Who doesn’t love crispy Brussels sprouts leaves? Normally, I’ll grill or roast my sprouts. Most of the leaves that fall off and get super crispy disappear in no time. But why should the leaves be the crispiest yummiest part? They shouldn’t be. That’s why I deep-fried Brussels sprouts and… wow…
Very Different And Very Good
Would I make deep-fried Brussels sprouts every day? No. Well, probably not. They’re very good, and even better drizzled in fish sauce. Or, if you prefer, serve the fish sauce on the side. Then you can dip these little delicious bites a little or a lot!
If it’s just the two of us, I usually use my smaller Fry Daddy deep fryer for making this any other fried dish.
I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.
I was wandering around the produce section of our local grocery store when I came across the Brussels sprouts. There they sat, on sale, beckoning me. Normally I’d roast them or sous vide them or grill them. This time I decided to try something new: pickling. It took no time at all to make a few jars of the sprouts. They then have to sit in the fridge for four or so days to get ‘happy’. That’s the hardest part. The waiting.
I Had No Idea How Great These Would Be
Pickled Brussels sprouts are delicious. They remind me a bit of cucumber pickles but with a much different texture. The insides are like tender cabbage. I find it hard to stop eating them. They’re great as a side snack or even chopped onto a pulled pork sandwich.
I like a little kick to my pickled vegetables, so I did add a bit more red pepper flake than the recipe calls for. If you prefer yours even hotter, I recommend the four pepper blend from the Flatiron Pepper Company.
You can use this recipe for pickled Brussels sprouts for other vegetables, too.
Cook 10 trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts in a large stockpot of boiling water until bright green, about 5 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water.
Bring 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt to a simmer in stockpot over medium. Stir until salt dissolves.
Combine 10 black peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, 1 sliced garlic clove, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and 1 fresh bay leaf in a sterilized pint jar.
Place Brussels sprouts in jar.
Add hot vinegar mixture. You may have some leftover liquid.
Cool to room temperature.
Cover with lid, and chill 4 days or up to 2 weeks before serving.
Well, I’m done. Done trying out new recipes for Brussels sprouts. Done chasing the perfect way to cook them. Sure, I’ve got several really great recipes, but I never dream about them at night. Nothing that I’d wake up at 2am for, reaching for phone and adding the ingredients to my shopping list. Until now. These creamy garlic Parmesan Brussels sprouts are just delicious. And really, they should be. They use just about every scrumptious ingredient you can find. Like bacon. And cream. And cheese, garlic… the list goes on. But do not worry, you still taste the Brussels sprouts. They aren’t lost in there.
Great Just Like It Is
The recipe below for creamy garlic Parmesan Brussels sprouts is exactly how i made this dish the first time. And we loved it. The second time I made it with slightly less cheese. And it was still fantastic. It’s not like I was on a health kick all of a sudden, I just wanted to try it with less cheese and it was great. You might want less cheese too. Or more.
Well, I’m done. Done trying out new recipes for Brussels sprouts. Done chasing the perfect way to cook them. Sure, I’ve got several really great recipes, but I never dream about them at night.
In a large skillet (a Dutch oven works great), fry the bacon over medium-high heat until just crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the oil left in the skillet.
Add the butter (careful, or it'll splatter) and melt.
Add the Brussels sprouts and season generously with salt and pepper.
Cook until the sprouts brown slightly along the edges, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 1 minutes.
Add the cream and stir. Simmer, stirring for 3-4 minutes.
Make a slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and batter. Slowly stir it into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, until it's the desired thickness.
Crumble the bacon into the skillet.
Spray a 9" x 9" pan with nonstick spray. Pour in the Brussels sprouts and spread out evenly.
Top with the cheeses.
Bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Notes
These are also great made with pepper jack cheese for a nice spicy kick.
“Mom, I want more Brussels sprouts, please!” That’s not something you would’ve heard me say as a kid. But now, put a bowl of these grilled Dijon Brussels sprouts in front of me and I’m asking for seconds. And thirds. Fantastic Dijon flavor and nicely charred sprouts, cooked until they are just tender. With just a hint of smokiness. Perfection!
Brussels Sprouts Need Dijon
These awesome grilled Dijon Brussels sprouts have quickly become our go-to side dish when grilling something for dinner. Preparation time is almost nothing. Cook time is darn near nothing. It couldn’t get any easier to make a delicious side dish. And it’s packed with that wonderful mustardy flavor.
I highly recommend that you use a basket when making this on a grill.
“Mom, I want more Brussels sprouts, please!” That’s not something you would’ve heard me say as a kid. But now, put a bowl of these grilled Dijon Brussels sprouts in front of me and I’m asking for seconds. And thirds.
Fire up your grill for direct cooking. You’ll want to use a grill vegetable basket.
Trim ends off of the sprouts and cut in half. Remove any bad leaves.
Whisk together remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the sprouts and toss gently to coat.
Let set for 5 minutes.
Transfer sprouts to a grill basket that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Transfer to the grill and grill for 5-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly charred and just starting to soften. I use a long bamboo skewer to poke the sprouts as they cook so I can tell when they are done.
Remove from the grill and sprinkle with more salt and pepper as desired.
It’s bordering on crazy just how many times I made these grilled Brussels sprouts this week. They instantly became a favorite in our household. They take no time at all to make and make for the perfect very-flavorful side dish for a meal of grilled anything! If I’m grilling my main dish, I’d prefer to grill my sides too!
A Grill Basket Saves The Day
The original recipe calls for skewering the sprouts. I find it easier to just dump (I mean, place) the sprouts into a stainless steel vegetable grill basket. Skewering a raw sprout is borderline impossible in my opinion. I don’t have to worry about them spinning around or falling off. Or stabbing myself for that matter.
You can use the same approach for grilling other vegetables, such as small red or yellow potatoes or asparagus. Just partially cook (microwave) them first until slightly tender, add the seasonings, and grill until lightly charred and tender. Done!
I recommend that you use a grill basket when making this dish. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!
It’s bordering on crazy just how many times I made these grilled Brussels sprouts this week. They instantly became a favorite in our household. They take no time at all to make and make for the perfect very-flavorful side dish for a meal of grilled anything!
I have to admit, a spiral slicer is a rather fun kitchen gadget to have. You can take just about any recipe you would normally make with pasta and make it low-carb by substituting zoodles. Or rather, zucchini noodles. You can use the slicer for other things too. But I pretty much use it mostly for zoodles. These garlic butter zoodles with Brussels Sprouts are fantastic!
What? Good Brussels Sprouts?!
These garlic butter zoodles with Brussels sprouts are about as easy to make as you can get. And they taste fantastic. I cook the zucchini noodles to the point where they are soft, but still have some crunch. The butter and garlic add some needed flavor. Zucchini isn’t exactly packed with flavor… it’s good, but butter and garlic make it fantastic. And nothing beats crunchy Brussels sprouts. I love them. Topped with a bit of cheese and toasted sesame seeds, this makes for a great side dish.
You can get pretty creative with this dish just by swapping a few ingredients. Use toasted pine nuts or even peanuts instead of sesame seeds. Leave off the Parmesan cheese and add French-fried jalapenos for a kicked up dish, or just add a few (big) pinches of dried red pepper flake to the zucchini when you are cooking them.
Or just add cooked crumbled bacon. Now we’re talking good!
Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
Not too long ago I discovered what quickly became a favorite in our house: bacon-wrapped tater tots, cooked on the Char-Broil Big Easy. They’re very, very addicting. I dream about them. Really. Well, I was in the grocery store the other day and I noticed that Brussels sprout season was winding down. Those little sprouts looked inviting. I usually roast them in the oven, but a voice in my head said “bacon”. Actually there’s always a voice in my head that says “bacon”. Bacon always goes well with Brussels sprouts, so why not wrap them in bacon and cook them until crispy yummy? Well, let me tell ya, bacon-wrapped Brussels Sprouts are fantastic!
Eat ‘Em Like Popcorn
These bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts are nothing but absolutely delicious. You will eat them like popcorn, one after another. I used a very simple spice mixture of Italian herbs, but anything will work just great, from just salt and pepper to Creole seasoning to garlic salt. You name it, you can’t go wrong.
Although I cooked the sprouts in my Big Easy on bunk bed baskets you can also cook them in the oven at 425 F, on racks, until crispy.
If you want to enjoy Brussels sprouts cooked on your Big Easy but without the bacon, check out my roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. If you love bacon like I do, my maple bacon carrots are crazy good too!
It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.
2poundsBrussels sproutsdepending on their size, you should be able to fit upwards of 30 sprouts in the Big Easy, 15 in the large basket and 15 in the bunk bed
10slicesBaconcut into thirds (i.e. 1 piece of bacon for every 3 sprouts)
Your favorite seasoning
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the sprouts and boil for 5 minutes or until just starting to soften.
Drain and run under cold water to stop the sprouts from cooking.
Fire up your Big Easy.
If your sprouts are large you may wish to cut them in half lengthwise.
Lay the bacon out on a flat surface and sprinkle it with your seasoning of choice.
Add a sprout to one end of the bacon and roll it up. Place seam-side down into the Big Easy basket.
Lower the basket into the Big Easy and cook 25-30 minutes or until the bacon starts to crisp.
Remove from Big Easy and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
I’m a big fan of roasted Brussels sprouts. But, these sauteed shredded Brussels sprouts aren’t roasted. So, I was worried. Would I like them? No. I’d love them! They are so crunchy and flavorful! The thinly slices sprouts are perfect. I almost called this a salad, though technically, it’s not a salad. Technically, though, it is outstanding!
I’ve Been Living In A Cave
The balsamic vinegar really makes these sauteed shredded Brussels sprouts stand out. I added fresh pomegranate seeds for a little color and a little flavor pop, but you can leave them out. To be truthful, I really had no idea how great this dish would be. I enjoyed it a lot. It kinda surprised me, to be honest.
I recently purchased a new food processor. For years I have been without one after my el cheapo model finally blew up. I had been reluctant to buy another low-end model, so I bit the bullet and bought a Cuisinart 7-cup model. I could not have been any happier with my purchase. This food processor is hefty, there’s nothing cheap about it. I’d swear it has a V8 engine in it – there’s nothing it can’t chop, slice or shred.
This is so crunchy and flavorful! The thinly slices sprouts are perfect. I almost called this a salad, though technically, it’s not a salad. Technically, though, it is outstanding!
To shred the Brussels sprouts it is best to use a food processor. I use the shredding blade and feed the sprouts thru the top tube. You could also cut them thin with a knife or just chop them.
Add the butter and oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the sprouts and season with salt and pepper.
Saute for 5 minutes then add the balsamic vinegar and saute another minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the pomegranate seeds.
Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
I use my Char-Broil Big Easy for a lot more than cooking ribs, chicken wings, turkey. I also use it to make side dishes, like these roasted Brussels sprouts. First, they’re very flavorful. Second, they’re easy (and second-and-a-half, they cook up fast). And third, they free up the oven in the house if I’m doing a large cook for the holidays. Cooking on the Big Easy is always a win-win, whether you’re cooking the main dish or a side.
Great Roasted Flavor In Every Bite
I didn’t pre-cook the sprouts at all. Just drizzled and seasoned them, skewered them, and then cooked them. Done. I used the kabob skewers available from Char-Broil but you could also just place the sprouts in the standard Big Easy basket (or get more on with the optional bunk basket). These roasted Brussels sprouts on the Char-Broil Big Easy came out great!
I use my Char-Broil Big Easy for a lot more than cooking ribs, chicken wings, turkey. I also use it to make side dishes, like these roasted Brussels sprouts. First, they’re very flavorful. Second, they’re easy.
I should’ve doubled this recipe for ritzy Brussels sprouts when I made it. These tasty little bites didn’t last long at all. Normally, I just roast Brussels sprouts, but this version is so cheesy good. The crackers and nuts add a nice light crunch, contrasting the smooth cheese and tender sprouts. This is the kind of dish that has changed my mind about eating Brussels sprouts!
A Different Kind Of Holiday Casserole
These Ritzy Brussels sprouts are almost like a green bean casserole, really, but with a nice nutty crunch to boot. Why serve that old ‘boring’ Thanksgiving side dish when you can serve something new and awesome!
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
I should’ve doubled this recipe for ritzy Brussels sprouts when I made it. These tasty little bites didn’t last long at all. Normally, I just roast Brussels sprouts, but this version is so cheesy good.
