Without a doubt, salmon has to be one of the most flavorful fish in the world. Its flesh is hardy and robust, and it will easily stand up to stronger seasonings and wood flavors. If you decide to flavor with wood, perhaps the most recommended wood to be used for salmon is alder, which comes from the Pacific Northwest of United States. Alder is available in chips, chunks or logs with chips being the most popular and plentiful.

If you are unable to find alder you might also try one of the fruit tree woods - such as cherry, peach, apple, etc. Yet another popular method for cooking salmon is directly on cedar planks. About an hour before you want to begin cooking, soak the cedar plank in water for about an hour, and then towel dry it. Place your salmon, skin-side down, on the cedar plank and then season the fish, to taste. The plank is then placed directly over the fire so as to be charred on the bottom during the cooking process. This charring imparts a wonderful flavor to the salmon.