Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

Are Brussel sprouts supposed to be spicy? ›

Brussels sprouts are a member of the brassica family, which includes mustard and turnips, so it's hardly surprising that there's pungent possibility lurking within those tiny leaves. You want to cook them in ways that encourage the sweet possibilities.

A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts. Another key ingredient is fat, which helps Brussels sprouts to crisp up. This is why it's so popular to render bacon fat and cook Brussels sprouts in it, then add the bacon bits back in at the end.

Brussel sprouts are roasted in lots of oil, then topped with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and honey. It's that sweet, fatty, cheesy combo that makes it taste good!

If any of the leaves have brown spots or are yellowing, it's a sign of early spoilage. If you remove the blemished leaves and the interior looks OK, you can still use the sprout. However, if the interior leaves are also showing blemishes or yellowing, it's best to toss it (or compost it, if you can).

Brussels sprouts have very high levels of glucosinolates, which contain sulfur and nitrogen. The most notable glucosinolate in the little cabbages is sinigrin, which gives them their bitter flavor.

Do you like some spice? If yes, mustard sprouts are your new best friend. They have a spicy, earthy, horseradish-like taste that you can add to salads and also warm dishes.

In the case of sinigrin, in our Brussel sprouts, allyl isothiocyanate is formed. This gives vegetables a 'spicy' bite. Isothiocyanates are also called mustard oils for their pungent flavor. These components are toxic for a lot of plant eating animals and insects and thus it protects the plant itself.

The key to good cooking is to balance these flavors. Brussel sprouts have a bit of bitterness, if you roast them you develop some of their natural sweetness and umami, a squeeze of citrus or a splash of vinegar and you've added some sour. Or a good balsamic will add some sour and some sweetness.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Serving Suggestions

Drizzle them with a bit of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and toss them with feta or Parmesan cheese, herbs, red pepper flakes, and nuts or pepitas. Find my favorite lemon Parmesan seasoning in the recipe below, or head to this post for more variations!

Containing more vitamin C than an orange and with just eighty calories in a half pound, Britons eat more of them than any other European country, around 40,000 tonnes a year — and yes, we do eat them all year round. Two-thirds of Brussels sprout consumption in the UK is outside of the festive season.

Is it OK to eat Brussels sprouts everyday? ›

With all of these benefits, you may be wondering if it's okay to eat Brussels sprouts every single day. Rifkin's expert opinion is that it's safe to do so, but you also want to make sure you're eating other nutrient-rich foods too.

But it turns out, my tastebuds didn't change. I recently discovered that brussels sprouts truly do taste better now than when I was a kid, thanks to science. About 30 years ago, a Dutch scientist identified the chemicals that made brussels sprouts bitter.

Like other cruciferous veggies, Brussels sprouts have a type of carbohydrate that your body can't easily break down. This can cause you to have belly pain, gas, and either diarrhea or constipation.

Fungal and bacterial infections cause black spots on Brussels sprouts. Prevent with spacing, air circulation, and tool sterilization.

For best results, soak your Brussels sprouts in salt water. Not only does salt act to tenderize the dense sprouts, but it will also help to season them all the way through. It won't take a lot -- just add 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 quart of water and toss in trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts have a slightly earthy and bitter flavor which some might find quite intense. The brussel sprout taste can vary depending on how they are prepared. Roasting or sauteeing these mini cabbages brings out their natural sweetness which creates a slightly nutty flavor.

Purchase Brussels sprouts that are bright green with tightly compacted leaves. Yellow or wilted leaves are signs of aging and deterioration. They can last 3 to 5 weeks at a freezing temperature of 32 F, and about 1 to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Some people are very sensitive to the taste of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts etc.) This is a genetic trait and it makes these vegetables taste bitter and unpleasant. You should be thankful that you have the genes that allow you to enjoy these delicious vegetables.

While broccoli sprouts are incredibly nutrient rich, they are mostly studied for their incredible sulforaphane content. Sulforaphane is created by some plants to keep bugs away! It has a spicy taste, and may be toxic to these small organisms.