Perks of our cedar plank grilled catfish – grillin’ season and chillin’ season go hand in hand. Light up the charcoal, soak some cedar planks let your grill take care of all the hard work. Our cedar plank grilled catfish recipe utilizes a whole catfish for a deliciously different cut, but Heartland catfish fillets will also do the trick!
Ingredients
- 2 whole Heartland catfish
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- olive oil, for basting the cedar planks
- 2 cedar planks
For the cilantro lime sauce:
- 1/3 finely chopped cilantro, fresh
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- zest of 1 lime
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
*2 Hours Before*
Prepare the plank. First, soak the planks in water for two hours prior to grilling. This helps prevent the planks from catching on fire while on the grill. Very lightly brush the top of the planks where the catfish will go with cooking oil before setting the catfish on the planks to prevent the catfish from sticking.
Preparing whole catfish. Next, take your whole catfish out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. Mix the salt, pepper and chili powder together in a small dish, and then sprinkle both sides of the catfish with the seasoning. Rub the seasoning in to ensure it covers the whole catfish.
Grilling with the plank. Then, heat your grill to 350 degrees F or to medium heat. Once heated, place your whole catfish on the planks and transfer them to the grill. Using a plank for each fish allows them to cook evenly without overcrowding. Cooking times can range on the thickness of the catfish, but it should take around 15-20 minutes.
Removing the plank. When the catfish are ready, remove the plank while wearing special grill mitts or carefully transfer the catfish from the plank to a serving platter with a spatula. If using the spatula method, make sure to take the planks off the grill too.
Making the sauce. As the catfish are cooling slightly, add all of the ingredients for the cilantro-lime sauce to a blender or food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined. Pour the sauce into a serving dish, plate your catfish and dig in!
Cedar Plank Grilled Catfish with Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Total Time: 2 Hrs 50 Mins
- Yield: 4-5 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 large whole catfish
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- olive oil, for basting the cedar planks
- 2 cedar planks
Cilantro Lime Sauce:
- 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro, fresh
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- PREPARE the cedar planks. Soak the planks in water for two hours prior to grilling. This helps prevent the planks from catching on fire while on the grill.
- BRUSH the top of the planks where the catfish will go with cooking oil before setting the catfish on the planks to prevent the catfish from sticking.
- TAKE your catfish out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. Mix the salt, pepper and chili powder together in a small dish, and then sprinkle both sides of the catfish with the seasoning. Rub the seasoning in to ensure it covers the whole catfish.
- HEAT your grill to 350 degrees F or to medium heat. Once heated, place your whole catfish on the planks and transfer them to the grill. Using a plank for each fish allows them to cook evenly without overcrowding.
- GRILL your catfish until they are fully cooked through, around 15-20 minutes.
- REMOVE the planks while wearing special grill mitts or carefully transfer the fish from the plank to a serving platter with a spatula once the catfish are fully cooked through. If using the spatula method, make sure to take the planks off the grill too.
- LET the the catfish cool slightly and add all of the ingredients for the cilantro-lime sauce to a blender or food processor.
- BLEND for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined. Pour the sauce into a serving dish, plate your catfish and dig in!
- Prep Time: 2 Hrs 30 Mins
- Cook Time: 15-20 Mins