How Smoke Found The Lost Kitchen

Holy Smoke.

The Lost Kitchen, December 2020

This black monster was the brainchild of Kieren—my friend and beer brewer. Originally built as a party piece to cook a whole pig, it was only used a couple of times before being left to the elements. I, George, discovered it later, half-buried in weeds in a field, and dragged it back to The Lost Kitchen, where it very nearly became part of the landscaping again. Thankfully, it got a proper cleanup and found new life out on the terrace.

While it’s not a true offset smoker—some flame does pass from the firebox to the cooking chamber—it’s still an incredibly effective bit of kit. Especially when paired with a temperature probe, which helps keep the air temp steady and lets you monitor the core cooking temperature with precision.

Over the years, I’ve explored many different smoking styles, but hot smoking remains one of the most fascinating. It’s a method that offers a delicate touch and quick results. My first experiment was with hot-smoked trout, which only takes about 20 minutes and delivers incredible flavour.

One of the more unexpected successes was smoked cream. It adds a brilliant twist when stirred into leek and potato soup—definitely worth trying!

These days, the team regularly uses the smoker across various menus, from fish to meat dishes. It’s become a bit of a secret weapon in the kitchen.

— George