- July 17, 2020
- Appetizers
How To Make Herb Smoked Marcona Almonds
Learn how to smoke nuts on the big green egg! Take delicious Spanish style almonds and infuse herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano and sea salt and serve them warm as the perfect snack or charcuterie pairing.
This recipe was created in partnership with Big Green Egg. All opinions are my own.
Have you ever had a smoked nuts? Have you ever had a marcona almond? Both are an incredible way to add life to basic snack or keto chex style trail mix. I already have this delicious Asian inspired BBQ nut mix, but I really wanted to try my hand at a Trader Joe’s copycat marcona almond recipe too.
The little store bought TJ’s brand version comes in a 6 oz bag. They have a delicious truffle flavored mix (super rich) and a rosemary version as well. While I love the ease and convenience of the store bought bags, the $7 price tag is a little steep. Plus, who doesn’t love the addition of a little smoke flavor too?
While it is possible to make this in your oven at home and skip the smoke step, I am going to focus on walking you through how I did this at home on my Big Green Egg. Get all the details below and read through to learn more about marcona style almonds and get some great tips and techniques as well.
“School” Supplies:
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Baking Sheet or Large Foil Pan
- Oven Mitts
“Class” Notes:
What is a marcona almond?
A marcona almond is also commonly called, the “Queen” of almonds. It’s imported from Spain and can sometimes be a little harder to find in regular stores (Costco and Sprouts grocery stores sell them in bulk).
I prefer a marcona almond over regular almonds because they are slightly softer in texture and a little creamier too. Some people even describe them as being a sweeter almond in comparison to the standard ones we regularly enjoy.
Are they keto?
Yes! About 1/4 a cup or 26 almonds shows to be around 2 net carbs in my calorie tracker (My Fitness Pal). They are a great source of healthy fats and protein too. I love pairing these with a larger charcuterie platter and a yummy keto whiskey cocktail for a great shareable appetizer or snack too.
How to prep, smoke, and make your herb infused almonds:
If you have ever made a candied nut (think those delicious cinnamon sugar mixture one’s you get at the fair) then you know that regardless of whatever flavor profile you add egg white is an essential component to getting the seasoning to stick!
I prep the almonds and place them in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and water together to create your binder/ glue for your herbs. Pour this mixture over the nuts and fold it in and toss to coat completely. Then mix in your dried herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and a little extra sea salt if the nuts need it!
Place the nuts in a pan in one single layer. They should be spread out enough that they can cook on indirect heat at 225 F on your smoker (preheat the oven to the same temperature if baking). I used milder wood chips (pecan or alder work great) to not overpower the mixture with smoke.
Smoke your nuts until they are lightly golden brown, stir every 15 minutes or so for up to 1 hour to help move them around on the pan and evenly cook on the grill. Remove them when the mixture is lightly golden and smoke infused and serve them warm.
Store the cooled nuts for later in an air tight container or jar. Mine last for a fairly long time, especially if I use dried herbs. Feel free to play around with other flavor profiles like roasted garlic, sugar cinnamon, vanilla, or even coffee/ cocoa powder mixed nuts too! The possibilities are endless.
Looking for some other unique BBQ smoked recipes? Try these:
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Herb Smoked Marcona Almonds
Ingredients
- 4 cups Marcona Almonds raw
- 1 tbsp. Sea Salt
- 2 tbsp. Dried Rosemary
- 2 tbsp. Dried Thyme
- 2 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
- 1 Egg White
- 1 tbsp. Water
Instructions
- In a bowl, beat the egg white and water together and set it aside.
- Add the marcona almonds and all the dried herbs and sea salt to a separate bowl. Add the egg white mixture and thoroughly combine so everything is nicely coated.
- Preheat your grill to 225 F and set it for indirect heat (baking instructions in the notes below).
- Place the nuts on a baking sheet or foil pan in a single layer. Place them on the grill and smoke them for an hour, but stirring them every 15 minutes. Remove when they are golden brown and the herbs are coating the nuts.
- Serve warm if desired but cool before storing. Store in an air tight container or jar.