Cold smoking

Our traditional brick kilns are used for all of our cold-smoking.  The purpose here is not to cook the fish or meat, but to gently remove moisture – the original intention being to preserve fresh food – and add flavour.

As the old proverb goes, there’s no smoke without fire, and we burn oak shavings which are sourced locally. The smoke rises up through the kiln by natural convection, rather than being pumped in, (so it’s gentler on tender products like trout and salmon). Unlike modern kilns, which recirculate the smoke, our traditional design draws a constant stream of fresh smoke over the food, creating a taste that’s cleaner, fresher and more authentic.

Smoking times vary according to the season. Salmon emerges firm, easy to slice and with a rich yet delicate flavour. Venison, on the other hand, stays in for longer, in which time it takes on the dry texture and deep, complex flavour you’d associate with an air-dried ham.