How do you make your Brussels at Xmas?

[JacknDiane]

I always thought Brussels sprouts were smelly, over boiled yucky things I avoided. But at an early Xmas dinner I went to, the Brussels were a revelation. They were cut in half, slightly charred and just tasted lovely. And they weren't dry at all.

I would love to make these for our Xmas day lunch, but I dont know how.

What the best way to do Brussels?

Whaaat???

Peel, shred in food processor grater/slicer thing, sautéed with pancetta/bacon and chestnuts. Takes minutes, delicious.
For non Christmas dinner meals I sub the bacon and chestnuts with garlic and chilli, and either olive or sesame oil

Shredded and fried with chopped peeled chestnuts and bacon lardons.

Quartered then stir fried with bacon & chillis

Google Crispy Miso Brussels Sprouts and take your pick of the recipes the search returns.

Im embarrassed to say..I've never cooked a Brussel sprout so what do people mean by cutting a cross in the stem?

Slice the base off, peel away the outer leaves and put a cross in the base with a veg knife. If they’re really small
sprouts just put one slit in them.

So when you prep a sprout you cut off the sticky-out bit of the stalk, enough to take any manky outer leaves with it. Then you take your knife and cut a cross in the stalk - it just opens the stalk up a bit so that it cooks at roughly the same time as the rest of the sprout. I wouldn't do it if I was boiling them, but I do do it for roasting them. It probably doesn't make that much difference tbh, it's just one of those trad things.

Eh? This is a pretty common way of cooking them. I like them gratinated too!

We saw sprouts as a starter all over Canada! Delicious.
I cut mine in half & roast them with the carrots & parsnips. It was a revelation as no one would eat them before

I also like my vegetables to taste of themselves, so trimmed and boiled for just a few minutes.

We like them plain and al dente, so I just simmer them for 3 minutes.

Fgs how many Christmas minutes of my life have I been wasting doing this..

What else have I been lied to about?! 😩

Peel off outer tough leaves, halve, toss in oil and seasoning, air fry for 10 ish minutes, giv8ng a shake halfway through. Makes them beautifully nutty.

Par boil for a few minutes, drain off (use the water to help make a gravy taste nice, as well as the vitamins in the sprout water), then I roll the sprouts in the packet sage and onion stuffing mix, then roast em for about twenty minutes.. depending on of large or small the sprouts are. Different stuffing mixes are available, especially at this time of year.

25 minutes? NO! This is what gives sprouts a bad name - overcooking them.
Sprouts need to be quite fresh and firm, if left they go soft and unpleasant. Choose nice firm dark green ones, preferably quite small. The simplest way to cook them is to boil them. Prepare minimally and throw into fast boiling water for 3-4 minutes, 5 mins absolute max if they are larger. Don't cover the pan as it can make them smell. Drain well, no water left on them, and add a little butter or olive oil.
Some of the other ideas sound delicious.

Boil them for five minutes then fry up with chestnuts. I would add bacon as well but DD1 is veggie. I love sprouts and eat them.a lot while they are in season.

agree with pp's no need for crosses, roast in the oven for the ~last 15/20 mins (or slightly longer for delicious charring) whilst your roasties are finishing.

Based on a Nigella recipe, steamed carefully and then added to smoked bacon lardons and chestnuts which we buy peeled and vacuum packed.

There’s a lovely BBC good food recipe for sprouts in orange butter with toasted hazelnuts. We also like them with pancetta and garlic as mentioned upthread.

i now cook for 8 minutes
find them perfect
no messing around

i might see if i can chuck some chestnuts in

This ^
Then lightly drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.

Peel, steam for 5 mins then flash fry in a hot frying pan with cubes of sizzling bacon. 😋

I'm another who shreds and pan fries with pancetta. I boil the leaves for a minute or two first to soften them, then drain well before pan frying. They are delicious this way.