Here’s how to show your appreciation for the new and improved Brussels sprouts! For the Love of Sprouts makes the most of the garden-fresh, cooked, and crispy greens: by cooking them in bacon drippings, covering them with bacon bits, drizzling them with a sweet apple and maple sauce, and sprinkling on constellations of sharp dried cranberries. The burst of flavors in each bite of For the Love of Sprouts is vibrant, energetic, and heart-warming, a clear contrast to stilted vegetable dishes that came before! You’ll be in love with this dish from the start!
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions
Step 1 –In a large cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon slices over medium-high heat until they are crispy, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 2 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon slices from the skillet and drain them on a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step 3 –Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and stir them well to coat the sprouts in the bacon drippings.
Step 4 –Reduce the heat to medium and cook the Brussels without stirring them until they start to brown and caramelize, about 6 minutes.
Step 5 –Stir the salt and the cayenne pepper into the Brussels and continue to cook until the Brussels are just tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 6 –Stir the cranberries, the apple juice, and the maple syrup into the Brussels mixture and cook until the Brussels are coated, about 3 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the cooked bacon to the Brussels mixture and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Serve immediately.
