Do I really need to speak forth the praises of bacon? I think not.
Bacon = love.
Brussels sprouts on the other hand…
Poor brussels sprouts get a bad rap. I mean, most people don’t even know how to spell their name! (It’s brussels not brussel, for the record.) They are discriminated against in the land of vegetables.
But you know what makes brussels sprouts better? Bacon.
Bacon makes everything better.
What’s great about this recipe is it introduces people to the delicious side of brussels sprouts and it feels wonderfully indulgent because of the bacon. And I know you’re probably thinking, “But Eliza, I know bacon has miracle powers of deliciousness, but can it really make brussels sprouts taste edible?”
And the answer is no.
It does not make them edible… it makes them delicious!
So go buy bacon and go buy brussels sprouts.
Cook your bacon to whatever crispiness level you prefer. I cooked half a package of bacon so I’d have leftovers for breakfast burritos in the morning, but you really only need about two long slices (four short).
Take the bacon from the pan and let drain on a paper towel, but don’t discard all that pretty fat!
Grab a handful of sprouts (literally a handful, my nine could serve as a side dish for two people). Rinse them, pat them dry, and cut them in half.
Look how pretty these are, how could you have ever hated them?
Turn your stove down to medium-low (somewhere between the 2 and 3 on a CLU school stove). This is important as adding the sprouts will cause the bacon fat to splatter– a ton.
Add two tablespoons of butter to the bacon fat and melt. Sprinkle in pepper to taste, approximately two teaspoons is a good amount.
Go change into a long sleeve shirt if you aren’t already wearing one.
You think I’m joking, but grease splatter burns are no fun. I’ll wait while you go change to protect yourself.
Back?
Toss in the sprouts. I put them backside first because the cut side cooks quicker, but it is really just important that they all face the same way so they cook evenly.
I sprinkled the tops with a a little extra pepper because I like the extra bite.
Cook till the backsides are browned but not burnt, about three minutes. Keep a close eye because that bacon fat likes to cook things quickly. Also, the school burners aren’t entirely predictable on their heat levels.
Turn all the sprouts, being careful to not get splattered (that’s where the long sleeves come in handy).
Your brussels sprouts are all done when you can easily pierce them with a fork. Move them around from time to time while cooking so they don’t burn.
Take them out, place in bowl/plate, and top with the bacon you set aside earlier.
Look at that! So delicious and so bacon-y. I promise you won’t regret trying it. Also, the sprouts cancel out the unhealthiness of the bacon, right?