Smoked almonds would have to be one of my favorite snacks, and while there are many good options available with lots of different flavors ranging from simple sea salt to spicy habanero, they tend to be pricey. Frequently one of our local markets runs sales on bulk raw almonds which usually I purchase to add to my yogurt and fruit for breakfast, but the recent sale got me to thinking. Since I have an electric smoker instead of paying six dollars for a twelve ounce bag of nuts I could buy a pound for about half the price and make my own. I don’t know why this had never occurred to me before, but there you have it. I never realized how easy and fun it would be to make my own snack choosing which flavor of wood to use and which spices to add.
Begin by soaking the raw almonds in a salt water brine overnight. I have experimented with the length of time and find that around 12 hours seems to do the trick. I have let them go as long as 24 hours and notice the skins of the nuts can begin to break down. I pulverize the salt in my spice grinder which insures it completely dissolves in the water, this step makes it easy however probably not necessary, just make sure the salt is dissolved. Use a glass or plastic container for the brine as salt water can damage metal pans and also release compounds into the water.
At the end of the brining time, drain the nuts and spread them out to dry on a towel to dry while you heat up your smoker. I like to use hickory for the almonds, but you can experiment with some different woods to customize your treats. What ever wood you choose just be sure to give it plenty of time to get burning before loading the almonds. I have a wire mesh vegetable basket which I find works extremely well for this application, however you could also wrap one your smokers shelves with foil and poke some holes through it.
Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in the microwave and add the salt and whatever spices you have decided to use. Toss the nuts in the butter to make sure they are evenly coated before placing them in your smoker. About two hours time seems to work about right for the nuts that are brined twelve hours. Open the box and stir the nuts about half-way through the smoking time to make sure they get toasted evenly.
At the end of the smoking time spread the nuts out on a sheet pan to cool. Once they have cooled give them a taste to see if they have enough crunch. If you have brined the almonds a longer time they may not be a crisp as you like. This is easily remedied by placing them in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The almonds will crisp up as they cool so keep that in mind, over-roasting will give you a bitter flavor and dry out the nuts. Store the cooled nuts in a plastic storage container or a glass jar. The nuts will take on an even smokier flavor after being sealed in a container for 24 hours.
I ‘finish’ my almonds by pulverizing a teaspoon of salt in my grinder then shaking them in it. I like the subtle flavor this brings and also the coating it gives the nuts. For a bit of added zip I add a small amount of garlic or chili powder to the salt for the dusting. It is fun to experiment with making this treat since you can flavor it anyway you like. For a sweet nut you could use sugar and cinnamon, or I think curry and cumin would be very tasty as well.
Cashews and pecans also smoke very well, just follow the same basic outline. Smoked nuts also make a great addition to holiday gift baskets. There are many attractive options available for packaging candies and nuts, and people always really seem to appreciate gifts made with love.
Spicy smoked almonds are a favorite snack and easy to make in your electric smoker. Customize your flavors to you personal taste. Make pounds of smoked nuts at a fraction of the store price. Great gift idea too!
- 2 quarts filtered water
- 2 tablespoons salt ground or pulverised
- 1 pound raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
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Pour filtered water into a non-reactive bowl. Grind or pulverize the salt and add to the water and stir to completely dissolve. Add the almonds and allow to brine for at least 12 hours or up to 24.
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Drain the almonds and spread them on a towel to dry while heating the smoker.
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Heat smoker to 250 degrees F. Add hickory chips to your smoker.
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Melt butter in the microwave and stir in salt and spices. Pour over dry almonds and stir well to coat.
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Place almonds in a wire vegetable basket, grilling mat or on a foil lined sheet pan. Smoke for about 2 hours stirring half-way through.
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If almonds are not crisp enough for your personal taste, bake on a sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
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Allow almonds to cool to room temperature before serving. Store in an air tight container.
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Grind 1 teaspoon of salt to a fine powder. Add to container of nuts and shake to coat.
The almonds will have more of a smokey flavor after being in a sealed container for 24 hours.
If almonds are not as crisp as you like spread on a sheet pan and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
