- christmas website orders recommended to be placed by 18 december 2025
- Dear Customers Good News All purchase prices include delivery. no additional delivery charged at checkout
Smith’s Smokery is based in Lincolnshire, surrounded by agricultural land and the waterways that flow into the Wash and the Humber. This area has a long connection with fishing, and our family has been catching eels here for generations.
Our fishing heritage dates back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Our great-great-grandfather and grandfather caught shrimps, cockles, fish and eels during the summer months. In winter, they also worked on the Friskney mudflats, catching ducks and geese using traditional flight-netting methods.
Fishing has always been an important part of our family’s history, and these early experiences helped shape the business we run today.
I began trapping eels in 1975, following my earlier experiences of catching them with a rod and line during my youth. At that time, eels were sold live, and Billingsgate Market in London was an important destination for our catches.
My first visits were to the old Billingsgate Market near Tower Bridge, which has since closed. Later, I continued delivering eels to the new Billingsgate Market at Canary Wharf.
These years gave us valuable experience in eel fishing and the trade surrounding this traditional food.
Around 1990, I made my first delivery of eels to Holland in a small lorry. While delivering to Dutch smokehouses, we had the opportunity to observe traditional eel-smoking techniques first-hand.
During this period, my son Chris joined me in the business. In 2001, we decided to put the knowledge and experience we had gained from Dutch smokehouses into practice and establish Smith’s Smokery.
Although we continue to supply live eels to Holland, we have gradually increased our own smoked eel production as interest in traditionally smoked eel has grown.
Today, our history in eel fishing and our experience of traditional smoking remain at the heart of Smith’s Smokery.
At Smith’s Smokery, we use traditional smoking kilns brought over from Holland. Our fish and other products are smoked over open fires using logs and sawdust, following methods that reflect our long-standing connection with traditional smokehouses.
We use beech wood for our eels and oak for other products. The choice of wood helps develop the distinctive flavour associated with our traditionally smoked foods.
Our brines contain a little salt without added flavourings or preservatives. This straightforward approach allows the natural flavour of the smoked fish and meats to come through.
From traditionally smoked eel to smoked salmon and other fish varieties, our aim is to offer products that reflect the character of traditional smoking and the experience we have built over the years.
Over the years, Smith’s Smokery has expanded its range, mainly in response to customer requests. This has allowed us to offer a wider selection of products and appeal to more people who enjoy traditional smoked food.
We also attend farmers’ markets across the East Midlands, where we can introduce our products to customers and share our experience of traditional smoking.
Whether you are looking for traditionally smoked eel or exploring other smoked fish varieties, we invite you to discover the range available from Smith’s Smokery.
Eel conservation and the long-term health of eel populations are important considerations for the industry. In the past, we have maintained that our catches have remained relatively consistent and that our sourcing practices provide a sustainable supply.
However, eel populations are subject to conservation concerns, so sustainability claims should be considered alongside current scientific evidence and applicable regulations. We recognise the importance of responsible sourcing and the need to protect eel populations for the future.
From our family’s fishing heritage in Lincolnshire to our experience of Dutch smoking techniques, Smith’s Smokery has grown from generations of practical knowledge and a commitment to traditional methods.
Since establishing the smokery in 2001, we have continued to develop our range while maintaining our connection to eel fishing and traditionally smoked foods.
If you would like to learn more about Smith’s Smokery or enquire about our products, please contact us at sales@smithssmokery.co.uk.
We look forward to sharing our story and our traditionally smoked products with you.