smoked almonds and olives and uses for plum wood

ranger ray

can you guys give some advice on smoking almonds and olives...i saw a post yesterday from boccie who said plum smoked almonds are one of his favorites...i have plum tree that needs cutting down...any other suggestions for smoking with plum wood....thanks! i love this forum...learning new things everyday...

WooDoggies

ranger ray,[p]I've been using plum wood on pork and chicken with good results......... a light smoking seems to be all you need.
Last summer the Dizzy Pig team used plum for smoking a roll of sausage which later pulled in a ribbon for that entry...... so it seems to work alright.[p]Hey, I'm down to my last from a tree that I cut down a few years ago....... and, you know, you will probably end up with more wood than you can ever use in that cooker of yours........... :~)
Matter of fact, with the 60 mph wind gusts we're getting here right now, you may not have to pull out that chainsaw.[p]John[p]

Boccie

<p />ranger ray,[p]I have been playing with different ways to roast the almonds for a short time now. I think I have my prefered method down now.[p]I use a veggie pan that has sides (same one in the image with the ABT's). I cover the bottom of the pan with foil not to allow direct burning of the almonds through the holes.[p]Coat 2 cups raw almonds with olive oil (about 2 tbs)
Salt heavily. Salt everytime I stir. Salt after removing them. Most all the salt just falls off once they cool off well and sit awhile, so I try and salt them thoroughly. I like a little salt, not much... but havent figured a way to get a little salt to stay on them. Soaking in a brine is an idea but soaking removes the light brown husk, and I decided not to try that yet.[p]Get BGE at 325 deg stable. Add a small amount of plum wood. Once the smoke is going well set the pan on the lower rack (no need for a raised grid).[p]Cook for 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes and ensure the almonds are kept a single layer. If they start looking too dark sooner pull them off. These things get darker after being removed from the grill... getting them done without burning is just a rule of thumb.[p]After removing I get them off the hot pan and into a bowl for cooling. They will stiffen and crack as they cool. Right after cooling when they have gotten crunchy, but still have a slight warmth to them is the absolute best time to enjoy some. The "window" of opportunity you could say LOL.[p]Almonds have become a constant snack for me. They are the healthiest nuts with low fat and what they do have is mostly the good kind. (1/4 cup = 9 fat.. only 1 is saturated).[p]Let us know how it goes![p]Boccie