to cover the pike fillets.

Place the marinating pike in the fridge until the cedar planks are finished soaking.

Step 4: Char the Planks

Preheat your gas barbecue to high with the lid closed.

Meanwhile remove the planks from the water and pat them dry with a tea towel.

Place cedar planks directly on the grate and center the planks in the middle of the barbecue.

Close the lid char the bottom of the planks for 10 minutes.

Do not leave the barbecue unattended.

Keep a spray bottle of water ready in case the planks catch fire.

Step 5: Spice the Pike Fillets

While the cedar planks are being chard; remove the pike fillets from the marinade and place them on a cookie sheet to dry and spice.

Sprinkle the pike fillets with pepper, crushed garlic or garlic powder, and paprika.

Step 6: Cook the Pike Fillets

Flip the cedar planks over and brush the chard side with oil.

Place the pike fillets on the plank spiced side down and sprinkle the top of the fillets with pepper, crushed garlic or garlic powder, and paprika.

Close the lid and cook the pike fillets for 20 minutes.

Step 7: Serve

Remove the cedar planks from the grill and serve the pike.

I find most people will want the pike remove from the chard cedar plank before eating.

Place planks in water to cool before you dispose of them, if you just toss them in the waste bin, the smallest ember can catch the waste bin on fire.