Spicy, sweet and salty, with some crunch! This smoked snack mix brings a bit of all the flavors you love to really wow your pallet. Be cautious—this tasty snack is so addicting it’s scary!
YIELD: 16 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 3 HOURS
1 lb (454 g) each of four different nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, pecans and peanuts
2 lb (907 g) sesame sticks
½ cup (120 ml) honey
1 cup (230 g) butter
2–4 tbsp (28–55 g) dark brown sugar
4 tbsp (29 g) paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (16 g) chili powder
2 tbsp (8 g) red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
4 tbsp (72 g) coarse sea salt, divided
Oak, hickory, apple or cherry smoke wood
Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Mix the nuts together with the sesame sticks, and then separate into two half pans.
In a saucepan, add the honey, butter, brown sugar, paprika, cinnamon, chili powder, pepper flakes and a teaspoon of salt. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the butter melts and the ingredients combine.
Once combined, taste and add more pepper flakes if needed. Divide the blended mixture over the nut mixture in the two pans, and mix well. When well combined, place the half pans into the smoker, preheated to 240°F (116°C). Add your preference of smoke wood, such as oak, hickory, apple or cherry.
During the smoking process, stir the contents of each pan about every 40 minutes. Smoke for 2 to 3 hours, until the mixture starts drying. Remove the pans from the smoker and sprinkle the remaining sea salt over the mixture. Stir occasionally while the mixture cools. If it’s sticky after cooling, you can sprinkle a small amount of confectioners’ sugar over the mixture, but don’t use too much.