Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

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Can you believe Thanksgiving is in two days? TWO DAYS? Like every year, it crept up quickly. It’s all good though because Thanksgiving is without a doubt my favorite holiday of the year. A gathering of friends and family over a meal that’s been made with love, filled with tradition and is just down right tasty. What’s not to get excited about?

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And speaking of love, do you love brussels sprouts or hate them? I don’t know many people who fall somewhere in between. Funny how a little vegetable can evoke so much emotion.

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I happen to love brussels sprouts. I don’t remember eating brussels sprouts as a kid. Did my mom even make them? If she did, they weren’t memorable. My first real memory of eating them was at my uncles house for a New Years Day brunch a gazillion years ago. Actually it was only about 10 years ago but still. It feels like eons. Funny that I remember the brussels so vividly because nothing else from that weekend is all that clear………..

*ahem* Moving on.

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My uncle boiled the brussels sprouts, shredded them, and tossed them with a curry butter. Uh, hello. They were dynamite. And ever since that morning I’ve been devout convert to the vegetable that gets a bad wrap. And as delicious as my uncles brussels sprout recipe is, my favorite way to eat any vegetable is roasted. Brussels sprouts are no exception. They caramelize and develop the most delicious crust. And when paired with sweet shallots and bacon, well, these are uh-maze-ing.

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Why is is that I never make brussels sprouts any other time of the year? I seem to reserve them for the holiday season. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s a subconscious thing. Whatever reason, these are definitely making an appearance at our Thanksgiving table this year. Some will be disappointed (sorry bro) and the rest of us will gobble them up happily.

I’ll be back Friday with a new recipe but until then, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 sliced bacon, diced
  • 3 large shallots, diced (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Heat olive oil over medium heat in an oven proof large skillet. Add the diced bacon and cook just until soft about 3-4 minutes. (It will finish cooking in oven.) Add the shallots to the pan and cook until soft. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven until the brussels sprouts are cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the oven and squeeze lemon juice over vegetables. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve.