Salmon by an open fire: cooking on a wooden board

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Salmon cooked beside a fire needs little: fish, wood, salt and time. We regularly prepare it at Mökki Tikka’s outdoor fire area overlooking the lake. The crackling fire and the smell of the fish are part of the meal.

What you need

• 1 side of fresh salmon with skin, about 600–800 g.
• Coarse salt and a little pepper.
• Birch firewood.
• A lohilauta, a wooden salmon board with suitable fasteners. A cooking grate is an alternative.
• A suitable fire area and steady embers, when fires are permitted.

Using a salmon board

1. Clean the skin side and season the flesh with coarse salt and a little pepper.
2. Secure the salmon skin-side against the board without crushing it.
3. Position the board at an angle beside the fire, roughly 40–50 cm from the embers.
4. Cook slowly. Depending on thickness and heat, allow about 45–60 minutes and check that it is cooked through. The flesh should separate easily with a fork.

Steady heat and patience matter more than speed. The distance and cooking time need adjusting to the actual fire.

What to serve with it

Boiled potatoes in their skins, rye bread and herb quark are simple accompaniments. Bread and a cold drink can be enough too.

For guests at Mökki Tikka

We are happy to show you how to set up the board and manage the fire. You can also ask a local supplier about fresh salmon. If you prepare your own catch, adapt the cooking to the type and size of fish.

For us, the pleasure includes the waiting: sitting outside, watching the fire and making a meal together.