Roasted pecans are a favorite treat all over the country, in all types of weather and in every situation that you might find yourself. They are very nutritious, as a snack all by themselves, one you can easily carry while out on your run, or that brisk walk you favor, or in your favorite recipe. Whether it is the entree for a special occasion when you have many people coming, or in that dessert which you are making for the end of the meal,when the family and friends are gathering for that special time. Whatever the occasion, roasted pecans will add the needed touch you were looking for. A great source for great quality pecans can be found at tannerspecan.com.
There are many different ways to have them roasted, depending what you want the end result to be and what it should taste like or what recipe which they will be included in. You could add all kinds of seasoning, or spice, cinnamon being very popular, chili powder for a different flavor, salt of course is a must, with some butter to add some richness. Of course you don t need to know which to use, if you plan on purchasing them already roasted.
If you choose to roast your own, there is a recipe which has been around for many, many years, used in many households, and tried by a variety of cooks. When they are slow roasted, they will not burn quite so easily, but you will have to watch them carefully and the end result will be worth all the trouble you went to, when you have the finished product, all a lovely dark brown color.
This recipe makes enough roasted pecans for approximately 8 people, depending how hungry they are. They will be finished in about an hour. First, your oven should be heated to 250*F, then take about 1 lb. of pecans, placing them in a 9 13 inch baking dish, then place that on the center rack of your pre heated oven. Then proceed to roast your pecans, making sure that you stir them around often, so they won t burn, continue to do this until they turn a nice deep brown tone. Just remember to take them out just before they are the color you want, as they will continue to brown as they cool.
Remove them from the oven, and right away, stir in the butter, mixing that around to coat all the pieces, then add the salt, while they are still hot, so it will stick to the buttered pecans. When they are completely cooled, place them in an airtight container to keep them , but if you have some hungry people around, they won t last long enough to do this, so put them in an attractive bowl and put them out for everyone to devour.
A little known secret that you might be interested in if you re going to roast your own pecans, to remove the tannins and the pieces of cork material, soak them in lukewarm water, and then also rinse them and you ll find they have a much sweeter flavor.