Smoked Brussels Sprouts
Looking for the perfect side dish to elevate your Traeger game? Look no further than this mouth-watering smoked Brussels sprouts recipe. Savor the smoky flavor and fall in love with the salty bacon. Perfectly paired with any entree, here's the ultimate Brussels sprouts recipe to make your taste buds sing!
Ingredients
- 1 lb brussels sprouts fresh
- 4 slices bacon thick cut
- 1 tablespoon BBQ rub
Instructions
Prepare:
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer's directions.
- While the smoker is preheating, cut off the oxidized (brown) end of 1 lb of brussels sprouts, slice them in half, and remove the outer layer of leaves. Set aside.
Sear:
- Meanwhile, coarsely dice 4 slices of thick-cut bacon and fry in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until most of the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon from the skillet, leaving behind the bacon fat.
- Place the sprouts face down in the skillet and sear over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until the faces are deep golden brown.
Smoke:
- Add bacon back to the skillet, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of your favorite BBQ rub, and toss to coat.
- Place the cast iron skillet on the bottom rack of your preheated smoker and smoke the brussels sprouts at 225f for 40-45 minutes, or until tender-crisp, tossing 2-3 times. Larger sprouts will take a longer time to smoke while smaller ones will take a bit less time.
- Remove from grill, transfer to a serving dish, and serve hot.
Notes
Batch:
Storage:
These smoked brussels sprouts are SO good, I'm sure you won't be left with any to store, BUT if you do, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat or by tossing into the air fryer for a few minutes!variations + substitutions
- Spicy: If you like it hot, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the rub. Or even better, add a few dashes of some spicy homemade hot sauceS to the bacon fat before tossing your sprouts!
- Cheesy: A strong-tasting, salty, dry cheese like parmesan is perfect for garnishing this recipe. If you don't have freshly grated parmesan on hand, consider pecorino, asiago, or romano.
- Bacon-Free: Don't have bacon on hand? No worries, just use some saved bacon grease, olive oil, or lard to fry your sprouts!
- No Rub?: Ran out of your favorite BBQ Rub? Don't have a favorite BBQ rub? It's all good! In a small bowl, toss together 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
