How to make the ultimate Brussels sprouts

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Posted at 12:02PM, 04 December 2012 by Roxanne Fisher - Writer/Sub-editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Love them or hate them, Brussels sprouts are a traditional part of Christmas lunch. Our Good Food experts and Facebook and Twitter fans have some top tips for making your sprouts spectacular this Christmas...

What our experts say:

Roast for a fuller flavour

Assistant food editor, Cassie Best, will be roasting her sprouts this year. ''Roasted sprouts are all the rage in America. Try roasting them in a little oil with some crumbled chestnuts, snipped rashers of streaky bacon and a few sage leaves. The flavour is really intensified by roasting and you won't loose any of the nutrients in the cooking water.''

Winning combinations

Self-confessed sprouts fan, food editor Sarah Cook, shares three of her favourite flavour combinations to suit every palate...

Traditional tastes:
''Chestnuts, sage and shallots - either fry your ingredients in a knob of butter, then stir through your boiled sprouts or turn them into a flavoured butter and blob onto the cooked veg.''

Classic with a twist:
''Try simple bread sauce flavours - soften onions with ground mace and nutmeg in butter, fry some breadcrumbs then toss through your sprouts''

Something different:
''Combine your sprouts with toasted pine nuts and sultanas, caramelised red onions, sherry or balsamic vinegar and add some honey for a Sicilian-style serving.''

Myth buster

Food editor, Barney Desmazery, sets the record straight on the infamous old wives' tale: ''Putting a cross in the bottom of your sprouts is time consuming and actually completely unnecessary as it makes no difference to the finished dish.''

Fresh is best

Assistant food editor, Cassie Best suggests: ''Look out for sprouts still on the stem in farmers markets or at your local farm shop, they'll stay fresher for much longer.''

One for the haters

Bbcgoodfood.com's Food editor, Caroline Hire, recommends a method that even sprout dodgers will be able to swallow: ''I like to shred my sprouts and pan-fry them with a little garlic and pancetta. They taste great and are far more palatable for those who aren't quite convinced by the boiled variety.''

What our Facebook and Twitter fans say:

@TasteDorchester: Finely slice and stir-fry with garlic, mushroom and bacon and add a little dash of soy for extra seasoning.

Caroline Billinghurst: Try braised in Dijon mustard with a bit of cream and a dash of wine - perfect.

Debbie Sycamore: Grow your own! Pick fresh and eat straight away - they cook in five minutes and are utterly delicious!

Linda Eyre: With the ends trimmed off, I roasted them at 200 degrees in a bit of olive oil and kosher salt and pepper for 30-35 minutes until the outsides were dark brown and crispy. My kids loved the crispy leaves and thought they tasted like crisps, and the insides was perfectly soft. They were a hit at our Thanksgiving table this year.

Take a look at our favourite Christmas sprout recipes for more inspiration and let us know your top tips below.

Comments

Blake

7 December 2012, 8:47PM
Blake

I like to put a little fat (be it from the roast, butter, oil or combination) and put in sliced onions and bacon in the roasting pan and put it in the oven in the last 20 mins of cooking a roast. Then I wash and prep the brussels sprouts and half any that are big. I have even used it with frozen sprouts and it works brilliantly. After about 10 mins in the oven, the onions and bacon have caramelised and I put in the sprouts and cook it for a further 10 to 15 mins depending on the oven temp and the size of the sprouts. If I am using fresh sprouts, I usually add a touch of water to help the steaming/roasting process. You do not need to do this with the frozen ones. Even though my family always say that they do not like sprouts, they eat this. I have also added other flavourings when roasting like wholegrain mustard, or a drizzle of honey honey or herbs.

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sean the chef

11 December 2012, 1:48PM
sean the chef

I find steaming sprouts the best way to cook them ,best done over a pan of boiling potatoes with the lid firmly on . i prefer my sprouts slightly on the raw crunch side and this can been achieved by steaming them for about 10 minutes.it also has the benefit of providing more goodness and nutrients from the vegetable

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Gale

13 December 2012, 2:01PM
Gale

I do sprouts in the pressure cooker ...about 5 mins max and then finish them with some pancetta and dates cooked in butter.....yummmmm

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JohnMales

13 December 2012, 3:13PM
JohnMales

An American friend of mine with Swedish ancestry recommends halving the sprouts, frying them in butter, then adding maple syrup towards the end. I've always intended trying this myself ... but I'd rather one of you did it first and report back! Happy Christmas!

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