Creamed Brussels Sprouts Recipe – Oma's Rosenkohl Rezept (2024)

FAQs

What causes bitterness in Brussels sprouts? ›

The bitter taste of Brussels sprouts comes from compounds called glucosinolates and their degradation products, he explains. These bitter tasting compounds are an important part of the plant's defence mechanism against leaf-eating enemies, such as insects, nematodes, slugs, and herbivores, like pigeons and deer.

I like to cut the brussel sprouts in half and then blanch and shock them in salted boiling water. After that I get a frying pan and fry them cut side down in some neutral oil till they are nice and crispy brown. I do them cut in half lengthwise in a cast iron pan, with coconut oil, on a fairly high heat.

Not only can soaking make the centers more malleable, but the water that's absorbed into them will create a steaming action, whether you choose to roast, saute, or make your Brussels sprouts in your air fryer. The steam can help to ensure the cooking is even throughout the Brussels sprout.

Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.

There's nothing wrong with soft and chewy Brussels, but if your goal is the type of crispy Brussels that they're serving at your favorite bistro you MUST thoroughly dry the surface of the sprouts before sautéing and/or roasting them. If they are wet they will steam instead of crisp.

Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of Brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates.

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.

Not using enough oil.

The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.

Steaming and boiling use moist heat, and moist heat can make Brussel Sprouts mushy and stinky—not a good combo. Give them the treatment they deserve by roasting them instead.

The crispy exterior, however, is achieved by preheating the sheet pan itself in a 450° oven. You're essentially treating the baking sheet like a sauté pan, searing an entire side of the brussels sprouts. Without preheating the pan, they'd overcook before they got to the ideal crispy state.

One of the most common ways to cut a Brussels sprout is in half or quarters. By doing so, you reduce the size of the sprouts, speeding up cooking.

Is it OK to leave brussel sprouts in water overnight? ›

Cook the sprouts in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, then drain and dunk them into very cold water. Drain again and store in the fridge overnight. Fry up some bacon lardons or pancetta until crispy, then add some chestnuts.

To prepare, soak Brussels sprouts in a bowl of cold, salted water for 20 minutes.

Tips for cooking brussels sprouts

The one rule that holds true for cooking sprouts on the hob is that you should try to avoid cooking them for more than 5 minutes or the sulphurous compounds (isothiocyanates) within them will start to break down – and they will smell.

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.

First: It's not just Brussels sprouts; it's all brassicas. Brassicas contain sulphur compounds, which are released when the vegetables are cooked in contact with water. Boiling or steaming lightly is no big deal but overcooking them is what makes that unpleasant sulphur-y smell so intense.

Research Fellow Lauren Chappell said: “Sulphur is responsible for the bitter sprout taste. As we age, we lose tastebuds, which can make them more palatable – potentially why adults who hated sprouts as children now embrace them in seasonal dishes.

According to a 2011 study, brussels sprouts contain a particular chemical that tastes bitter, but only to a portion of the population (it's kind of like how some people love cilantro but others think it tastes like soap).

About 30 years ago, a Dutch scientist identified the chemicals that made brussels sprouts bitter. He selected seed varieties with lower levels of the bitter chemicals and bred new high-yielding varieties that tasted less bitter.

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.