Planking is something that exercising people do to tone their abdominal muscles. We don’t do that—or really any kind of strenuous activity. Planking is also a grilling technique, wherein you cook food on hardwood. The food cooks via indirect heat and absorbs natural flavors from wood. That kind of planking better fits us.

We enjoy the taste of smoke. So, we usually place the plank on the grill directly over the flame for a couple of minutes to develop a little char. We then flip the plank, move it away from the flame, and lay the meat down on the charred side. If you prefer less smoke, or just want more life out of your plank, you can skip the first step and begin the process by setting the plank and salmon away from the flame.

Whatever you do, soak the planks in water for at least an hour—better two hours. Otherwise, you’ll get lots of smoke. Like the-plank-is-engulfed-in-flames smoke.

Here’s what we made last night:

Lemon Dill Salmon Grilled on a Plank

Ingredients

Two salmon fillets
Three tablespoon of dark brown sugar
Two teaspoons of kosher salt
The freshly grated zest of one lemon
Three sprigs of fresh dill, stripped
Four lemon slices

Directions

Mix the brown sugar, salt, lemon zest, and dill together. Place salmon skin-side down. Rub mixture into the salmon’s top and sides. Let sit for, at least, one hour. (Even better, put it in the refrigerator overnight.) Lay two lemon slices on each filet. Cook salmon on a plank over indirect heat (325°F or so) for about 30 minutes. Internal temperature is key. Use a meat thermometer, and remove the plank when the salmon reaches and internal temperature of 135°F. Be vigilant; don’t let that salmon get overcooked.

It was the definition of delicious, but we made too much. Leftover salmon? Meh. We do, however, know someone who loves it.