Used on the Chesapeake Bay for centuries, kippering is a method of salt curing and smoking seafood. We use it to fully cook our fish over low heat and hardwood smoke. The result is a flavorful ingredient with a clean finish and firm texture.
Kippering is a traditional method of smoking fish. Unlike cold-smoking, which imparts flavor but leaves the fish raw, kippering often uses low heat over time to fully cook the fish while infusing it with hardwood smoke. The process begins with a light cure to draw out moisture and prepare the fillet for smoking.
By all measures, kippering was likely introduced to the region by English colonists in the 1600s. Originally used on herring and shad, the technique was adapted over time to suit local hardwoods and the region’s catch. Smoking was a practical solution—extending the shelf life of fish and improving transport in the days before refrigeration.
We apply a light cure then smoke our fish slowly over hardwood. The fish is hot-smoked—fully cooked, not just flavored. Temperature, airflow, and timing are critical. The result is a flavorful ingredient with a clean finish and firm texture.
It’s not cold-smoked. It’s not raw. And it’s not shelf stable. Kippered fish is fully cooked and cured, but still perishable and must be refrigerated or frozen.
