Smoked Spicy Bourbon-Maple Almonds
There's a bit of sweetness from maple syrup, but I wouldn't say these are sweet, really. So, if that's what you're after, a couple tablespoons of brown sugar would be perfect. And if you're not a fan of spicy, by all means, skip the cayenne.
There's a bit of sweetness from maple syrup, but I wouldn't say these are sweet, really. So, if that's what you're after, a couple tablespoons of brown sugar would be perfect. And if you're not a fan of spicy, by all means, skip the cayenne.
- Carbohydrate 13.243085093195 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 19.1632973078376 g
- Fiber 3.97193373028461 g
- Protein 8.31669549816903 g
- Saturated Fat 1.4758890160841 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (49g)
- Sodium 12.1094261342092 mg
- Sugar 9.27115136291037 g
- Trans Fat 0.907361809941665 g
- Calories 253 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine everything but the almonds in a small bowl.
- Pour mixture over almonds in a nonreactive container (plastic bowl, or a plastic Ziploc bag would be super), cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight for the ultimate flavor.
- Prepare smoker for a 3 hour smoke with your favorite smoking chips.
Raw almonds lack the aromatic complexity achieved when wood smoke meets high-fat kernel surfaces. Historically, the practice of smoking nuts originated as a method of preservation before modern refrigeration, though contemporary smoking serves strictly to impart sensory depth. Combining bourbon and maple syrup creates a liquid medium where alcohol acts as a solvent, carrying fat-soluble congeners from the spirit directly into the nut's porous outer skin. Maintaining the smoker at a stable low temperature ensures the maple sugars caramelize without burning into acrid carbon. Refrigerating the almonds in the marinade for at least three hours allows osmotic pressure to draw moisture inward while distributing the cayenne pepper evenly across the lipid-rich exterior. Hardwoods like hickory or pecan provide robust phenols that bond effectively with the natural oils of the nuts during the three-hour smoke duration. Once removed from the smoker, allowing the almonds to cool completely at room temperature hardens the sugar coating into a crisp shell. Storing these nuts in an airtight glass container preserves their crunch for up to two weeks by preventing ambient humidity from softening the brittle glaze.
