Pecans are always a great snack to have on hand for any occasion, and with this recipe for Balsamic Caramelized Toasted Pecans you can eat them all immediately, as was the case with me, or save them and be ready to entertain at a moments notice. This recipe is very simple, and you should have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.

To get started you will need:
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 pound of raw pecan halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:
1. Always prepare the grill by pre-heating. Today will pre-heat for medium direct grilling. We are looking for somewhere between 350-450 degrees.
2. Mix the sugar, vinegar and salt in a skillet until you have consistent solution. Then place the skillet on the grill until the mixture comes to a strong simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the pecans, stirring them in the mixture in order to coat every side. Close the lid of your grill and let the pecans cook for 6-8 minutes. Be careful to monitor the smell and smoke coming from your grill. Burning sugar can be a real mess!
4. Finally, remove the pecans from the skillet and let them cool for 10 minutes on a piece of tin foil. I cannot stress how important the tin foil is because if you place them on a plate the sugar is extremely difficult to get off. Enjoy your snack!

Recipe adapted from Balsamic Caramelized Toasted Pecans by Jamie Purviance