I know you’ve all heard the saying that bacon makes everything taste better…well, it’s true. I know so many people have an aversion to Brussels sprouts, those cute little cabbages have gotten a bad rap for so many years because they were likely not cooked properly and they can be bitter if not cooked right. This is a full-proof recipe that guarantees almost everyone that tries them will love them, because as you all know...bacon makes everything taste better! First, get yourself some good sprouts, a pound of them. I like for them to be all as close to the same size as possible, because they’ll cook at the same rate but when you buy organic, like I do, it’s harder to get them a consistent size. Not to worry, though.  Here's what you'll need to make this simple recipe:

1 lb of Brussels Sprouts

First, slice a few shallots, thinly and then set them aside. Cut the top stem area away from each sprout & then slice them in two, place the halves in a colander. Remove any yellowed or dead leaves. Don’t toss good leaves that have fallen off, though, throw them in, too. After you have them all split, rinse them really good to get all the grit and dirt off of them but then shake out as much of the excess water as you can. (While I am preparing the sprouts, I render 6-8 slices of applewood smoked bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Actually, I use a paella pan, it’s great for this!) Once the bacon is done & crisp, I pull it from the pan & place it on a few paper towels to drain.

Leave the bacon oil and renderings in the pan. Then looking at your sprouts you’ll want to be sure they will all get coated with the bacon oil, if you think there isn’t enough oil to do this, add a little olive oil or a combination of olive oil & butter - usually a tablespoon or two will do the trick. While the bacon oil is hot, leave the stove at the same setting, throw in the sliced shallots & allow them to carmelize for a minute or two. Then begin placing sprouts in the pan, cut side down. I place them all this way & cook for about 5 – 7 minutes to get them brown & crispy. If there’s too many to put them all face down, I toss the remaining ones on top & then after a few minutes, I try to work those down to the bottom and turn over the ones I put in first.

After they’ve browned, I’ll stir them all up to insure they are all coated with the bacon oil and coat them with a nice amount of fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. Then I turn the heat down to medium, add a cup of chicken stock but if I have it I’ll use duck stock from Kocurek Family Artisanal Charcuterie  instead, cover the pan and let them simmer for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take a fork & see if one of your largest halves is tender by sliding the fork in it. If it goes in easily, they’re ready. I take about a 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar & sprinkle it liberally over the sprouts. Then each person can tear up the bacon over their portion when serving or if you are serving them on a platter or in a bowl you can tear up the bacon into small pieces & sprinkle it over them…these sprouts with steak are just incredible!

Bon Appetit!