1.5 pounds brussel sprouts

5 strips no sugar bacon

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil to finish

Pre heat oven to 400, placing bacon slices on a sheet pan, baking until crisp, about 15 minutes.

Clean and cut brussel sprouts in half. Fill a stock pot with enough water to fully cover sprouts and boil high for about 5 minutes. This will par cook your sprouts, which will ensure proper doneness while roasting, allowing them to soak in flavor, without drying out.

Once bacon has finished, remove from pan, leaving drippings behind. Drain brussel sprouts and toss onto the sheet pan, coating completely in rendered bacon fat. Generously salt and pepper. Return to the oven to roast, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing sprouts half way through.

Once finished, drizzle with olive oil and chopped crispy bacon. Serve immediately

Imay be one of the only kids who used to ask for brussel sprouts. I. Loved. Them. I can remember being pretty young, explaining them to my mom, not really knowing what they were called, but just telling her “they’re like these tiny cabbages, but REALLY tiny cabbages.”

Thankfully she knew what I meant, and I was able to get my sprout fix. I’ve evolved a LOT from those days, though, when I only wanted them severely overcooked and dripping in Italian dressing. Adulting has its benefits, I guess.

I’m still firm in the idea that bacon makes everything better, so I use it whenever and wherever I can. I have become more mindful of my source, however, and make it a point to search out the brands that leave out the icky ingredients, like sugar and additives. In fact, in recent history, I could be seen at my local big box store scouring the land for the PERFECT bacon. I was successful and it only took 20 eyerolls from my co-pilot to find it.

Baking bacon may still seem foreign, but I’ll never go back to the stove top. I have more than enough war wounds from popping oil, I’m officially retiring from that battle. And for this use, it’s so helpful, not only for preheating the oven, but you also make this a one pan clean up, and that’s ALWAYS a good thing.

Be sure to really roll your sprouts around and get them all nice and covered in your rendered fat, before salting and peppering and into the oven. If for some reason they look dry at your mid point toss, feel free to add your reserved finishing oil at that point before returning to the oven for the last half of their bake.

Once they’re out, give your crispy cooked bacon a quick chop, sprinkle over the top and dig in!! These perfectly roasted brussels are tender, slightly crispy, salty and full of great, toasty roasty flavor.

Hold me closer, tiny caaaaabbaaaggggeee… whoops, sorry? I thought we were alone… stop judging me.