Cajun Smoked Nuts

Cajun Smoked Nuts are good to eat by themselves, but they are better used as a garnish or topping for many smoked dishes.

Yield: 1 pound per type of nut

Ingredients

Nuts

• 1 pound fresh shelled pecan halves
• 1 pound slivered almonds
• 1 pound mixed nuts

Seasonings (choice of)

• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic and/or 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Nuts

1. Heat smoker to 125 degrees F. Evenly spread the nuts on 3 small sheet pans. (Keep the different types of nuts separate.)
2. After 20 minutes of smoking use a spatula to turn nuts over. Move sheet pans to insure even smoking. Check nuts after 10 minutes for even smoking. Nuts should have a mild smoky flavor, crisp but not dried out, and a light tanned color. Modify smoking times for personal tastes.

Seasonings

1. Place nuts in a brown paper bag and add your choice of seasonings. Shake well to ensure even coating.
2. Smoke nuts as described above.

Notes

The smoking of nuts along with other meats and seafood is recommended to save wood and time. Care should be taken to insure that meat drippings do not mix with nuts. Also smoking times will vary with temperature and smoker load.

For best results, store nuts in an airtight container.

Wood Selection: Pecan or chef's choice