Another Shot at Almonds

[WALLE]

Hey Smoke-Heads!

Went through the last batch of smoked almonds like shat through a goose... so I'm doing another batch.

Following some advice I've got form the forum, so here's what I'm doing:
Soaking overnight in a smoked salt brine - 1/4 cup smoked salt with 2 C water.
Plan on tossing these in Rib Rub in the morning, and then Roasting at 225 for an hour over hickory.
From past experience, almonds definitely benefit from roasting vs. cold smoking.
I'll let you all know if the over night brine was too much...


Tracey

[ALX]

Looking good....Surely keep us posted....

[Zeeker]

Great start WALLE. Keep us posted...

[Bassman]

That's something else I haven't smoked yet. I'm interested in seeing how this turns out. So many things to smoke, so little time.

[WALLE]

That's something else I haven't smoked yet. I'm interested in seeing how this turns out. So many things to smoke, so little time.

You got that right, Pard!
After brining overnight, I tossed the almonds in about 2T of rib rub and tossed them in the smoker.









WALLE Update
So here's my update on my insulation job - Day one: Almonds
Shot before I got started - those purdy little sparkldy things... that's frost!


Built my fire and here's a shot of it after it had burnt down and was up to temp ~ 30 minutes.




If you look close, you can where it is defrosting around the front where I had the door cracked while the fire was burning down, but basically still covered with frost at 225* internally. Damn this superwool is good stuff!

Thanks for checking out my post - I'll share finished pictures of the almonds when their finished!
Tracey

[richoso1]

They even taste better after a couple of days in the fridge, much like smoking cheese. I've even had them in the smoker for 2 hrs. at 225° and they were great.

[SMOKE FREAK]

Overnight brine is how I do mine. I throw in a couple of dried hot peppers into the brine to spice them up a bit.

I got 4# of raw almonds just waiting for me to get off my lazy butt and smoke them...hmmmm...

[WALLE]

They even taste better after a couple of days in the fridge, much like smoking cheese. I've even had them in the smoker for 2 hrs. at 225° and they were great.

Right on! Thanks, Richo - if there are any left, I'll try that!
Roast/Smoking is definitely the way to go. My first batch was just cold smoked and they don't even compare. So's who ever out there made that suggestion - thanks.

Overnight brine is how I do mine. I throw in a couple of dried hot peppers into the brine to spice them up a bit.

I got 4# of raw almonds just waiting for me to get off my lazy butt and smoke them...hmmmm...

Now we're talk'en! I may have to try that on my next batch.

These turned out really good. Kinda that whole three-some effect of smoke/salt/sweet/spice... guess that's a FOUR-SOME!



Thanks for all the ideas, these are great.
Tracey

[curious aardvark]

looks good.
And I know they taste good :-)

But I can't imagine why anyone would cold smoke nuts
Not seen it round here - must have been one of them other forums

I'm going to do some pecans tonight.
After doing all the soaking stuff a few times, I've come to the conclusion that:
1) nuts do not actually absorb liquid, so what's the point of soaking them. What actually happens is they go into the smoker wet and as the liquid dries out it deposits salt - and whatever other seasonings the brine contained - on the nuts surface.
2) wet nuts are harder to gauge when done than dry nuts and I tend to over cook them.

So now i smoke em dry and unseasoned and then lightly dust with very finely ground seasonings afterwards . result - much tastier nuts, and I use/throw away a lot less seasoning.

[SmokinLee]

My wife gets the Taste of Home magazine. There was a recipe in the last issue for oven roasted almonds. One of the ingredients was Egg White, I think it may be a good idea for smokin them. I like to bring mine up to boil in the brine and then let cool and dry before smoke. But I think the next time I am gonna give the egg white a try.

[WALLE]

You'll have to let me know how that turns out. I'll try anything once!

[Fishawn]

I love smoked almonds & yours look & sound fantastic Tracey..... I am not trying to take credit for this, or hi-jack this thread, but may have a tip that almond smokers may find helpful? I read somewhere, & was going to try it next time I smoked almonds, somebody (Maybe even you CA?) took there "rib rub" or maybe it was Kosher Salt & ran it through their spice or coffee grinder, so whatever they were seasoning the almonds with had a much finer consistency & stuck better to the almonds... Just a thought out loud...

[moselle]

1) nuts do not actually absorb liquid, so what's the point of soaking them. What actually happens is they go into the smoker wet and as the liquid dries out it deposits salt - and whatever other seasonings the brine contained - on the nuts surface.
2) wet nuts are harder to gauge when done than dry nuts and I tend to over cook them.
.

All grains, nuts, seeds and legumes have phytic acid in the outer or bran layer, as well as enzyme inhibitors to prevent them from sprouting. Soaking removes both of these. Also it makes the nut, grain, legume, more diegestable by removing the enzyme inhibitors. Also from a health stand point I want to absorb enzymes, not inhibit them so I soak nuts. I also think soaking removes the bitterness of some nuts, probably the phytic acid.
I disagree that wet nuts are harder to gauge when done. I do them low and slow and have no problem.
My

[curious aardvark]

fair enough - that's just what I've found.

I won't be soaking my nuts in future (lmao - anyone think of a non-suggestive way to say this )
I definitely get a richer roast flavour and a much more pronounced and smoother smokey flavour by smoking the nuts dry and 'naked' and then just dusting with salt or seasonings afterward.
Also no black useless ones where the water has evaporated unevenly.

Yep it was me who blitzed the salt fishawn :-)

I use about 2 tsp seasalt ground to a fine powder for about 2 lb's of nuts.

Also from a health stand point I want to absorb enzymes, not inhibit them so I soak nuts.

Digest maybe - you certainly don't want to absorb plant enzymes ;-)
And from what you say the enzymes only inhibit the nuts from sprouting. once they hit your saliva and digestive acids they'll cease to have any impact - and people arn't actual nuts - so they would not have had an effect even if they weren't destroyed by your bodys digestive process.

All of which is irrelevant. I've smoked nuts both ways and dry with sesonings added afterwards, tastes and cooks much better FOR ME :-)

[WALLE]

I love smoked almonds & yours look & sound fantastic Tracey..... I am not trying to take credit for this, or hi-jack this thread, but may have a tip that almond smokers may find helpful? I read somewhere, & was going to try it next time I smoked almonds, somebody (Maybe even you CA?) took there "rib rub" or maybe it was Kosher Salt & ran it through their spice or coffee grinder, so whatever they were seasoning the almonds with had a much finer consistency & stuck better to the almonds... Just a thought out loud...

Fish - not at all! I appreciate other folk's processes and ways. I think you are right - it would stick better, so thanks for reviving CA's process.

That's why they make ketchup and mustard (and pickles/relish/kraut...)
It all can go on a hotdog..right!

CA or Fish - either of you do any with Cinnamon and sugar? I've bought those and love them, just seems like a hell of a mess! Not sure about smoking (or soaking ) these either.

Let me know.