APPS & SIDES

Smoked Chex Mix

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins1hour hr 20minutes minshouminut

Total Time: 1hours  45minutes 

Smoked Chex mix is a surefire hit perfect for entertaining. When hosting a gathering, it’s always a good idea to have something for guests to snack on while the rest of the food is prepared. This version includes all the main components and a delicious chipotle caramel coating. It’s smoky, spicy, savory-sweet, and you can make it far in advance. Use all the recipe’s caramel or go with a light coating instead. The choice is yours!

Ingredients

Serving Sizes

Chipotle Sauce

  • 1 ounce chipotle peppers
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons neutral oil
  • ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ lemon, juiced

Snack Mix

  • 3 cups rice Chex cereal
  • 3 cups wheat Chex cereal
  • 2 cups pretzel sticks
  • 1 ½ cups cheddar Goldfish crackers
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted peanuts

Caramel

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup chipotle sauce
  • ¼ cup corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Equipment

  • Z Grills 700D4E Wood Pellet Grill
  • Z Grills OAK Wood Pellets
  • Disposable Aluminum Pan
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Tongs

Instructions

                                                                      • Step 1: Remove the stems, split each pepper vertically, and remove the seeds.
                                                                        • Step 2: On the stovetop, toast the chipotles in a dry skillet over medium heat until they soften and puff up.
                                                                        • Step 3: Place the chipotles into a bowl, pour hot water over the peppers, and soak them for 15-30 minutes. Save the remaining soaking liquid.
                                                                        • Step 4: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high; use the same skillet used to dry toast the chipotle peppers.
                                                                        • Step 5: Sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until softened and fragrant.
                                                                        • Step 6: Pour in the tomato sauce, sugar, and salt.
                                                                        • Step 7: Cook the sauce for 3 minutes or until thick enough to draw a line in the sauce with a spoon—stir occasionally.
                                                                        • Step 8: Add the sauce to a food processor with the lemon juice and about 2 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend until smooth.
                                                                        • Step 9: Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids. Press with a spoon or spatula to get as much sauce as possible.
                                                                        • Step 10: Measure out ½ cup of chipotle sauce.
                                                                        • Step 11: Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded applewood pellets) or other wood pellet grill to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
                                                                        • Step 12: Combine the cereals, pretzels, Goldfish crackers, and peanuts in a large bowl.
                                                                        • Step 13: Add the butter, brown sugar, chipotle sauce, corn syrup, and salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low.
                                                                        • Step 14: Meanwhile, lightly grease an aluminum pan with oil.
                                                                        • Step 15: Once the caramel mixture comes to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
                                                                        • Step 16: Add the baking soda and whisk until combined. The caramel will foam during this time.
                                                                        • Step 17: Pour the caramel over the snack mix and toss to combine. Use as much as you like.
                                                                        • Step 18: Transfer the pan to the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for 35 minutes.
                                                                        • Step 19: Remove from the grill, toss the Chex mix, and increase the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Close the grill’s lid and smoke for 10 more minutes.
                                                                        • Step 20: Remove from the grill, allow the smoked Chex mix to cool, then separate it with a spoon or by hand.
                                                                        • Step 21: Serve.

Ingredients

Serving Sizes

Chipotle Sauce

  • 1 ounce chipotle peppers
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons neutral oil
  • ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ lemon, juiced

Snack Mix

  • 3 cups rice Chex cereal
  • 3 cups wheat Chex cereal
  • 2 cups pretzel sticks
  • 1 ½ cups cheddar Goldfish crackers
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted peanuts

Caramel

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup chipotle sauce
  • ¼ cup corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Equipment

  • Z Grills 700D4E Wood Pellet Grill
  • Z Grills OAK Wood Pellets
  • Disposable Aluminum Pan
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Tongs

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