Anybody ever try smoking pumpkin seeds? Would you handle the same way you smoke nuts? Also, they are raw, so do you think the Bradley would get hot enough to toast them properly, or would you finish in the oven? Any thoughts?
I carved two pumpkins with our daughters this year and we love pumpkin seeds. I did a batch of pumpkin seeds and almonds the day before Halloween.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin5.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin6.jpg)
First, I set up a container with warm water and salt to put the seeds into as we removed them from the pumpkin. I rinsed and strained all the unwanted stuff from the seeds. I dried them on paper towels, don't let them sit on paper towels for too long or they'll stick and you'll end up with paper on your seeds. Next I lined the Bradley racks with aluminum foil and poked tons of tiny holes with a corn holder. Then I dumped the seeds onto the racks.
Pumpkin seeds in the front of the photo, raw almonds in the back:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin.jpg)
-Brian
Next, I placed them into a 65 degree smoker and cold smoked them for 2 hours with hickory smoke.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin2.jpg)
Here's my cold smoking set up, plywood box underneath with the smoke generator removed and attached on the wood box (see the bisquette loader sticking up on the left part of the picture). A metal pipe connects the wood smoke box to the Bradley and allows the cold smoke to flow while the heat dissipates in the box. You can read more about it here:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5264.0 (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5264.0)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/thuringer4.jpg)
-Brian
Out of the smoker after a 2 hour cold smoke and into a bowl with:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely ground kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
The recipe I have calls for placing the dry ingredients in a spice or coffee mill and grind them as fine as possile to make them adhere better to the nuts. I used an electric coffee bean grinder which worked well to powderize the dry ingredients. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the oil and spices in a bowl and toss with the seeds to coat. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring several times. Continue checking for desired texture, pumpkin seeds can go from spongy to burnt real fast. Remove from oven, taste and add additional salt/seasoning if needed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin3.jpg)
-Brian
This is the same recipe/process I use on raw almonds. Here's some finished seeds and almonds:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin4.jpg)
-Brian
Nicely done Brian!
8) 8) 8)
And the pumkins too!
Mike
Looks great and is a definate must do for me. Thanks for sharing. :)
Now that is a WOW factor. Nicely done.
Sounds good. Thanks. One question. The seeds I have are shelled. I actually bought them at a local store, raw and shelled. Anything you might change considering they have no shells. I am thinking there is probably no need to soak them in the salt water.
Since they are raw and shelled, just start them at the cold smoking process and go from there. I only use the salt water to soak the wet, slimy seeds with shells fresh out of the pumpkin.
-Brian
So while we're in nut land...We had some friends bring us out some roasted/salted pistacios. (Sorry if I spelt that wrong!!!) Anyway, will a roasted/salted nut take up smoke or no?
One easy way to find out... ;D How ya doin' LQ?
I'm good Tiny (thanks for asking!!!)...I guess I gotta go smoke some pistacios? (Still don't know if I'm spelling that right!!!) I guess I could go look at the bag....but the beer is in that fridge...oh...what the hell...I'll go look!!! :) :)
I have done the pistachios and they turned out great.
I always use raw nuts when I smoke them. I'm not sure how roasted ones will react to smoke. I would have to think like cooked meat, roasted nuts would probably not pick up as much smoke as you would like. But hey, that's just a theory, no reason not to try it.
-Brian
I would have to agree with you Stickman...I'm gonna try it anyway! You know what? Nothing vertured...nothing gained!!!
I generally smoke raw almonds, the roast them, but I have smoked roasted almond and they turn out fine. I'm not sure if there is any smoke penetration with either raw or roasted, but the smoke adheres to the surface well.
I have done roasted, salted pistaccios many times. They are great and one of the most requested items I smoke. Cold smoke them, and you will not be disappointed.
Thanks Malc...cold smoking is a wee challenging where I live just yet...but I'm going to try it!!
Go for it LQ, it will turn out fine.
Quote from: La Quinta on December 03, 2007, 03:13:22 PM
Thanks Malc...cold smoking is a wee challenging where I live just yet...but I'm going to try it!!
I have done them in the summer with no cold smoke "setup" to speak of. Here is what I do. I put the nuts on the top rack with the vent all the way open. I try to keep the temp as low as possible, under 100 if I can. I will also prop the door open a bit to let even more heat out. You could also try putting a bowl of ice in there to cool it. I have done that too. You just want to make sure you don't re-roast the nuts. Other than that you should be fine.
Brian,
Is there anything you haven't smoked?...LOL
Malc,
What kind of wood do you use on your pistachios?
Bryan
I have tried Apple and Hickory. I like them both, but I prefer the heavier smoke of hickory on pistaccios.
Hey...thanks Malc (and Giz) the pistachious came out awesome!!! Nice and smokey and just plain ole good!!! I did them yesterday, wrapped them up in foil and threw them into the fridge overnight!!! I was eating them about 9am this morning!!! (But...I'm a bit odd!!!) :)
I bring them to work all the time. You want to see a funny sight? Watch a bunch of teachers smelling their hands all day. Glad everything worked out. ;D
Hey Malc...I just received a "big ole" can of roasted/salted peanuts from a friend...done those before?
I have never done peanuts. I have been reading a few of the posts about nuts, and was thinking about buying one of those cans of mixed nuts to smoke just to see which smokes up the best
Begolf, I'm a rookie compared to a lot of the guys here but I have smoked my share of stuff over the years. Still have a TON of stuff to try!!! That's half the fun of it ;D
-Brian
I tried the pumpkin seeds according to the above recipe except that mine were raw and shelled. They turned out great. The only thing I changed was the salt water soak, which I omitted. Not very smoky, but a little hint. Not bad at all.
I love the Citrus Pistachio's that's on the recipe site. But I also have experimented with Almonds, Pecans and Walnuts. The Almonds and Pecans I do about the same way. Turbinado Sugar and Coarse salt on washed nuts. These are already roasted nuts. The wet nuts hold the sugar and salt well. Then warm smoked for an hour or two.
Does not leave the oder on the hands as much, no shell but tastes great.
I use Maple on the nuts, I tried others but Maple was the most frequent repeat.
Quote from: Stickbowcrafter on November 28, 2007, 10:55:06 AM
Out of the smoker after a 2 hour cold smoke and into a bowl with:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely ground kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/pumpkin3.jpg)
-Brian
wAS THAT ENOUGH SPICE MIX FOR ALL FOUR TRAYS OF NUTS?