Brussels sprouts tend to be a ‘love them or hate them’ vegetable. Convert the haters by enhancing their sweetness and pairing them with crispy bacon bits.
About Sprouts
Brussels sprouts look like small cabbages and have a slightly bitter flavour. The sprouts grow on a long stalk and are sometimes sold this way but are more commonly presented loose in a bin at the supermarket. They come into peak season in the fall and are usually available throughout the winter.
Cut the Bitterness
Roasting brussels sprouts brings out their sweetness and tempers the slightly bitter flavour they impart. A light glaze of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup further sweetens the sprouts and enhances their flavour. Balsamic vinegar is made from red wine and can range in price from around $12 to hundreds of dollars a bottle. There is no need to use an expensive brand – there are decent vinegars available in the $15 to $20 range at most markets. However, avoid extremely cheap balsamic vinegars as they are likely just red wine vinegar with added caramel flavouring and will not have the same rich flavour as real balsamic.
Bringing Home the Bacon
The best bacon for this recipe is slab bacon cut into 1/2“ cubes. If there isn’t slab bacon on display at the meat counter, ask the butcher if he can cut a four-ounce (113 gram) slab for you. Pre-sliced packaged bacon will suffice if slab bacon is unavailable but the pieces will not be as meaty.
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple
Makes 4 servings as a side dish
- 20 oz. (570 grams) brussels sprouts (about 28 sprouts)
- 4 oz. (113 grams) slab bacon, cut into ½” dice
- 2 teaspoons neutral flavored oil such as safflower
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 5 Tablespoons chicken stock or water, divided (2 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Trim the stem ends of the sprouts and slice them in half. Set aside.
- Heat an ovenproof skillet on medium-high and add diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is beginning to crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat the safflower oil in the same skillet. Add sprouts to the pan and sauté for two minutes. Add two tablespoons chicken stock and cook for another couple of minutes until the stock has evaporated.
- In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and remaining chicken stock. Pour over sprouts and stir to combine. Return bacon to the pan and stir until all evenly distributed.
- Place skillet in the oven and roast sprouts for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are tender and browning along the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Trish Coleman - Trish grew up in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada and her family ate fresh home cooked meals every night. Her family grew most of ...
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