I used my B.S. for the first time today, smoking some pork butt. I had some raw almonds and pecans around, so decided to try smoking the nuts, too. I tossed them in a little canola oil and salt and put them about two layers deep on a foil pan I'd punched a bunch of holes in.
Smoked for ~2 hours at 200 with Hickory. Came out very well I think. The almonds are brilliant, but the pecans might be a little overdone.
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Tried doing them a different way this weekend. Instead of oil and salt, I soaked the raw nuts in a very strong salt water solution for an hour. Then I drained (but didn't rinse) them and smoked them for 2 hrs at ~200. The water did a good job of keeping them from burning or drying out--the color was hardly changed from raw. Also, the salt seemed to get inside the nuts better.
All-in-all, I think this is a better method than oiling them.
Jon,
Thanks for the tip....It's funny how food brings back memories...I have not had smoked almonds in years but it brings back fond memories of my mother making them around christmas time. I dont have my smoker yet but am logging ideas.....I read somewhere that somebody used cheesecloth on the rack instead of an aluminum pan...so I guess my question is did you get emough of the smoke flavor by putting holes in the pan??? if so it seems the easier way to go....
Yesterday I tried smoking almonds, but do to a wind storm my power was knocked out for 21 hours. The problem is that the power went off halfway through the cooking process, though the amount of smoke time (1 hour 20 minutes) almost completed, except for one puck. I couldn't finish them off in the oven, though I have a gas oven, it has an electric pilot light, so it won't work when the power if off. A little while ago I tried to finish them off in my Weber gas grill. That was my first mistake. My second mistake was being distracted when the power came back on. As you can guess, most of the nuts got burnt. Those that weren't burnt taste pretty good. Good enough for me to try again. After I get the results of my next batch I will post the recipes I used.
Is it necessary to add oil before smoking almonds?
gotbbq (http://www.dow-mgc.org/smilies/Launch137.gif)
I first soak my almonds(2 cups)in tepid water for 10 minutes then drain. Mix almonds with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste and plenty of your favorite rub. I really like a spicy rub and usually use Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom. The wife like the Raging River. Place almonds(or pecans, don't soak the pecans)on rack with foil that has small holes in it. I can find grill foil during the spring and summer by reynolds wrap that works perfect. It has prepunched holes in it. Anyway smoke for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hrs with apple wood @ 200°. Try a batch for 1 1/2 hrs first then increase time to your taste. The almonds won't become crunchy again until the next day. Just air dry them or put then in a cold oven overnight. Made about 10 lbs of pecans and almonds for Christmas presents. They were all well recieved. Have fun.
Jeff
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Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.