Last night we had our first frost, and this morning I noticed a comment from Sheryl on facebook informing me my Brussels Sprouts were big enough to pick.
As I started to walk out to the garden I suddenly realized, I had no idea HOW TO PICK Brussels sprouts. So what did I do? I asked how I should pick them on facebook.
Well, after I saw the first comments I headed outside with a knife and cut off a few.
But now what?
If you have cooked Brussels sprouts before, please let me know if you have a good recipe. I’d like to make some for Thanksgiving, so these will be my “practice sprouts.”
And thanks again for your help. I may know how to grow stuff, but knowing what to do with it is something totally different.
~Mavis
P.S. After re-reading the facebook comments, some people are telling me I should have cut the entire stalk. Is that right?
Saralie says
I blanch them, then add fried onion and bacon before serving (salt+pepper+nutmeg) Deli-c-ious!!
jaime says
This is my go-to “recipe” for Brussels sprouts:
6 slices bacon
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 small onion
balsamic vinegar
bleu cheese crumbles
salt and pepper
Slice up your bacon into smaller bits (about 1/2 inch wide), and fry until crispy in a large skillet over medium heat. While the bacon is cooking, steam your Brussels sprouts, until they are tender. Once the bacon is crisp, remove the bacon from the grease, and caramelize the onion (diced or sliced into thin slivers is fine) in the bacon grease. When the onions are caramelized and dark golden brown, add in the Brussels sprouts, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar (if you really like balsamic vinegar, use 3 tablespoons; if not, use 1/2 a tablespoon). Cook until everything is heated through. Add in the bacon; top with bleu cheese crumbles. Salt and pepper to your liking.
Vegetarian/Vegan variation:
Drizzle raw Brussels sprouts and raw chopped onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until sprouts are tender and everything is caramelized. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Top with bleu cheese crumbles if you’d like.
Becca H says
I LOVE brussel sprouts! I saute them in butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese. They are yummy and have a nice crunchy outside.
JT says
There is an amazing recipe that involves balsamic vinegar and bacon, can’t go wrong!
Christina says
I love to coat them in salt/pepper/olive oil/basalmic vinegar and pop ’em under the broiler ’til the outsides get a little crispy but not charred black. YUM.
Amanda B says
This is about what I was going to suggest, but I always cut them in half, then toss with salt/pepper/oil and roast them cut side up(more flavor in the middle!). I add coined carrots too, for some color. It’s a yummy combo. I also let the few leaves that fall off get dark crispy brown.
Melissa says
I like them with a little bit of coconut oil and salt and pepper. Cook them for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Then, add a piece of salmon on top of them (coated with coconut oil) and cook until salmon is done. Yum.
Michelle says
This is my favorite brussels sprouts recipe–I usually top it with freshly grated parmesan–so yummy!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
Salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
¾ cup chicken broth
Directions
Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add Brussels sprouts and brown all over by shaking the pan often. Season with salt, to taste. Remove Brussels sprouts from pan, reduce heat to medium high and add the butter to melt. Add shallots and saute for a minute or 2. Add the sprouts back in, add the chicken stock, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 30 minutes or until sprouts are soft and tender.
leslie says
Mine is similar, but slice the b.sprouts like cucumbers, and sautee in coconut oil. At end of baking, grate some pecorino cheese on top, and put under broiler for about 3-5 min. Yum! Like a little bit of heaven, and you could eat it EVERYDAY
Ellen says
I toss them in olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, spices (garlic, pepper) and roast. Learned this method not too long ago, and I couldn’t stand to eat them before this!
CiCi says
This month’s Everday Food magazine had a whole spread of recipes about brussels sprouts. This one peeked my interest the most, Crisp Brussells Sprout Leaves.
http://www.marthastewart.com/945733/crisp-brussels-sprout-leaves
Pretty sure that the pilgrims would have had most of these ingredients. Maybe they would have had to borrow the ramano cheese from some italian settlers? 🙂
Erin says
I agree with Ellen….roasting is the way to go!
Erin says
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 until tender. Splash with balsamic vinegar as soon as you take them out of the oven. Yum!
Erin says
Oh…and you only need to harvest the whole stalk if you are pulling up the whole plant and storing them for a long period of time. You can certainly pick a few sprouts for experimenting.
Gosia says
We boil them in chicken broth – really yummy and tender. Here are steps:
1.Cut an ‘X’ in the core end of each Brussels sprout.
2.Heat 1 teaspoon butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; stir few cloves of garlic (chopped) until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
3.Add Brussels sprouts; toss to coat. Stir in half a cup of chicken broth, salt, and black pepper; cover and cook until Brussels sprouts are tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Drain liquid from pan.
4.Stir remaining 2 teaspoons butter into Brussels sprouts mixture until melted.
Wendy says
Think like Trader Joe and cut a whole stalk and add that to your
yearly weight total. They sell for $2.99 per stalk. Steam and butter on…
Andrea D says
Roasted. Drizzle with a little olive oil or melted butter, sprinkle with salt & pepper, maybe some garlic. In oven at 400 for about 15 mins or until they pierce easily with fork or paring knife.
Cristie says
I’ve not prepared them myself, but a restaurant near us makes fantastic brussel sprouts. They said the trick is to not use water in cooking them (no boiling/steaming) as that can bring out a bitter flavor. According to the chef (and I thought I didn’t like them until I had his) grilling or roasting is the best method of cooking.
Diana T. says
I make them the way Andrea D. does, except I add cooked, chopped bacon at the end. If you like garlic, roasting whole cloves of garlic in with the sprouts will make everything taste better. Oh, and depending on the size of your sprouts, they might take as long as 30-45 minutes to get tender. Add more olive oil if they start to look too dry/crispy.
Brandy says
The pioneer woman’s reciepe is the way to go when I make this reciepe there isn’t any left last night I boiled them. The kids pushed them around on their plate till I finially said eat just one. My hubby covered them in red hot. Covering them in red hot is his way of telling me there gross but he knows he has to but on his big boy pants and chow down.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/12/brussels-sprouts-with-balsamic-and-cranberries/
Faith says
Here is my favorite sprouts recipe: http://www.dinnerwiththegrobmyers.blogspot.com/2012/10/bacon-parmesan-brussels-sprouts.html
Beth has lots of great recipes, so check them out!
Debra says
I have Brussels sprout envy – I tried them for the first time this year and the plants got buried by watermelon vines! When we finally got them cleared away and the BS’s started to grow they were attacked by bright green caterpillars. The leaves are now a mess and the little sprouts are about the size of jelly beans. 🙁 Maybe they will continue to grow in our zone 7 garden….?
Linda says
Oven roast those babies with any other veggie you like…
LaToya says
Oh I lovvvvve Brussel sprouts! We saute them in chopped bacon and onions…get ’em all nice and browned….and bury ’em in parm. Summmm good!
AlysonRR says
My husband and kids enjoy them steamed in a microwave steamer – the kids call them baby cabbages.
I don’t like Brussels sprouts, but I actually can eat and enjoy them when we use this recipe from Marilu Henner:
Brussels Sprouts with Vinegar-Glazed Onions
Blue * Serves 4
1 basket Brussels sprouts (about 10 ounces)
salt
1 Tablespoon non-dairy margarine
1 Tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Trim the outer leaves and stems from the Brussels sprouts and discard. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until tender but stlll bright green, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and plunge into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well and cut in half lengthwise.
Heat 1/2 Tablespoon margarine and 1/2 Tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are brown and crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt adn pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Cut the onion in half lengthwise (“pole cut”); then cut each half lengthwise in thin slices. Add the remaining margarine and oil to the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted and transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vinegar (stand back to avoid the fumes), and stir to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until vinegar is reduced and onions are glazed, about 30 seconds.
Add the onions to the Brussels sprouts and toss well. Serve immediately.
AlysonRR says
BTW, I use butter, not margarine. Marilu Henner’s cookbook has some great recipes, but the recipes are mostly vegan – this non-vegan family adapts them.
Pam says
This has been my go to recipe for sprouts for years. My adaptations: use red wine vinegar instead of balsamic, add a dash of minced garlic to the oil, and top with a sprinkle of toasted, slivered almonds. So yummy. A bit of parmesan or asiago works too.
I took these to a pot luck one night and a friend’s husband was super impressed. He insisted they had to be artichokes – they couldn’t be brussels sprouts because he hated brussels sprouts but he loved these.
Catherine Foster says
I’ve never liked cooked Brussel sprouts, but I love Brussel sprout slaw. I got a stock of them and snapped them off the stock (faster and safer than cutting.) I sliced about 15-20 of them very thin (a mandoline would be quicker), tossed them with a cup of toasted pecans. Made a vinaigrette with olive oil, minced garlic, a TB of red wine vinegar, a tsp of Dijon mustard. Tossed them all together. Divine.
Mary Ann says
Mine is the most boring, but I love ’em. I steam them until they are fork tender and put ’em on my plate. As I eat them I cut them in half and lightly dip in light mayo/pepper sauce. Grew up eating them that way (broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus the same way).
Dorothy says
I cut brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and drop them in boiling water for 5 min. to blanch. Drain sprouts. (Can do ahead to this point.)
Then I saute minced shallots in butter in a frying pan. Once the shallots are cooked, I add the blanched sprouts and saute a bit. Then sprinkle on salt and pepper and add 1 Tablespoon or more of dijon mustard and toss to coat. Yum!
Jodee says
My mom used to make these, and we always called them “Porcupine Meatballs”
-Make your favorite meatloaf recipe (I like to add some rice, too)
-Grab a handful of the raw meatloaf mixture and wrap a brussel sprout completely making a meatball
(I like to pre-cook the brussels a little before making them into a meatball)
-brown these carefully in a little oil
-Put them in greased casserole pan and cover with marinara or a good tomato based sauce
-Bake about 350 F for 45 minutes to an hour
They are like stuffed cabbage in reverse!
Heather T. says
I have never cooked them, but Pedro’s restaurant has a great vegetable fajita with them in it, so good.
Michele says
•1 pound Brussels sprouts
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•Salt
•2/3 cup fresh cranberries (or 1/3 cup dried cranberries)
•1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or goat cheese
•1/3 cup freshly toasted pecans
•1 tablespoon maple syrup, or more to taste
•1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
Toss and roast in oven
Kim says
A few weeks ago, I made the most delicious brussels sprouts I’ve ever had using the brussels sprouts recipe in The Mom 100 Cookbook by Katie Workman. I definitely recommend giving it a try! It’s very easy and doesn’t require any fancy ingredients and they were so good. In fact, I’ve tried many of the recipes in that particular cookbook and my family loves almost everything! 🙂
Crystal says
Roasted in the oven, like with beets. I also like them pan fried with some sausage. Whatever you do, don’t boil them.
Michele C says
My kids love them and eat them like candy! Here’s what I do:
Parboil in salted water, drain. Spread out on cookie sheet and coat with olive oil salt and pepper. Mince Rosemary and dice raw bacon and mix with brussel sprouts. Put the whole thing in the oven at 450 and roast , stirring occasionally. Roast until brussel sprouts become brown and carmelized around the edges and bacon is cooked. Enjoy!
Sandi D. says
Mavis,
My way is simple and yummy. I slice 4-6 ounces of musrooms, one small onion, and 1 clove of garlic. add all of it into a deep fry pan or dutch oven with 4 T butter, your brussel sprouts and salt and pepper. sautee until all are cooked through and slightly browned( give a nice taste) serve just like that. even my picky daughter will eat them this way..
Love your newsletter, have picked some great ideas from..
Blessings
Sandi
Alicia Damschen says
In agreement with many other commenters…Roasting is the way to go. I cut them in half, toss with Olive Oil, S&P and then roast themwith onions and keilbasa. I make a dijon cream on the stove top while they roast. Then I toss it all together and serve with rice.
Jodee says
I am technically challenged and don’t think my recipe posted… we make meatballs with the Brussels inside. They are like cabbage rolls only backwards.
Lissa says
I love roasted brussel sprouts! My friend’s fancy chef hubby made this for Christmas a couple of years ago and it was awesome! (and oh so simple)
equal parts cauliflower florets and sliced brussel sprouts, toss with thin coat of olive oil, add a dash of Italian seasoning and roast @ 400F for 20-40 min, tossing halfway through. Yum!
Wynne says
I love Susie Middleton’s recipe for braising them, from Fast, Fresh & Green. My only problem is that you have to cook them in a single layer on the stove top, so you can only make enough for 4 or so people at a time.
Heat a couple T. of EVOO and butter in a large pan over medium-high. Add sprouts, cut side down, and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook until sprouts are well-browned (this is the root of deliciousness), then stir and add a little stock (1/3 c.). Cover and cook until tender enough to pierce with a fork. Finish with an extra tsp. each of butter and lime juice.
Never ran into a recipe recommending lime for veg before, always lemon. Lime is awesome.