Arbroath smokies

[jenny_haddow]

Has anyone attempted Arbroath smokies or smoked haddock? I'm reading up on it, but input is always more valuable.

Cheers

Jen

[royt]

As the saying go's Jen "Great minds think alike!" I have just been reading the chapter on how to produce Arbroath Smokies in Keith Erlandson's book "Home Smoking and Curing"
I am sure it wouldn't be to difficult to produce acceptable results although the only draw back I see is getting hold of small whole haddocks. I suppose you could use whiting instead which is more readily available.
The process would be very much like producing smoked mackeral(as on a previous thread) with some adjustments to brining times and smoking times.

I think its worth giving it a go as see what happens.


Roy

[saucisson]

Local food heroes on UKtvfood had Iain Spink on the other day, very interesting:

http://www.arbroathsmokies.net/

[saucisson]

Video clip here:

Slow connection:

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=Lo

Hi speed connection:

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=Hi

Dave

[jenny_haddow]

Thanks for these Dave. I shall have to investigate finding whole haddock.

Jen

[dougal]

Mr Spink's method is rather simpler than Mr Edmondson's, but possibly more difficult!

I couldn't work out from the glimpses on the video what it was that the barrel was lined with.
There's a link http://www.arbroathsmokies.net/ to Spink's site.

The process is described on the "What is a smokie?" page.

The barrel is set into soil, and part lined with slate. What looks like a pretty good fire is lit, the fish are placed and the barrel covered with several layers of damp hessian.
Seems like the "control" is in the time of salting and drying, plus the number and wetness of the blankets...
Anyway the smoking time is only about 30/40 minutes...
I reckon he's getting quite high heat AND humidity.

[saucisson]

I got the impression that only the base of the barrel is lined with slate, to protect it from the worst of the heat, the rest is allowed to char and eventually recycled as firewood for later smoking sessions (I guess he has a plentiful supply of barrels ) Does that fit in with what you gleaned Dougal?

Dave

Edit:

I just saw the clip in the finals on UKTVfood on a 42" screen so got a decent view of it. Dougal, you are quite right, the slates also line the sides of the barrel, about half way up to the level of the fire. looks like a pretty healthy fire when he covers it with the hessian

[dougal]

Dave, I paused and rewound the clip (from the link you posted) a few times to try and see wtf he was up to.
It looks as though he has a pile of earth (with barrel, slates, etc) in some sort of a timber "sandpit" behind his market stall. I doubt this is as easily mobile as his insulated-looking trailer...

I have to admit that I am confused by the various Spinks, and the EU PGI status.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2004/03/5295
Where we learn that RR Spink are targeting the market of "multiple retailers" (ie supermarkets?).
Although from http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/magazin ... 1312422006 we learn that they also sell wholesale to the "world's finest shops".
They have Royal Warrents and a long history
http://eatscotland.visitscotland.com/wh ... 35/316581/
http://www.rrspink.com/
And the minister also made a point of visiting AA Spink, who have a couple of shops locally.
But it seems that Iain R Spink in the video (despite his logo on the trailer being blurred for broadcast at the start of the clip) is another different, new, independent, and very small business.
On http://www.arbroathsmokie.net he reveals that he is part of the RR Spink family, but doing his own thing. Mobile smoking at "events". All over Scotland (blowing the PGI status!)
Isn't that Jamie sitting on the timber sandpit? http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_smokies.shtml

And then we have these guys
http://arbroath-smokie.co.uk/catalog/smokie.php
using "any hardwood" in brick 'barrels'...


Shouldn't the "traditional method" be closely defined for PGI purposes?
But for sure its dense smoke, hot smoke, and for up to an hour and a half.
I think that Iain R Spink's protestation that the Smokie is 'mildly' smoked is probably about distinguishing his product (smoked less than 40 minutes) from the more heavily smoked products that others produce.

[saucisson]

Dave, I paused and rewound the clip (from the link you posted) a few times to try and see what he was up to.
It looks as though he has a pile of earth (with barrel, slates, etc) in some sort of a timber "sandpit" behind his market stall.

Yes, that's what it looked like to me.

Dave

I'm not sure I follow the rest of your post?

[Spuddy]

Isn't that Jamie sitting on the timber sandpit? http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_smokies.shtml

James Martin I'd say.

[saucisson]

Agreed