Smoked Brussels Sprouts Are The 5-Star Side Dish Your Next BBQ Needs - Tasting Table

Brussels sprouts have become more popular as farmers breed varieties with less bitterness. They are often served seared or fried with bacon and sweet glazes such as pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar, and they can also be braised. Smoking offers another way to cook them, because the tightly packed leaves caramelize deeply as the sprouts cook through. This process can make the sprouts sweeter than most cabbages while keeping flavors more neutral. The method also helps maintain a firmer, more balanced texture. Proper preparation is important to prevent drying out and to add flavor, including cutting sprouts in half and soaking them in a seasoned mixture.

"“Brussels sprouts can take on a wide range of flavor profiles,” he notes, “but as they caramelize, they tend to become sweeter than most cabbages.” While traditional cabbage may be having it's moment on social media and in restaurants right now, Brussels sprouts' tightly packed leaves allow for deep caramelization as they take a bit longer to cook through for their small sizes compared to a larger, less densely-packed cabbage."

"“This method helps maintain a more neutral flavor while preserving a firmer, more balanced texture,” Richards adds."

"Chef Todd Richards told us that both keeping the Brussels sprouts from drying out and adding flavor to them are important aspects of the smoking process. “To achieve that,” Richards reveals, “I recommend cutting the Brussels sprouts in half and soaking them in a mixture of one part"

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