Everything You Need To Know…

• What type of fish are Arbroath Smokies made from?

  Authentic ‘Arbroath Smokies’ can only be made from haddock.

• What is the difference between an 'Arbroath Smokie' and a kipper?

  An ‘Arbroath Smokie’ is a hot-smoked haddock, whereas a kipper is a cold-smoked herring. The hot-smoking process cooks and smokes the fish at the same time. The cooking/smoking time is approximately 40 - 60 minutes, after which time the fish is ready to eat. Cold-smoking takes place usually overnight, after which time the fish is only flavoured with the smoke, and the fish requires further cooking before consumption.

• What type of wood do you use?

  Virtually any hardwood can be used, but each ‘Arbroath Smokie’ maker has his own preferred hardwood. My personal preference is an oak/beech mixture, which I find gives a pleasant, subtle smokey flavour.

• How long do they take to cook?

  As stated above, approximately 40 - 60 minutes. However, there are many variables which may affect the cooking time, such as humidity, wind, size of fish, dryness of the wood, to name but a few.

• How long will they keep? Can they be frozen?

  After getting them fresh from the barrel, they can be kept refrigerated for up to 7 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 3 months if packed and stored properly.

• What's the best way to pack them for storage in the freezer?

  The Smokies need to be tightly wrapped; squeeze out as much air as possible to help prevent freezer burn. Ideal packaging is a plastic freezer bag - make sure that they are tightly sealed, and label with date of freezing. Ideally freeze on day of purchase; the sooner they are frozen, the better the condition of the food when thawed. When required for use, remove packaging and thaw overnight in the fridge..

• How do I cook them? Can they be reheated?

  A Smokie can be eaten cold, or reheated in the microwave for a couple of minutes. For more information and ideas, please refer to the Recipes page.

Did You Know?

EC ‘Protected Geographical Status’ means only haddock smoked using traditional methods within a five-mile radius of Arbroath can use the name ‘Arbroath Smokie.’

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