Sweet almonds & spicy cashews

[wutang]

I smoked some almonds and cashews this weekend. I prepared the almonds the same way I usually do. After roasting in the smoker a while, I lightly coated with honey and dusted with brown sugar. For the cashews I coated in Frank's Red Hot sauce and dusted with cayenne.

Just after coating/seasoning


Then put back in the smoker so the sugars could melt and hot sauce could dry a little.


The spicy cashews were great!! About as hot as the average buffalo wings. A bowl of those and a cold beer was perfect for watching a little playoff football.

 

[scarbelly]

Hey Wu - as someone that smokes a fair amount of nuts those look great

 

[morkdach]

wow good job that would go great in a chex mix

 

[ismoke]

This looks awesome...thinking of doing the cashews for the Super Bowl - how long did you smoke them for? What type of wood?

 

[gene111]

Looks good! What temp did u smoke them at?

 

[wutang]

I smoked them for about 45 minutes dry to roast them, then added the sauce/seasonings and smoked for about another 20 minutes. I used apple & pecan wood if I remember right (that is about all I use). The only change I would make if I do the cashew again would be slightly less hot sauce. Not because of heat, but because they were still a little "wet" when done.

Temps were around 230-250.

 

[beer-b-q]

Those sure look good...

 

[ismoke]

I'm having trouble finding raw cashews, but found some roasted, unsalted ones...think those would work? Sorry, just trying to figure everything out and get prepared for Sunday!

 

[wutang]

I think those would work great. In fact I think the ones I used were already roasted.

 

[3montes]

How is that? I have never done nuts of any type but I love alomonds and cashews. What ratios did you use for quanity of nuts to honey or hot sauce used?

 

[wutang]

I have done the almonds several times and love them. Basically I put them on a tray in the smoker for about 45 minutes to "toast" them. Then I bring them in, put them in a bowl and drizzle a little honey on and stir until coated. Then I add about a handfull of brown sugar and stir again. I use just enough honey & sugar to LIGHTLY coat, too much will burn. Then I put them back on the tray and in the smoker for about another 20 minutes so the sugars can melt. I don't have specific measurements cause I have always just eyeballed it. My advice is use a little less than you think you should and stir then see if they are coated.

This was my first try at the spicy cashews. I follow the same procedure and cook times but instead of honey/brown sugar I used hot sauce/cayenne pepper. Next time I would use a little less hot sauce, the cashews were still a little "wet" when done.

 

[jak757]

Wow...awesome looking nuts. That just got added to my list. Thanks for the post!!

 

[violator]

Another GREAT idea. Man, this place is very informative. I can't wait to try these out now too.
If they are HALF as tasty as they look they will be AWESOME.
Thank you.