Nothing says summer like a fresh, delicious brie appetizer! And this grilled cedar plank summer berry brie is an absolute showstopper. It’s the perfect dish to serve at any gathering, whether it’s a BBQ or a beach picnic. This brie appetizer is an absolute delight, combining creamy brie cheese with sweet summer berries and woody, smoky cedar plank.

This culinary adventure marries the rustic charm of cedar plank grilling with the vibrant flavors of summer. It also serves as a feast for the eyes and will look impressive in your spread.

I’ve not always been the biggest fan of softer cheeses – much to my wife’s dismay. But I wanted to make a recipe for her and thought she would enjoy this one. So I ended up with this after thinking of ways to use up leftover cedar planks from back when I made my glazed cedar plank salmon.

And of course, I had to try it out too. I will say that it won me over. If I’m going to have brie, this is truly the only way to have it.

So, fire up the grill and prepare to embark on a journey that celebrates the essence of summer through every delectable bite.

Gather the Ingredients for Summer Berry Brie

Creating the stunning summer berry brie begins with assembling the ingredients, each capturing the essence of the season. These components work in concert to craft a dish that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious. Here’s what you’ll need:

Brie: Central to this culinary masterpiece is a high-quality wheel of brie. Ideally, it should be at room temperature, ensuring a luxurious, creamy texture when grilled.

Cedar Plank: You can’t have cedar plank grilling without the cedar plank itself. This aromatic wood imparts a delicate smokiness to the brie.

Assorted Berries: Embrace the full spectrum of summer’s bounty by including an assortment of fresh, vibrant berries. Blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries each bring their unique sweetness and flavor to the dish.

Red Wine Vinegar: A touch of red wine vinegar adds a subtle but essential tanginess to the berry compote, elevating its depth of flavor.

Sugar: To make sweet berries sweeter, a modest amount of sugar is added.

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is employed to brighten up the compote, imparting a zesty and citrusy counterpoint.

Fresh Mint: Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, add a layer of freshness and aromatic complexity to the dish.

Salt: Basically every dish needs salt…

So gather up the fresh ingredients and get ready to start making this brie appetizer.

Prep and Soak the Cedar Plank

Before getting the grill ready, it’s essential to ensure your cedar plank is primed for the heat. This aromatic wood is not only a flavorful foundation but also a key element in imparting that unique smoky essence to your dish. Here’s how to prepare your cedar plank:

Getting a Plank: Begin by acquiring a high-quality cedar plank. These planks should be available at most grocery stores or specialty food shops. If you can’t find one locally, you can find cedar planks on Amazon. When choosing one, look for a plank that is untreated and free from any chemical additives. The size of the plank should accommodate the mini brie wheel. Unfortunately, most cedar planks are made to hold a fish filet and are a bit long for this recipe. If needed, trim the plank to the appropriate size for your cheese wheel. Or, double the recipe and make two at once, one on each end.

Soaking the Cedar Plank: Cedar planks need to be soaked in water before grilling to prevent them from burning up in the heat. Submerge the cedar plank fully in water for a minimum of 30 minutes. You may need to use some mugs or something else heavy to weigh down the cedar plank.

Once the plank has soaked long enough, remove it from the water and wipe off the excess liquid. With the plank ready, it’s time to assemble the appetizer.

Cook the Berry Sauce

It’s time to get to work crafting the delicious berry sauce. This sauce makes a great accompaniment to your brie, adding a unique, sweet flavor, and is really easy to make. It is just a quick homemade berry compote (don’t be scared by the fancy term). Here’s how to create this delectable sauce:

Start with a medium-sized saucepan. Combine one cup of your favorite berries, sugar, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and half of the mint in the saucepan. I suggest using a mix of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries but you could honestly do just a single berry variety.

Set the mixture over medium heat and let it come to a simmer. Stir often. As it begins to cook, Let the mixture simmer for about xx minutes in total.

Lastly, taste the sauce and adjust the flavors as needed. Add more sugar if it’s too tart, or a few drops of lemon juice if it’s too sweet. Once the flavors are just right, turn off the heat and let the sauce cool.

With the sauce prepared, we’re now ready to assemble and grill the whole appetizer.

Preparing the Brie

Now that you’ve prepared your flavorful berry sauce, it’s time to move on to the star of the show – the brie. This creamy, delicious cheese is a crowd-pleaser, but this recipe turns it up a notch.

First, you’ll need to find the perfect brie. The goal here is to find a mini wheel of brie cheese that will perfectly fit on your cedar plank. Once you’ve found your brie, you’ll want to remove it from the packaging and set it on a cutting board or platter.

Next, you’ll want to prepare the surface of the brie. To do this, you can use a sharp knife to remove the top covering of the cheese. This will expose the actual cheese and make it easier for the berry sauce to penetrate the brie.

Now it’s time to add the berry sauce. Place the prepared brie wheel on the cedar plank. Spread the berry sauce on top of the brie. If you don’t, just spread it over the top of the brie. Then, you can sprinkle some chopped nuts or dried fruit over the top, if desired.

Grill the Berry Brie

Now it’s time to get grilling! Grilling is one of the best ways to get that melty, ooey-gooey brie that you know and love. Plus, the cedar plank adds a hint of smoky flavor that just can’t be beat.

To get started, you’ll need to warm up the grill and get it nice and hot. Turn it to medium heat and let it preheat for about 15 minutes. Once your grill is hot, you can place a cedar plank on it.

After 9 to 11 minutes, your brie should be nice and melty. The berry sauce will be bubbling around the edges and the bottom of the cedar plank will be a bit charred. To test if your brie is done, you can use a fork or toothpick to poke the cheese and see if it’s melted. If not, you can give it a few more minutes to finish cooking.

Once your brie is done, you are ready to dig in!

Serving the Summer Berry Brie

Now that the brie is grilled to perfection, it’s time to serve it up! It’s one thing to make the brie, but a completely different thing to plate it. Let’s look at a few tips on how to serve your brie in style.

First and foremost, presentation is key. Make sure you have a nice platter to put your brie on. You may leave the brie on the cedar plank, as I did in the photos here, or remove it to a different plate or platter. Please note that the berries do have a powerful color and may stain different items – especially if they are porous.

Next, you’ll want to choose a few accompaniments. Consider adding some dried fruit, nuts (especially walnuts), bread, or crackers. These items can help tie the flavors together and make the brie even more delicious as well as giving a vehicle for actually eating the brie.

Make sure you have a good cheese knife on hand for cutting. If you don’t have one, a butter knife will do the trick. When you’re slicing, be sure to go in a circular motion to ensure even pieces.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, try drizzling a balsamic glaze over the top!

When it comes to portioning, you should aim for roughly two ounces of brie per person. You don’t want to give too much, but you want to make sure everyone has enough to enjoy.

The result is a delicious, stunning brie appetizer that will wow your friends and family. So go ahead and give it a try – you won’t regret it!

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this summer berry brie! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Grilled Cedar Plank Summer Berry Brie

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: Appetizers, Platters, SidesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Experience summer flavors like never before with this stunning grilled cedar plank brie topped with a simple berry sauce and mint.

Ingredients

• Cedar plank, cut to size

• 8 to 10 ounce mini brie wheel

• 1/4 cup blackberries

• 1/4 cup strawberries

• 1/4 cup blueberries

• 1/4 cup raspberries

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Crackers or sliced bread to serve

Directions

• Begin by submerging the cedar plank in water, ensuring it’s fully submerged, and weighing it down if necessary. Allow it to soak for a minimum of 30 minutes before grilling. If necessary, cut the plank to the desired size before soaking.
• While the cedar plank is soaking, chiffonade the mint, juice the lemon, and rinse the berries.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the berries, red wine vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and one tablespoon of sliced mint leaves.
• Allow this mixture to gently simmer for approximately 15 minutes, ensuring you occasionally stir and gently crush the berries as they cook.
• As your berry compote simmers to perfection, preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
• Carefully cut off the top rind of the brie, revealing its creamy interior.
• Remove the cedar plank from the water and pat it dry, place the brie wheel atop the soaked cedar plank, then spoon the berry compote on top of the brie.
• Place the cedar plank and brie on the grill and cook for 9-11 mins, testing with a fork or toothpick to see when the cheese is soft and ready to serve
• Remove the brie from the grill, top with the remaining chopped mint, and serve

Notes

• With how large most cedar planks are, you could double the recipe and cook two mini brie wheels on a single plank if you don’t want to cut one down or waste so much extra space

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The post Stunning Grilled Cedar Plank Summer Berry Brie appeared first on Do You Roux?.

I love salmon. But unfortunately, my wife is not a big fan. So it tends to be a special occasion when I make salmon for myself. And this time I decided to go big with a grilled cedar plank salmon and a sticky-sweet honey orange glaze.

The cedar plank lends an aromatic smokiness when used as a cooking base on the grill. You’ll be able to smell the cedar as it cooks. Mmmmm. This cedar plank salmon recipe is sure to impress when you bring in a plank of wood to set the table.

This is a delicious twist on a favorite recipe that’s perfect for a summer meal. The honey orange glaze is a great complement to the flavor of the salmon. The glaze is similar to the sauce I use with my orange maple soy salmon recipe.

Salmon, a grill, a plank of wood, and a sweet glaze. What could be better? This is a great way to cook salmon on the grill and make it special.

And this cedar plank salmon recipe is perfect for a special occasion.

Cedar Planks for Salmon – Their Purpose and Use

Cedar planks give off smoky, sweet notes that pair well with salmon. The trick to grilling with cedar planks is to soak them beforehand. This prevents the wood from burning too quickly or adding too much smoke flavor to the fish.

Cedarwood gives off a lot of smoke, and since that’s a natural flavor enhancer, you can use it to give your food some extra flavor. The salmon will also absorb the wood’s smoky, smoky flavor.

You may be able to find cedar planks at your local grocery store near where charcoal is kept. Many hardware stores also stock them near the grills in the store. Or, you can resort to buying cedar planks online like I did for this recipe.

Grilling salmon on a cedar plank is the perfect way to cook salmon on the grill. The fish won’t tear on the grill and fall through the grates. And the cedar planks also help block the direct heat of the grill, which helps the fish to cook without drying out.

But like I said, soaking is the key to success. Soaking the cedar planks is pretty easy. Just put them in a shallow dish with water and let them soak for at least one hour. I like to let them soak for a few hours.

You will likely need to weigh the planks down in the water since they tend to float and won’t be fully submerged. I use some mugs to hold the planks down in a baking sheet filled with water.

After soaking the plank, take them out of the water and dab them down with a cloth or paper towel. The cedar plank is now ready to use.

Prepping the Honey Orange Glaze

While the cedar planks are soaking, we can get started on the actual cooking by making the glaze.

I wanted a thick, flavorful glaze that would truly coat the salmon. So, rather than just mixing together the ingredients and brushing it over the salmon, we heat it up in a separate saucepan first.

This will help reduce the sauce so that it truly becomes a glaze.

Add the orange juice, orange zest, honey, soy sauce, and thyme to a small saucepan over medium to medium-low heat.

Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will reduce a bit and thicken up.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the glaze cool.

Once the glaze is cool, we can use it to glaze the salmon.

Grilling Cedar Plank Salmon

Once the cedar planks are soaked and the glaze is prepared and beginning to cool, we can start grilling.

For this recipe, I’m using a large cedar plank. It’s perfect for grilling a whole side of salmon.

I recommend cooking the entire piece of salmon together, laid out on the cedar plank. But you can also slice the salmon into individual portions before placing it on the plank.

You’ll want to preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

When the grill is ready, lay the salmon on the cedar plank. In my experience, the planks will tend to have one rough and one smooth side.

Cover the salmon with the cedar plank and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes per side.

Now serve it up with an orange wedge and some of the following sides for a complete meal:

• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Simple Parmesan Risotto
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Pan-Glazed Carrots

The cedar plank will give the salmon a beautiful smoky flavor. And since the cedar plank is soaked, the salmon will absorb the wood’s smoky flavor without burning up.

Once the salmon is done cooking, remove the cedar plank from the grill and let the salmon rest for about 5 minutes. Once it has rested, you can slice and serve it. Note that cedar planks are one-time use for cooking. So, toss them out when you’ve finished cooking.

You can make salmon just as delicious at home as you would have at your favorite restaurant. It’s so easy and it works. Now I’m hooked. I’ve had a lot of fun trying new salmon recipes. Enjoy this simple recipe for cedar plank salmon with honey orange glaze.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try out this cedar plank salmon along with the glaze. Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Cedar Plank Salmon with Honey Orange Glaze

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Soaking Time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

40

minutes

Simple salmon that’s sweet and smoky, this cedar plank salmon with honey orange glaze is sure to impress

Ingredients

• 1 large cedar plank (about 15 by 5 inches)

• 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1/2 tablespoon orange zest

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

• 2 pounds salmon fillet, skin removed

• 1 orange, sliced

Directions

• Soak the cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour
• While the cedar plank is soaking, add the orange juice, honey, soy sauce, orange zest, and thyme to a small saucepan
• Place the saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and bring it to a boil, stirring frequently
• Turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the glaze cool
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat
• When the cedar plank is done soaking, remove it from the water and pat it dry with a towel
• Place the salmon fillet on the smooth side of the cedar plank and brush it with the cooled glaze
• Put the cedar plank and salmon on the grill and let it cook with the lid closed for 13 to 15 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through and the edges have begun to brown
• Remove the salmon and plank from the grill, let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice the salmon into individual servings and plate it with an orange wedge for squeezing on top

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The post Cedar Plank Salmon with Honey Orange Glaze appeared first on Do You Roux?.