Now, I know everybody around here knows me as the Ribman, but I love cooking, and eating lots of different foods. I decided to add some fish to the mix with this recipe. This Cedar Plank Grilled Catfish dish will be easy to make, perfectly seasoned, moist, and even healthy!

Cedar Plank Catfish Recipe Using the PK Grill | Heath Riles BBQ

I love a simple, tasty recipe, and I love fish. So, it makes sense that this recipe would appeal to me. With just 5 ingredients, this fish will be a delicious stray from my usual beef and pork dishes. 

The Ingredients

Cedar planks. No, I’m not going to eat them. But they’re necessary for the grilling process. 

Olive oil. The planks need a bit of moisture in addition to the water they soak in. Olive oil is the perfect choice. 

Catfish fillets. With its mild, sweet flavor, catfish is good whether it’s grilled, baked, or fried. 

Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. Garlic butter with a touch of my Garlic Jalapeño Rub…it’s mouthwatering wherever it goes. 

Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub. Yep, you heard me right. I made it for chicken, but it has great herbs to use on fish, too.

The Equipment Setup

I used the PK 360 Grill preheated to about 400 degrees to cook this simple fish recipe. 

The Process for Making Cedar Plank Grilled Catfish

I shot the step-by-step process for making this recipe, which you can watch on my Youtube channel. Let’s get started!

1. Soak the planks. I put my wood planks in a sink-full of water and let them soak for about an hour and a half. I recommend soaking them for at least an hour, so they don’t burn too much on the grill.
2. Preheat the grill. I set my grill to 400 degrees F to heat while I got my fish ready.
3. Oil the planks. A few drizzles of olive oil on the top surface of the cedar planks kept the catfish from sticking.
4. Season the fish. I unpackaged 4 catfish fillets and laid them out on the planks. I drizzled the top with some olive oil and rubbed it in, then followed it up with a light layer of my Garlic Butter Rub and topped them off with my Chicken Rub. Then I flipped the fillets over and did the same thing on the backside.
5. Let them rest. I wanted the olive oil, herbs, and spices to mesh together and soak into the fish, so I let them set for a few minutes.
6. Put the catfish on the grill. The cedar planks went directly on the grates. Since there’s not much room between the heat source and the grate on the PK 360, I stayed close by while my fish cooked to keep it from burning. I shut the lid and let it go for about 10 minutes.
7. Check the fish, and pull it off the heat. I checked it at the 10 minute point and let the catfish grill for another 5 minutes. I want it to start flaking up before I remove it. Sure enough, at the 15-minute mark, it looked ready. To be sure, I used my Thermapen to check the temp. It was clocking in at 145 degrees F, which means the fish is done. I removed the planks with tongs, laying them on a large aluminum pan. 

The Results

Unbelievable! This catfish was flaky, the garlic and other herbs and spices add a whole other level of flavor and the char on the wood planks gave it a smoky char. This is a light, delicious meal that only takes 5 ingredients and under an hour to make. 

Serving Suggestions for Cedar Plank Grilled Catfish

One fillet per person is perfect with rice and green beans or asparagus. 

Storing Leftovers

Place the catfish in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

Equipment and Tools

PK 360 Grill, Royal Oak Charcoal, Black Gloves , Thermapen One, Cedar Planks , Olive Oil Dispenser, Metal tongs, Aluminum pan