Hot-smoked Irish eel (Anguilla anguilla) from Weald Smokery — wild-caught in Lough Neagh, filleted by hand, and smoked whole over an oak log fire. This is a product with a character quite unlike any other smoked fish: rich, succulent, and naturally sweet, with a gentle smokiness that sits behind the eel's own deep, savoury flavour rather than in front of it. The flesh is dense and meaty but yields easily, flaking into clean, glossy pieces with a bronze-gold exterior. The eels are sourced from Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland — the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles and home to Europe's largest remaining wild eel fishery. Lough Neagh eels are wild fish that feed on the lake's natural substrates. The fishery operates under strict legislative controls and sustainability regulations to protect eel populations. The clean, cold waters of the lake produce eels with an exceptionally clean flavour and firm texture. Weald Smokery is one of the last traditional smokehouses in the UK still using real oak log fires — no gas, no liquid smoke, no shortcuts. Each eel is hot-smoked whole, which keeps the flesh moist and allows the smoke to penetrate evenly, then carefully filleted by hand once cooked. The result is a gentle, authentic smokiness with real depth — the kind of flavour that only genuine wood smoking over hours can produce. This is a 2 Star Great Taste Award winner (2025). Smoked eel is one of the great underappreciated British food traditions. It was once a staple of the London diet and remains a prized ingredient in professional kitchens across northern Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, Germany, and Scandinavia. If you have never tried it, this is an excellent place to start. Producer: Weald Smokery, Flimwell, East Sussex Ingredients: European eel (Anguilla anguilla) (fish), salt [verify any additional ingredients from label] Storage: Refrigerate at 0–4°C. Once opened, consume within 3 days. Net: 90g Allergens: Fish (eel)
