Balsamic and Bacon Brussel Sprouts

As mentioned in my previous post, a French Alpine Tartiflette https://northwestfrench.com/creamy-potato-brie-and-bacon-bake-a-french-alpine-tartiflette/, I love planting vegetables that have a long harvest window. Root vegetables are king in this category, but others such as kale, chard, rutabagas, and sprouting broccoli are up there as well. Brussel sprouts also play a part in allowing me to harvest from my garden pretty much all year round. Although they do not have an extended harvest window, they do extend your garden’s harvest, since they aren’t ready until wintertime. Every year I look forward to my winter harvest of Brussel Sprouts…. and my absolute FAVORITE Brussel sprouts recipe – Balsamic and Bacon Brussel Sprouts.

Balsamic and Bacon Brussel sprouts became a favorite last year when cooking for one became the norm. For the nights where I didn’t really feel like cooking, but still wanted a nutritious (albeit a bit low in protein) dinner, these Balsamic and Bacon Brussel Sprouts fit the bill. “Bacon makes everything better” definitely applies to Brussel Sprouts. Once Roasted and coated in the bacon fat, then roasted some more, these crisp up to a sublime treat. They are crispy on the outside and have a kind of creamy texture on the inside. You can either have the bacon on the side of your lovely sprouts, or, if serving as an appetizer or side, chop it up and combine it with the sprouts, creating a savory and flavorful addition to any meal.

Helpful Hints:

As a side note, make sure to use high quality balsamic vinegar that is thick with sweet undertones. The watery, lower quality types make the final product a bit acidic. Also, when selecting Brussel Sprouts at the grocery, try to pick the ones that are on the smaller side and very firm, as they tend to be sweeter. And lastly, I have found that twisting the bacon before adding to the baking sheet lets the bacon use less space on the sheet. Twisting it also allows it to cook and crisp more evenly.