This side dish is truly a no muss, no fuss affair. And it’s always a crowd pleaser! I mean, throw bacon into the mix and you are definitely going to win over some serious non-veggie-eating hearts. Brussels sprouts have a strong individual flavor and really stand up to these other big-flavor ingredients. Everything works really well together to make a perfectly balanced dish: bitter sprouts, tangy balsamic, sweet maple and smoky bacon!
Here’s what you need:
Despite having few ingredients, this dish does take a minute. But, it’s not something you have to constantly mind. You can just sort of have it hanging out on a back burner and give it a stir every few minutes.
Necessary Equipment:
- Cast Iron Pan
- Wooden Spoon
Render the bacon low and slow.
Especially if you are using a thick-cut. “Rendering” just means to cook the bacon slowly and at a low temperature, melting the fat away and leaving thick, meaty pieces. If you have the temperature set too high, the fat tends to burn way before the meat is cooked.
Give it a stir every few minutes just to make sure all of the lardons make plenty of contact with the surface of the pan.
Add the sprouts.
And a little salt. Obviously the bacon brings a good amount of salt to the dish, but the sprouts need just a little bit of seasoning.
Try not to stir too often at this point. You want the sprouts to caramelize. They will only do that if they maintain contact with the surface of the pan for a few minutes. Stir once in a while to rotate the sprouts on top with the sprouts on the bottom.
Deglaze with the sauce.
By the time the bacon and sprouts are fully cooked, there will be some bits of them left on the bottom of the pan. Pour in the 2 liquids and use a wooden spoon to scrape the pan and get those bits redistributed back into the dish. They will give it great flavor!
Technically, I would consider this a side dish but sometimes I have a big serving of it for just a meal in itself! Top it off with a fried egg for a great low-carb brunch!
Other recipes to try:
Maple, Bacon and Balsamic Sautéed Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts quartered
- 10 ounces thick cut bacon cut into lardons
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Render the bacon over medium-low flame for about 25 minutes, until most the fat is melted away and the meat is browned. Stir in the sprouts and the salt and sauté for about another 25 minutes, stirring every minute or so until the sprouts are tender and caramelized. Add the maple and balsamic and continue to sauté a few minutes more, until the sauce is thickened.