smoking salmon with cedar

[tsunami]

We in the Northwest know what salmon over cedar plank tastes like. Yum. My question is can you use cedar to actually smoke salmon with.

 

[mballi3011]

Yes you can. Are you talking about like cedar chips or chunks???? Or are you talking about goig otside a pulling down a cedar tree limb and throw the salmon on it????

 

[whittling chip]

Here's how I do it on a 22" Weber:

Board on!

Seperate the fuel holders

Flip the board

Make sure you use EVO before putting on indirect heat

Remove

Serve

Smoked Salmon, greens and some kinda wild rice!

 

[SmokinAl]

That's some good looking salmon! We just put it on the grate with EVOO & cajun seasoning.

 

[shooterrick]

Planking as you are describing it is most exceptable.  I would be hesitant to use any conifer wood in a relatively tight semi closed system as a smoker.  All conifers have strong antigens in the wood that can when concentrated make you very ill.  If you are sensitive to these antigens they can potentially put  you in the hospital or worse.  Do some research on smoking woods and this is a great place to start right here on SMF.  

Remember planking is a semi open environment with good air flow.  Smoking is somewhat confined and a slow process that concentrates whatever you put in the smoker to a larger extent.  When someone mentions good air flow in a smoker it is no were near the air flow of a grill.          

 

[tjohnson]

Rick is right.....

Planking is used during grilling, and not smoking.

Smoking with cedar can leave your food bitter tasting, and is not recommended

You're better off using Alder, or a fruit wood, like Apple or Maple

Here is a list that is not complete, but informative none the less. Courtesy of Dionysus....

Reference guide for Woods used to Smoke Food

ACACIA - these trees are in the same family as mesquite. When burned in a smoker, acacia has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. Is a very hot burning wood.

ALDER - Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.

ALMOND - A sweet smoke flavor, light ash. Good with all meats.

APPLE - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork.

ASH - Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor. Good with fish and red meats.

BIRCH - Medium-hard wood with a flavor similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.

CHERRY - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Some List members say the cherry wood is the best wood for smoking. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor.

COTTONWOOD - It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don't use green cottonwood for smoking.

CRABAPPLE - Similar to apple wood.

GRAPEVINES - Tart. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

HICKORY - Most commonly used wood for smoking--the King of smoking woods. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

LILAC - Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.

MAPLE - Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.

MESQUITE - Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning woods.

MULBERRY - The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple.

OAK - Heavy smoke flavor--the Queen of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs, WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.
ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT - Produces a nice mild smoky flavor. Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

PEAR - A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.

PECAN - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood.

SWEET FRUIT WOODS - APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH, NECTARINE - Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.

WALNUT - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc. Also ELM, EUCALYPTUS, SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER wood is unsuitable for smoking.

 

[sprky]

We in the Northwest know what salmon over cedar plank tastes like. Yum. My question is can you use cedar to actually smoke salmon with.

My understanding is you should not use cedar to smoke with. Ceder is in the same family as pine and that is a definite NO-NO

Here's how I do it on a 22" Weber:

Salmon 

Rick is right.....

Planking is used during grilling, and not smoking.

Smoking with cedar can leave your food bitter tasting, and is not recommended

You're better off using Alder, or a fruit wood, like Apple or Maple

Here is a list that is not complete, but informative none the less. Courtesy of Dionysus....
 

WOW GREAT INFO!  Never herd of some of those woods let alone smoked with them. Great info as always Todd.

 

[tsunami]

Thanks for saving me from another doctor bill. Ill stick to the popular sport of planking.