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This recipe is an Alex special! One of our favorite restaurants in Columbia has turned this guy from a brussel sprouts hater to a brussels sprouts lover! Their brussels sprouts side features thick cut bacon and roasted garlic – Alex got in the kitchen the other day and decided to take that thought to the next level. Gochugaru Bacon and Brussels Sprouts may be our new favorite homecooked side dish.
What’s gochugaru you ask? Gochugaru is Korean chili powder or chili flakes. They are a little more mild than the typical crushed red pepper flake, but can still pack a bit of a punch! You can substitute crushed red chili flakes or (be careful with this one) cayenne instead of gochugaru.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large brussel sprouts, cut in halves or quarters
- 6 – 7 slices thick cut bacon (we used Wright’s!)
- 4-5 cloves fresh garlic (more to taste or if available lol)
- 1 – 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 – 2 tsp korean chili flakes (gochugaru – can substitute crushed red chili flakes)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tbs Irish salted or unsalted butter (we used Kerrigold)
- 2 tbs lemon juice
Instructions
- Trim then chop brussel sprouts several different ways for different sizes and textures e.g. halves, diced, chopped, sliced and halfed, etc. for whatever combo suits you. Place in colander to wash and then set aside.
- Roughly chop the garlic. No need to go super fine or garlic smasher them you want them to show up in the mix.
- Stack a few pieces of bacon (or all of them if you have a good enough knife) and slice in to small strips. Separate by hand a bit before setting aside.
- Set a large cast iron skillet over medium heat to bring to temperature
- Add bacon to pre-heated skillet and keep heat medium to low while stirring bacon often.
- Add garlic to cooking bacon and continue to stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Return heat to medium and allow to sit until bacon has rendered a bit of fat but before the bacon gets too crispy.
- Add brussel sprouts to skillet and stir until covered with the bacon grease.
- Then, stir in onion powder and gochugaru. No matter what type of chili you’re using here, start small if you’re not sure about spicy stuff, and add more if you find it needs it.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste, keeping in mind whether your butter is salted or not.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler at this point and set your rack to one of the higher positions.
- Lower skillet heat to medium-low and add butter and lemon juice. Stir the ingredients and allow brussels sprouts to just begin to get tender.
- Finally, add cast iron to broiler in oven. Broil until bacon begins to crisp and brussel sprouts are cooked through to your liking!
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
- On a bed of rice
- Topped with an egg
- On the side of a steak or cod filet
- Eat it straight out of the pan!
- Check out more healthy weeknight meals here
