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There’s a dinner move I’ve been perfecting lately: put something delicious on the grill, pour a glass of rosé, and do absolutely nothing for the next 10 minutes while dinner takes care of itself. Cedar plank halibut is that dinner.
We’ve definitely entered our grilling era lately—partly because the weather’s been beautiful and we’ve been spending every possible evening outside, and partly because I’ve been obsessed with planning our outdoor kitchen at the beach house. We’re building something that feels like it will change how we cook and entertain as a family, and all that planning has me thinking about the kind of food I want to make out there. Dishes that feel seasonal and special, but don’t require me to be tethered to the stove. Meals that look (and taste!) impressive but are mostly just good ingredients doing their thing. Case in point: this grilled halibut, cooked simply on a cedar plank.
What Makes Cedar Plank-Grilled Halibut So Good
Here’s the thing about cedar plank cooking: it sounds more technical than it is. Soak a plank, heat your grill, and let the fish cook on the wood while the lid stays closed. What you get is a subtle smokiness that infuses the fish from underneath—not overwhelming, but present—plus fish that stays impossibly tender because the plank acts like a buffer between the direct heat and your halibut. No flipping, no risk of the fish falling through the grates. It’s a technique that does a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
The Salsa Verde That Brings It All Together
This salsa verde is one of those things I’ve started making in big batches and putting on everything. When friends taste it, their eyes get big, and they’re like—what is this magic? Parsley, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, capers, lemon juice, and a good amount of olive oil. Pulse it all together, and what comes out is this punchy, herby, slightly briny sauce that elevates whatever it touches.
I’ve drizzled it over roasted vegetables, stirred it into grain bowls, and spooned it over a fried egg. On this halibut, it’s especially good because the richness of the fish and the smoke of the cedar need something bright and assertive to balance them out. This salsa verde does exactly that.
Why Cara Cara Oranges Work So Well Here
The cara cara oranges are the finishing touch that pulls the whole thing together. I’ve been loving cara caras lately (we’re also planning a citrus grove for the beach house, so orange and lemon recipes have been very much on the brain). They’re sweeter and less acidic than a regular navel, with this gorgeous blush-pink flesh, and when you tuck segments around the fish right before serving, it adds a sweetness that you’d otherwise need a whole separate sauce to achieve. It’s one of those combinations that sounds a little unexpected and then makes complete sense the moment it’s on your fork.
How to Make Grilled Halibut (Tips Before You Start)
The full method is in the recipe card below, but a few things worth knowing before you start:
- Give the cedar plank a solid hour-plus soak in water—longer is fine, shorter is not. This is the step people skip and then wonder why their plank caught fire. (Truly: plan ahead on this one.)
- Let the fish come to room temp for 15-20 minutes before it goes on the grill. Season it generously. Halibut is mild, which is what makes it great, but it needs salt to really come alive.
- Once it’s assembled on a platter—fish, salsa dripping down the sides, orange segments tucked around, torn herbs, flaky salt—it genuinely looks like something you’d order at a nice restaurant. Which is the whole point. A simple green salad on the side and you’re done.
This one is already on my list for one of the first dinners I’ll make in our outdoor kitchen, and I have a feeling it’s going to become a summer regular.
A Few Notes Before You Make It
If you can’t find cara cara oranges, blood oranges are stunning here, and navel oranges work too. You’ll lose a little of the color drama, but the flavor combination is still really good. The salsa verde keeps in the fridge for a few days and gets better as it sits, so make extra. And if grilling isn’t an option, you can absolutely roast the halibut in a 400°F oven—the salsa does so much of the work that the dish holds up either way.
I’d love to hear from you guys if you try this one!
Description
This is one of those meals that feels impressive but is almost entirely hands-off. Smoky cedar, bright herby salsa, sweet citrus—it looks like a restaurant dish and tastes even better.
For the halibut:
- 4 (5-6 ounce) halibut filets, skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the salsa verde:
- 1 cup packed parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded or not, roughly chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For serving:
- 2 cara cara oranges, segmented into supremes
- Flaky salt
- Extra herbs (mint, cilantro, or parsley), torn
You’ll also need:
- 1 cedar plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
- Soak your cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour. Preheat your grill to medium heat.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the parsley, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, garlic, capers, and lemon juice. Pulse until finely chopped, then stream in the olive oil until loose and spoonable. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste. You want it bright, herby, and a little punchy.
- Pat the halibut dry and let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the soaked plank directly on the grill grates and close the lid for 2 minutes, until it just starts to smoke. Arrange the halibut on the plank, close the lid, and cook for 10–12 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. No flipping needed.
- Transfer the halibut to a serving platter. Spoon the salsa verde generously over the top, tuck the cara cara orange segments around the fish, and finish with torn herbs and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 12
Keywords: grilled halibut
