About Arbroath Smokies

"I taste the mild, reassuring woodfire chimney taste of them, the elemental comfort of the hearthside. I enjoy the way the cured flesh parts from the bone in opal white, waxy fillets and feel a jolt of realisation that I'm tasting a world class delicacy like caviar, buffalo mozzarella or the hams made from acorn fed pigs on the iberian peninsula"
Rick Stein on the Arbroath Smokie, as published in his book the Seafood Lovers Guide, 2000

The Arbroath Smokie is a Haddock caught in the north sea. It is gutted and the head is removed. The Haddock is then salted for 1/2 an hour before being tied in pairs and hung on rods to dry (right). Once dry, they are smoked over beach or oak hard wood for 1/2 an hour.

As the Haddock is hot smoked over hardwood chips the the coppery gold Arbroath Smokie is ready to eat, unlike cold smoked fish which requires further cooking.