Pumpkin seeds

[Malc]

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?

[Stickbowcrafter]

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.





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:



-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

Next, I placed them into a 65 degree smoker and cold smoked them for 2 hours with hickory smoke.



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



-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

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.



-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

This is the same recipe/process I use on raw almonds. Here's some finished seeds and almonds:



-Brian

[Mr Walleye]

Nicely done Brian!

8)  8)  8)

And the pumkins too!

Mike

[iceman]

Looks great and is a definate must do for me. Thanks for sharing.  :)

[Wildcat]

Now that is a WOW factor.  Nicely done.

[Malc]

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.

[Stickbowcrafter]

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

[La Quinta]

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?

[Tiny Tim]

One easy way to find out... ;D  How ya doin' LQ?

[La Quinta]

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!!! :) :)

[Gizmo]

I have done the pistachios and they turned out great.

[Stickbowcrafter]

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