An Easy Add-On Smoke

Cashews are an easy way to get more out of a smoker that’s already running — a quick add-on after a bigger cook, not necessarily its own dedicated session.

The Recipe

Cashews, tossed with a small amount of olive oil as a binder, then seasoned heavily with garlic powder onion powder and paprika, stirred until every piece is coated.

The Process

I use a slotted pan on the smoker, running at 225°F with hickory wood chunks. Ninety minutes total, stirred every 30 minutes to keep them from burning on the bottom of the pan.

Let Them Cool First

Here’s the one thing worth knowing: cashews straight off the smoker don’t taste right. Let them cool completely before sampling — the flavor settles once they’re no longer warm, and it’s worth the wait.

Once cooled, they go back into the container they came in for storage. For me personally they will most likely be broken down into smaller portions and vacuum sealed for long term storage.

Prefer almonds? I use a different combination for those — cherry wood with cinnamon and a little chipotle for a sweet-heat version. See my Cherry-Smoked Cinnamon Almonds

For the full process, including how I run multiple batches of cashews and almonds in the same smoking session, see The Complete Guide to Smoking Nuts