Originally posted: 12/01/2000
Last updated: 01/08/2008

Salted Smoked Almonds

It doesn't get much simpler than this recipe for salted almonds. You can personalize this recipe by adding your favorite spices to the almonds after smoking. Good bets include granulated garlic, onion powder, or cayenne.

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 325°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood--I used apple--and soak them for an hour before smoking (optional).

In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter or oil with almonds and mix thoroughly to coat. Pour the nuts onto a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan, spreading into a single layer. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 300-325°F for 20-25 minutes, stirring several times to ensure even smoking. Remove from the cooker. As the nuts are cooling, sprinkle fine-grain table salt to taste over the nuts. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Jalapeno Smoked Almonds

Give this recipe a try, even if you're not fond of spicy foods--they're delicious and not really that hot. Great as a party snack along with your guests' favorite libations! From the Almond Board of California.

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 325°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood--I used apple.

In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and all the seasonings, stirring until well mixed. Add almonds and stir thoroughly to coat.

Pour the nuts onto a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan, spreading into a single layer. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 300-325°F for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the almonds are light golden brown. Be careful to not overcook. Remove from the cooker and allow the nuts to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts

From Martha Stewart Living.

These nuts taste sweet at first, but after a few seconds the heat begins to kick in. It's a really interesting flavor combination that will keep your friends and family coming back for more!

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 300°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood--I used apple.

In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and all the seasonings. Make sure that any lumps of cayenne or cinnamon are broken down and stirred into the mix. The end result is a thick, sticky seasoning mixture. Add nuts and stir thoroughly to coat.

Butter the surface of a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan, then spoon the nut mixture onto the pan and spread into a single layer. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 300°F for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan 2-3 times during cooking to sort of stir things up. The seasoning mixture will melt and thicken as the nuts are smoked.

Remove from the cooker and let nuts cool on the pan for 15-20 minutes. You can speed the cooling process by putting the pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Break the nuts apart and serve them on a plate, as they may tend to stick together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Hot Pepper Sesame Peanuts

From the San Jose Mercury News Food Section.

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 250°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except salt and stir thoroughly to coat.

Spray a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place nuts in pan, spreading into a single layer. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 250°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the cooker, sprinkle with kosher salt, and allow the nuts to cool for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container. Serve with sake, or use in sesame noodles or shredded salads.

Curry Almonds

From the Almond Board of California.

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 350°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood.

Combine seasonings in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine nuts and oil, stirring thoroughly to coat.

Arrange nuts in a single layer on a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from the cooker and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture, then cool. Store in an airtight container.

Almond "Croutons"

From the Almond Board of California.

Fire-up the Weber Bullet to 350°F. Put the water pan in place to protect the nuts from the direct fire, but leave the pan empty. Select two large chunks of a mild smoke wood.

In a mixing bowl, combine nuts and oil. Stir thoroughly to coat.

Arrange nuts in a single layer on a disposable 12" round foil pizza pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Place the pan on the top grate of the WSM and immediately add the smoke wood to the coals.

Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown, stirring once. Remove from the cooker and cool. Store in an airtight container. Serve as a topping on salads or steamed vegetables.

Closing Thoughts...

Here are a few things I learned while preparing some of these nut recipes:

• If you eat these nuts while they're hot (especially the almonds), you'll notice they're kind of soft, but they'll get more crunchy as they cool.
• Inexpensive 12" round foil pizza pans work well for smoking nuts. They fit nicely on the cooking grate, they allow plenty of room so that two cups of nuts can be stirred without losing any into the fire, they keep the nuts from cooking too quickly, and they are disposable. You'll find these pans in the baking aisle at the grocery store.
• Don't go overboard on the amount of charcoal you use. You only need enough fuel to maintain 250-350° for about an hour. Using too much charcoal is a waste and will make it harder to control the cooker temperature, since there's no water in the water pan.
• Keep a close eye on the cooker temperature and the nuts themselves. Nuts are easily overcooked if you're not careful.