In the Smoker
It is our pièce de résistance. Whether it is meat, chicken or delicacies as venison go in the wood burning smoker Ole Hickory Pits (the only one in the whole Kent!) for hours using a secret combination of carefully selected woods until they are moist, flavourful and butter soft. Virtually anything can be smoked. Vegetables and fruit are unbelievably tasty and a smashing success!
Ole Hickory are the most popular pits in American BBQ restaurants, using modern technology to achieve old-fashioned barbecue. The depth of flavour and penetration of smoke through the meat is unsurpassed producing succulent and full-of-flavour smoked foods.
On the BBQ
Cooking well over fire takes some serious skills, it is all about mastering the perfect balance between heat and cooking duration. Quickly over moderate to high direct heat for most of steaks or slowly over indirect low heat for chicken and pork. A gorgeous flavour from the smoke of top quality English charcoal seals the meat and encases the most amazing juice and tenderness inside.
Marinate, Rub, Brine
This is where the inspiration from USA meets the English passion for barbecue. Infinite list of spices come together to rub, marinate, brine or glaze the meat until we achieve richer flavours. It’s an artisan process that fills the kitchen with the tantalising aroma of authentic American barbecue.
Texture & flavour
Rib, brisket, shoulder, cheek, steak, filet, leg, rump – it’s a mouth-watering list of different cuts each with its own quality and texture that calls for different cooking techniques, from slow and gentle cooking to a fast flash over direct heat. The increase to the flavour complexity is mesmerising!
Getting the Sides Right
A barbecue it not complete without the perfect harmony of the sides, nibbles and sauces flavours. Zingy crunchy slaw, comforting mac n’ cheese, hand-cut chips, chorizo sausages, fruity chicken wings, homemade ketchup and barbecue sauces! Prepare yourselves for a tasty sensation!
Aging
All fresh beef is aged for at least 3 weeks and up to 8 weeks to allow enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue resulting in improved texture and flavour complexity. Our chefs are pushing the boundaries by hanging meat for periods up to 90 days, the resulting steaks are sen-sa-tio-nal!
Wood
Choosing wood is key part for smoking food. Fruit woods like apple, peach, cherry and pear are subtle enough for poultry, fish and sometimes pork. In the middle of the spectrum are hickory, maple, pecan and oak, which are great with pork and strong enough to stand up to beef and game meats. Mesquite, the strongest of all, is to be used like you’d use chilli peppers.