All our products
are naturally smoked using
local oak. There are no dyes or additives
in any of our products. We do not use saltpetre
(E251 & E252) commonly found in
commercially cured products. Should customers
prefer a reddish colouration to their meat
products (which is largely what saltpetre does)
we can substitute it for Vitamin C in the form of
ascorbic acid. A much healthier alternative.

Following the brining/curing process which includes salt,
and if required, sugar, herbs, spices, wine, beer or cider
we generally dry the products before smoking.
Salt forms one half of the smoking process, the actual
smoke being the other. Smoking, in essence, is a form
of preservation against harmful bacteria due to the
chemical changes that take place within the flesh as a result of
brining/curing and the effect of wood smoke on the salted flesh.

There are two types of smoking: cold smoking is the
true smoking at temperatures ranging from 50 and 85 degrees F,
ideally 75 - 80 degrees F. It is during this process that food is
changed both in colour and flavour. Having been cold
smoked some foods are then hot smoked at temperatures between
180 - 250 degrees F to enable them to be eaten without further
preparation. This final, hot smoking is usually a short process
compared to the long hours, or even days, of cold smoking.
If no cold smoking time has been given to food first, it would be
more accurate to describe it as barbecued. Most bacteria will
be destroyed at 194 degrees F, but to ensure total
destruction they must be subject to a
temperature of 250 degrees F.
Approx. 121 degrees C.