I never really had brussel sprouts growing up… they weren’t a staple vegetable in my childhood home like broccoli, asparagus, green beans or salad. Admittedly, my first exciting experience with brussel sprouts was when they became a trendy, foodie thing at restaurants quite a few years ago – all crispy and browned because they were cooked in tons of oil and OH. SO. DELICIOUS. But could I make them healthier?

I began to take notice of the gorgeous stalks of brussel sprouts found seasonally at Trader Joes, and so I began experimenting at home.

The first thing I wanted to do, was to capture that savory, smokey flavor of restaurant brussel sprouts recipes, without adding bacon. Why no bacon? There is sufficient evidence that bacon and other processed meats (whether organic or not) do cause cancer – meaning they are in fact, considered a carcinogen. We avoid eating processed meats in our home, and I’ve found a better alternative to achieve some of that flavor! I always keep alderwood smoked sea salt on hand, for recipes I want to add a smokey bacon flavor to. This salt is smoked on alderwood at low temperatures (rather than more risky, hot smoking temperatures) making far less of the compound (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) linked to cancer. Used in combination with caramelizing onions, results in a delicious sweet and savory, mouthwatering taste that pairs perfectly with browned brussel sprouts! 

How to Prepare Brussel Sprouts

If this is truly you’re first time making brussel sprouts or buying them on the stalk, you’re wondering “what do I do with this huge branch of brussels attached to it!?” Begin by simply plucking the brussel sprouts off of the stalk (oddly satisfying!) and placing them onto a cutting board.

Grab a sharp knife and trim the woody end (the part that was stuck to the stalk) off. Now slice the sprout in half, right down the middle through the end you just trimmed. If the sprouts are small, this is where you can stop. If they are larger than a quarter, I like to quarter them for more thorough browning.

How to Brown Brussel Sprouts

One crucial thing I learned about cooking brussel sprouts at home: do NOT overcook them! Overcooked brussel sprouts are on nobody’s wish list – they taste terrible. Sorry, it’s true. As soon as they turn bright green, you should start keeping an eye on them, because that’s an indication to stop cooking soon. So is it possible to cook them to the point of browning them, without OVER-cooking them? Totally!

Heat the cooking pan for about 5 minutes to get it nice and hot before adding the oil. If you add the oil before or during the heating, you risk your oil smoking. Why is it bad for oil to smoke? Not only does it lose nutritional value and make your food taste bad, but it’s also toxic to your body, generating tons of harmful free radicals you’ll breathe and ingest. When the oil smokes, it undergoes a chemical change which results in cancer-causing compounds – who wants to bother with that?

Heat your pan first, then add the oil, giving it a swirl, just as you’re about to add the sliced onion. Stir the sliced onion every few minutes, until they turn translucent. Add the sprouts, stirring well to make sure they’re evenly coated, and cover the pan. The way you achieve that toasty browned effect without tons of oil or overcooking, is by leaving the sprouts undisturbed at this point. 5 minutes later, turn the heat off, give them one more stir and cover again for an additional 3 minutes. Voila!

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