The Best Sheet Pan Brussel Sprouts Recipe | Buy This Cook That (2024)

FAQs

How does Rachael Ray cook brussel sprouts? ›

Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth. Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender.

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!

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

Place them face down and resist the urge to move them around. A searing hot baking sheet with the brussels cut side down is the key to crispy brussel perfection.

Place the Brussels in a large saucepan over a high heat for a couple of minutes, then, once the pan is nice and hot, cover with boiling salted water. Boil for 5 minutes, or until just tender but with a little bite. Taste to check – they should be slightly undercooked.

The key is to start with a cold skillet.

Put the butter and olive oil into the cold skillet, turn the heat to high, and when your nose picks up the brown-butter smell and the butter starts turning golden brown, toss the ribbons of Brussels sprouts into the skillet. They'll come out crunchy and delicious.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

A Dutch scientist named Hans van Doorn, who worked at a seed and chemical company, figured out exactly which chemical compounds in Brussels sprouts made them bitter. The next step was to plant sprouts with the least amount of these chemicals and eventually cross-pollinate the chemicals out.

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Fresh vegetables can pick up bacteria from the soil, water, or any surface they come in contact with (especially during transportation). It's important to properly wash your brussels sprouts before eating them to keep you or your loved ones from getting sick. Wash them with regular cold water or use a baking soda soak.

How long should brussel sprouts soak? ›

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. Soaking the sprouts in salt water doesn't take long --10 to 30 minutes is plenty long enough to soften up the centers.

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).

Some people swear by cutting a cross in the bottom of each sprout, which they believe allows them to cook all through – but it's not necessary, and you'll save time if you don't.

A slow-growing, long-bearing crop, Brussels sprouts should be planted in early spring, or mid- to late summer for a crop that matures in the fall. The small heads mature best in cool and even in light frosty weather. Spring planting is also fine in cooler climates.

Steaming Brussels sprouts preserves more of the nutrients and antioxidants than any other cooking method. And they turn out tasting like crisp-tender, sweet little nuggets. Plus they're just about the quickest veggie side dish you can cook.

In a pot with 1 inch of water and a lid, a steamer, or a microwave, steam sprouts for 5 – 8 minutes, or until bright green. In a medium pan, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts, salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 – 10 minutes, or until outsides are a deep, rich brown.

Roast the Brussels Sprouts at high heat

If you don't hear them crisping up in the oven, add a little more oil and roast them for a few more minutes until your desire crispiness is achieved!

For most people Brussels sprouts are an acquired taste… and some people never acquire the taste. That said, I prefer to simply cut the sprouts in half or even quarters to the internal gasses escape. I peel the outer leaves, which are more bitter than the inside leaves, and I fry the sprouts in salty butter on low heat.