Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Chorizo and Sherry Vinegar Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you rinse brussel sprouts before roasting? ›

To prepare brussel sprouts, you should rinse them well or even soak them if you have enough time. Trim the bottoms and outer leaves off, then cut them in half to prep them for roasting.

Why Are My Brussel Sprouts Not Crispy? Spread them out into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid overcrowding. If they're too close together, they'll steam instead of roast which stops the crisping process.

A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts. Another key ingredient is fat, which helps Brussels sprouts to crisp up.

1. Roasting at a low heat. If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet.

Soak and Rinse

Each of these vegetables should be soaked in tap water or with a mixture of a half cup of white distilled vinegar/lemon juice and two cups of water for two minutes. Be sure to rinse them off for 15 seconds after they've soaked.

The best pans for Roasted Brussels sprouts:

A cast iron skillet works well too, but you can also just use a baking sheet or sheet pan! If you're going the baking sheet method, make sure that you use parchment paper over tinfoil. It'll create much crispier and tender Brussels sprouts.

Place the sprouts cut-side down: Trim and halve the sprouts and roast them with their cut side against the baking sheet. The cut side will caramelize beautifully while the outer leaves crisp. Keep the leaves: Don't discard the outer leaves that fall away as you cut the sprouts.

Place Brussels sprouts cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the tops and bottoms of the sprouts are caramelized and brown, but the centers are creamy, about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy immediately!

Unlike other vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be parboiled (even a day ahead) to reduce the roasting time without hurting their texture.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

Why are my roasted brussel sprouts tough? ›

Like soggy steamed Brussels, Brussels sprouts that are dry and chewy are no good either. This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves.

Don't Overcook. Overcooked Brussels sprouts can burn, so be sure to keep an eye on them and toss them partway through baking. Rotating the pan 180°F halfway through will also help them cook evenly.

However, keep in mind that roasted brussels sprouts get a little smelly the older they get. So maybe make these a day ahead of time at most. Reheat in the oven, in a skillet, or in the microwave. The microwave is the fastest but will leave them a bit soggy while the skillet and oven work best for warming.

For best results, cook sprouts until just tender, never mushy. Overcooking produces the offensive odor associated with Brussels sprouts. It's caused by the release of sulfur-containing compounds. Overcooking also causes them to turn a drab olive green.

Fresh vegetables can pick up bacteria from the soil, water, or any surface they come in contact with (especially during transportation). It's important to properly wash your brussels sprouts before eating them to keep you or your loved ones from getting sick. Wash them with regular cold water or use a baking soda soak.

Handling Sprouts at Home

Keep sprouts refrigerated at 40°F or below. Store sprouts in clean containers. Wash hands properly with hot running water before touching sprouts. Wash sprouts with cool running water directly before use.