Our Process
In principle, what we do is very simple, involving only three elements: fish + salt + oak smoke. However, in order to produce the best, there is so much more than meets the eye that we passionately care about and love.
Our Fish
We select only the very best sustainably sourced, high welfare RSPCA Scottish salmon that comes from incredibly passionate producers who have been awarded PGI status for their quality. The fish are lean and reared in the cold fresh coastal waters off the West Coast of Scotland with strong tidal flow that encourages them to keep swimming in the current - not only resulting in firmer flesh, but also keeping them fit and healthy.
All our haddock and herring are caught in UK waters. These fish are wild so they come in all shapes and sizes. If the weather prevents the fishermen from sailing out to sea to catch them, then we can't produce.
Hand Filleting
We carefully hand fillet each fish, one by one. The art and skill of filleting is simply magical to witness. No machines are used, with maximum yield from each stroke.
Dry Salt Cure
Salt has been used since ancient times as a primary ingredient in preserving all types of food. As well as delivering exceptional purity, using only dry salt helps us enhance the beautiful natural flavours of our fish. We hand cure, spreading the salt over each fish. We do not add any sugar or nitrates. No fishy business here folks. Any sweetness is due to the exceptional sashimi-grade salmon, the freshness & quality of our fish.
Smouldering Oak Smoke
We use oak sawdust to produce a light and delicate smoke as it never overpowers the natural flavour of our fish. It's a beautiful marriage between oak and fish. We only use wood from traceable, sustainable sources. At Secret Smokehouse, we only 'cold smoke' our fish. We're not reinventing the wheel, we're just doing one thing well, creating what is the very best. Just ask our Michelin Star chefs and incredibly loyal repeat customers.
Hand Pin-Boned
We use our hands and a pair of tweezers to pluck out the individual 32 pin-bones that run along each fillet. This is done with extreme care so as not to damage the delicate flesh.
Packed on Site
Each slice of fish is carefully handled and placed one by one on a gold board that we pack and label. We put a short shelf life on our products so you eat them at their best. We're only interested in producing the finest we can and we're only as good as our last smoke.
Delivered by Zero Emission All-Electric Van
We care about our footprint and are striving to do what we can for future generations. We deliver all our smoked fish to London-only restaurants and retail suppliers using our Nissan ENV-200 zero emission all-electric van.
Packaging
For those who order online for home delivery, we pack using WoolCool packaging. Made of sheeps wool, it is fully compostable and recyclable. It's also been rigorously tested to meet industry standards to maintain temperature so your order arrives in perfect condition.
Behind the scenes we're also working with our partners to come up with a solution for our vac-packs. Food safety is paramount so until there is a recyclable material produced that can vac we will keep pushing.
Price
We don't cut corners. We don't produce average. If you compare us with supermarket smoked fish we appear to be expensive on the face of it, BUT we go to sleep at night knowing we are honest, we produce the best and we love what we do. Before you judge us on price, consider our process, quality and ethos. Taste what we make, appreciate the complexity and the lengths we go to to produce the best; we hope it will change your perception of how smoked fish should taste. OR just ask any of our customers.
In addition to that, you're not putting money into a huge cooperate or a CEO's pocket; you're supporting a business that employs nine people and their families who love what they do.