Brussels Sprouts: Recipes & Cooking Tips

Brussels Sprouts

By Cat, Feb 2018 (photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

I love brussels sprouts, but this has not always been so. When I was a child, I got a stomach flu and puked all over my bed; what came out was sauerkraut that I’d eaten earlier. After that, I would not eat any kind of cabbage because I was reminded of that horrible experience. In my early 20s, I was able to eat raw cabbage (as in cole slaw), and soon after I tried brussels sprouts when I was invited to dinner at a friend’s house. Oh my! What pleasure I’d been missing!

I usually braise them in my cast iron pan, or slow cook them with a pot roast, but I’m always interested in trying other options.

• Includes: 1. Tips for preparing & cooking Brussels sprouts; 2. Cooking in a pan on stove top; 3. Braise them; 4. Boiling them; 5. Steaming them; 6. Oven-Roasted Brussels sprouts; 7. Balsamic-drizzled, oven-roasted Brussels sprouts; 8. Grilled Brussels sprouts
• See also: 1. Foods About (menu); 2. Side Dishes menu; 3. Basic Braised Greens (About)

Tips for preparing & cooking Brussels sprouts

The following is from a Mercola post, augmented with my own experience.

Cleaning them:

Use lukewarm water (better at removing dirt and chemicals than cold water); if not grown organically, add some baking soda which, according to one study, can remove 96% of toxic pesticides on most produce (such as the fungicide thiabendazole and the insecticide phosmet) help remove pesticides.

There are two washing options as listed below. I usually use the second option,  which is better at dislodging dirt and chemicals throughout the veggie. But when I don’t have time to let them dry thoroughly, I use the first option.

• Running them under the tap; or
• Submerging (soaking) them in water in a bowl for 10 minutes.
• If adding baking soda to the soak. use 1 tsp baking soda for every 2 cups of water, then gently scrub. (2)
• If soaking them, they can become waterlogged. If you plan to sauté, grill or roast them, allow them to dry first (I arrange them on a paper or cotton dish towel).

Trimming, cutting them

First, trim a bit of the tough stem off, to make them more tender, but don’t remove too much – no more than ⅛”, or the leaves will fall apart while cooking. Using a ceramic knife is best, according to Mercola, but I don’t have one so use a stainless steel paring knife. Afterward, remove any brown or yellow leaves, as they’re already wilted.

If they are less than 1½” in diameter, you can leave them whole but cut an X-shape into the top of the sprouts. This helps them to cook more thoroughly and evenly.

If more than 1½” in diameter, you may want to cut them in half or quarters, so that all that will be cooked together are about the same size (3)

Various cooking methods

Cooking in a pan on stove-top

• ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced  (optional)
• 1½ Tbsp raw, real butter, preferably from pasture-raised cows
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts (optional)
• Unrefined sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• Equipment:
• sauté pan or cast iron skillet

1. Prep: Wash, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts; thinly slice garlic cloves.
2. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan with the coconut oil, over moderate heat. Add garlic (if using) and cook until about one minute. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Cook sprouts:  Reduce heat to low and arrange the sprouts in the pan, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Let cook, without turning, for about 15 minutes or until the undersides are golden brown and crisp tender.
4. Transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add more garlic and remaining ½ tablespoon butter to the pan; add pine nuts (if using), and let cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the nuts are more evenly pale golden, about one minute.
5. Spoon this mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with pepper

Braise them

This is my preferred method.

• ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1½ Tbsp Organic olive oil or coconut oil
• Unrefined sea salt
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced  (optional)
• filtered water
• black pepper (optional)
• Equipment:
• sauté pan or cast iron skillet
• small bowl

1. Prep: Wash, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts; thinly slice garlic cloves.
2. Add olive/coconut oil to pan and warm over medium heat 1-2 minutes.
3. Cook sprouts: If using garlic cloves, sauté them about 1 minute, then remove to a small bowl.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and arrange the sprouts in the pan, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Cook about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer. Add water and let cook, without turning, for 7-10 minutes or until the undersides are golden brown and crisp tender.
5. Add reserved garlic (if using), and toss with the cooked sprouts, then transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle lightly with black pepper and more salt, if desired

Boiling them

I don’t recommend boiling vegetables, as so many of their nutrients are lost to the cooking water. Instead, I steam (see below) or braise them (see above). But here’s the boiling method, should you choose to use it.

• 1 quart Brussels sprouts, washed and prepped
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp raw, real butter, preferably from pasture-raised cows
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• Equipment:
• 2 or 3 quart saucepan, with lid

1. Prep: Wash, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts.
2. Place the sprouts, salt and water in a saucepan, until completely submerged. Add more water if needed.
3. Cook sprouts: Cover the pan and boil sprouts gently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp tender.
4. Drain and season with black pepper. Serve while hot.

Steaming them

Steaming makes them tender but not overcooked, waterlogged or soggy. This is a preferred way if you don’t want to use oil or butter. However, I must note that cooking them in oil/butter makes their valuable minerals more bio-available.

I use a steaming basket, or place them directly in a pan with water.

1. Direct Steaming Method:
2. Fill the pan with a half-inch of salted water and let boil.
3. Add the sprouts, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook for five minutes or until sprouts have become tender to the bite or the water has evaporated.
4. OR using a Steamer Basket:
5. Place an inch of water in a pan and let boil.
6. Place the sprouts in a steamer basket and place over the boiling water. Let steam for five minutes or until tender to the bite.

Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts

Mercola adds: “a great ingredient that will add a depth of flavor to oven-roasted Brussels sprouts is balsamic vinegar.” See also my version (below) of his Balsamic Drizzled Brussels Sprouts recipe (1b), which is a variation of oven-roasting.

References:

1. Mercola:
   1. 1a.  recipes.mercola.com/how-to-cook-brussels-sprouts.aspx
   2. 1b. recipes.mercola.com/balsamic-drizzled-brussels-sprouts-recipe.aspx
2. Science Daily, October 25, 2017 (sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171025090237.htm)
3. Epicurious, February 1999 (epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pan-browned-brussels-sprouts-100868)