BBQ Flavored Mesquite Smoked Almonds

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noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
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SMF Premier Member
Sep 7, 2013
10,245
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Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento
I live in the almond capital of the world, home of Blue Diamond Almonds.  We can get all their flavored almonds for basically the same price that I pay for raw bulk almonds at the grocery store.  Still, I had to try and smoke my own.

I had some BBQ Flavored Seasoning (Ol' Western Barbeque Spice) I wasn't using.  Decided to use it on raw almonds and smoke them after I took some candied Wild Coho and Wild Sockeye salmon fillets off the smoker.  As long as the smoker was fired up, might as well use it.  I had the smoker loaded with KBB and mesquite chunks.

I soaked the almonds in water for exactly 10 minutes.  Drained them in a colander.  Put 3 Tbs of the BBQ seasoning, 2 Tbs of Worcestershire Sauce, and 1 tsp habanero sauce in a large bowl.  Stirred it up and added 1 pound of almonds.  Stirred that until the almonds were well coated, poured them on an aluminum grate, spread them out, then threw them on the smoker at 250F for 45 minutes. 

Definitely flavorful!  Some are nice and crispy, some a little soft.  Probably could have smoked them for another 15 minutes.  Not bad for a first attempt though.  I can see how smoking your own almonds and nuts can be addictive.  I'm already thinking about all the possibilities.  After a smoke it takes no time at all to throw some nuts on the hot n' ready smoker.  Prep is minimal. 



 
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Tasty looking almonds. We smoke up a bunch every year for the holidays. They don't last long!
My wife makes breads for Christmas gifts every year for co-workers and neighbors.  Guess who just got tasked to add smoked nuts to their baskets.  At least I have a couple of months to perfect my recipes. 
 
My wife makes breads for Christmas gifts every year for co-workers and neighbors.  Guess who just got tasked to add smoked nuts to their baskets.  At least I have a couple of months to perfect my recipes. 

Yeah my wife makes scones for our holiday gift baskets. I supply the smoked nuts, cheese and salmon. One year I added Bears skinless pepperoni. Give this recipe a try it's one of the tastiest smoked nut recipes on this forum and what is requested the most at our house:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/96021/spicy-and-sweet-smoked-nuts
 
 
It looks like you already have it perfected.

Happy smoken.

David
Thanks David.  I was going for a BBQ Potato Chip kind of flavor and that's just what I got.  It just needs a little sugar, very little, to give it some snap. 
Yeah my wife makes scones for our holiday gift baskets. I supply the smoked nuts, cheese and salmon. One year I added Bears skinless pepperoni. Give this recipe a try it's one of the tastiest smoked nut recipes on this forum and what is requested the most at our house:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/96021/spicy-and-sweet-smoked-nuts
Oh I am so making those!!!  Thanks for the link DS.  Wow.

Have a great Labor Day all,

Ray 
 
Good idea for Christmas gifts, thanks , Noboundries.
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 At least I have a couple of months to perfect my recipes. 
I increased the smoker temperature to 300F, used Blue Diamond Raw Almonds, added 1 1/2 tsp sugar to the recipe, and smoked for exactly 30 minutes.  Huge improvement in flavor and crispness.  Using the Blue Diamond Raw Almonds instead of bulk almonds gave me a package I can re-use and take to work. 

I also made Tequila Lime almonds using a different off the shelf rub.  I experimented a little too much and about 3/4 of the recipe, though flavorful and delicious, came out black.  I'll run another batch soon with the fixes and post those pics. 


 
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Nice, I just did a bag. I used 3 tbspn Worcestershire, 2 tspn cayenne pepper sauce, and 3 tbspn of Jeff's rub. Smoked for 90 minutes at 250 with Apple pucks. No pics because it is dark out, did it as the inaugural smoke on my clearance 2 rack bradley.
 
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Nice, I just did a bag. I used 3 tbspn Worcestershire, 2 tspn cayenne pepper sauce, and 3 tbspn of Jeff's rub. Smoked for 90 minutes at 250 with Apple pucks. No pics because it is dark out, did it as the inaugural smoke on my clearance 2 rack bradley.
Ooooh, nice. 

This nut smoking is definitely obsessive.  Talk about a creative way to use favorite rubs and sauces, or even less than favorite ones too that have been taking up space in the cabinet and refrigerator.  All you need is a little rub, liquid, hot sauce, and sugar to make a paste.  Salt too if the rub is not salt based.  My creative recipe juices are flowing.  Even my blackened mistake "don't serve to anybody" Chili Lime Tequila almonds were a hit.  I figured out the tequila flamed in the smoker and that's what blackened them.  This weekend I'm smoking more BBQ flavored almonds, a batch of corrected Chili Lime Tequila almonds, plus a first attempt at Chinese Wasabi Mustard almonds and Thai Sweet Chili almonds.       

Oh, from SWMBO, and I'm now the "we're going to visit ya ya next weekend so smoke some almonds" gift guy.  I'm not complaining.  This is fun! 
 
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almonds look real tasty

but im looking at the smoker tray they're in did you make it not

where can i get one

my wife saw the almonds and ask me to do some for her (just her)
 
Picked up the trays on Amazon. I think they were called disposable aluminum grill toppers. 3 for $10. I've washed and reused them several times. They hold just over a pound of raw almonds each. Be sure to spray them with oil before each use. I'm at work now and will check my Amazon file when I get home for the exact details.

They are called "Oscarware 3-Pak Disposable Grill Topper." Current price is $11.53. I paid $10.07 on 8/22.
 
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thanks fot your quick reply

as you posted you got them from amazon

i went there and found Oscarware 3-Pack Disposable Grill Topper, 16 by 12-Inch

again thanks very much
 
I smoked 3 lbs of the BBQ Almond recipe recently and took them this past weekend to a large gathering of friends and future family.  There were probably 30 people at the gathering.  All 3 lbs disappeared and folks were hunting me down wanting to know how I did them.  They were a hit. 

I put the recipe in my cookbook software.  Here it is:

BBQ Flavored Mesquite or Hickory Smoked Almonds

Ingredients

3 Tbs Carl's Ol Western BBQ Spice or any BBQ seasoning including Jeff's Rub
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar, brown or white.
1 tsp any hot red pepper sauce
16 oz raw almonds

Directions

1. Preheat smoker to 300°F using a strong wood like hickory or mesquite, but any wood will work.

2. Soak the almonds in plain cold water for exactly 10 minutes.

3. Mix all coating ingredients in a large bowl.  It will make a kind of a paste.

4. Drain the soaked almonds in a colander, then add to the bowl with the ingredients.  Stir repeatedly until the clumps of the paste have broken up and completely coated the wet almonds.

5. Place the nuts on an oiled grill topper and smoke for 30-60 minutes.  Nuts should be slightly crunchy.  Remove from the smoker to cool and harden thoroughly for about 2 hours.

Servings: 16
 
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