It only takes one bite of these grilled brussels sprouts with bacon and bbq sauce to turn you into a brussels sprouts lover forever. With each bite of the Brussels sprouts, you get the rich smokiness of the crisp bacon, sweet pops of the savory onions and garlic, and the tangy barbecue sauce that rounds out the grilled flavor you crave.
The brussels sprouts are grilled in a cast iron pan with rendered bacon fat, onions, garlic, and a bbq spice blend until tender. Once tender, bbq sauce and crispy bacon are added to the brussels sprouts making them impossible to resist.
Brussels sprouts are a fall vegetable that makes for a quick and easy side dish for camping or to accompany your smoked turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
David loves frozen microwaveable brussels sprouts. Supposedly they are “broiled in butter,” ha! I’ve never been able to tolerate the smell, much less eat one. I finally tried raw brussels sprouts a few years ago and found out I loved them when I made Apple Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad for the first time. However, we both agree on these grilled brussels sprouts.
How To Purchase Brussels Sprouts:
Brussels sprouts can either be found in your local grocery store packaged or still on the stalk. Always go for brussels sprouts still on the stalk. They are fresher on the stalk and usually are a set price versus weight.
Typically, about two pounds of brussels sprouts on a 2 to a 4-foot stalk of brussels sprouts. When shopping for brussels sprouts, look for the following:
- Bright green heads that are firm and heavy for their size.
- Tightly packed leaves that are not yellow and do not have black spots.
- Smaller Brussels sprouts are usually sweeter and more tender than larger ones.
Learn more about brussels sprouts [HERE].
Equipment & Ingredients Needed
This is a quick grill recipe, so it’s important to have all your equipment and ingredients prepared and ready to go before you light the grill.
Equipment:
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Grilling Gloves or Oven Mitt
- Spatula or Tongs
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Grilling Gloves or Mitt
- Spatula or Tongs
Ingredients:
- bacon
- dice onion
- brussels sprouts, cut in half with stems trimmed
- minced garlic
- BBQ spice rub
- barbecue sauce
How To Make Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and BBQ Sauce
- Set up the grill for direct heat. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over direct heat. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook until the bacon is crisp about 2-4 minutes.
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and allow it to drain on paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
- Stir in the onions, brussels sprouts, tossing them around in the bacon fat. Add the garlic and bbq spice blend. Toss to coat.
- Cover the grill with the lid and grill the brussels sprouts for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Dice up the bacon and add it to the brussels sprouts, and pour in the bbq sauce. Cook for another 5-10 minutes with the lid on.
- Remove the brussels sprouts from the grill. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Serve hot with extra bbq sauce if desired.
The Advantage to Grilling Brussels Sprouts Outdoors!
Although brussels sprouts are delicious, pardon me for my bluntness, but they can like ass due to the rich in hydrogen sulfide gases emitted when cooking them. Grilling them outside so your house won’t stink. That is definitely a plus, especially when you may have friends and family coming over this holiday season.
We hope you enjoy this recipe this holiday season. If you do, give us a star-rating and leave us a review in the comments below!
Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and BBQ Sauce
Useful Equipment:
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon
- 1 onion diced
- 1 pound brussels sprouts cut in half with stems trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- BBQ Spice Rub use your favorite bbq rub
- ½ cup barbecue sauce use your favorite
Instructions
- Set up the grill for direct heat. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over direct heat.
- Add the bacon to the skillet and cook until the bacon is crisp; about 2-4 minutes.
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and allow it to drain on paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
- Stir in the onions, brussels sprouts, tossing them around in the bacon fat. Add the garlic and bbq spice blend. Toss to coat.
- Cover the grill with the lid and grill the brussels sprouts for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Dice up the bacon and add it to the brussels sprouts and pour in the bbq sauce. Cook for another 5-10 minutes with the lid on.
- Remove the brussels sprouts from the grill. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste. Stir well.
- Serve hot with extra bbq sauce if desired.
Notes
- Bright green heads that are firm and heavy for their size.
- Tightly packed leaves that are not yellow and should not have black spots.
- Smaller Brussels sprouts are usually sweeter and more tender than larger ones.
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