Smoked Brussels Sprouts
On December 22, 2021 (Updated September 27, 2024)
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Whether you’re an avid fan of Brussels sprouts, or they’re not your favorite vegetable, I’m here to prove that Brussels sprouts can make an amazingly delicious side dish! These smoked Brussels sprouts are a cut above the rest with a great flavor fusion of smoke, bacon, and a tangy balsamic glaze.
Can You Smoke Brussels Sprouts?
Not only can you smoke Brussels sprouts, but these little balls of veggie goodness taste even better than you could ever imagine when cooked on the smoker! Many folks find Brussels sprouts taste bitter and unpleasant (these poor guys seem to be the butt of every bad vegetable joke, don’t they?
The key to enjoying Brussels sprouts is all in the way you cook them! Once smoked (with bacon, no less!), these Brussels sprouts taste sweet and salty with a light smoky flavor.
Smoked Brussels Sprouts
Let’s talk a little more about this recipe, shall we? We’re going all out with these smoked Brussels sprouts with ALL THE FLAVOR so you’ll never have a reason to complain about this vegetable tasting bitter ever again!
The added flair here is the two-step cooking process that includes a high temp sear in cast iron and then a low temp smoke for layers of texture and flavor. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the bacon. The secret to great sprouts is [almost always] bacon. Between the bacon, the seasonings, and the smoke, your mouth with be plenty happy with all this flavor going around.
How to Smoke Brussels Sprouts
Here’s how to do smoke Brussels sprouts so they are tender-crisp with plenty of smoky flavor.
- Preheat. Turn on the smoker and allow it to preheat to 225 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
- Cook the bacon. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chopped bacon in the pan for 4-5 minutes.
- Season. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts to the skillet, cut side down. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of Beef Seasoning and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Sweet Rub. You can purchase both from the Hey Grill Hey Store, and you can make the sweet rub from scratch using my recipe for Best Sweet Rub. Alternatively, you can season with 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
- Brown the sprouts. Cook the seasoned sprouts and bacon for 5 minutes until the sprouts have browned a bit. Stir the sprouts, and transfer them to the smoker.
- Smoke. Smoke the Brussels sprouts and bacon for 45 minutes until they are browned and slightly softened.
- Glaze and enjoy. Drizzle a little balsamic glaze on top or serve the sprouts immediately with the glaze on the side (let each guest glaze as they see fit). Dig in!
How Long to Smoke Brussels Sprouts
These Brussels sprouts are initially seared for 5 minutes to give them a nice crispy exterior, then slow-smoked for 45 minutes at 225 degrees F to add lots of smoky flavor and give them a tender bite.
The total cook time for these Brussels sprouts might vary slightly depending on how consistent your smoker is running and the size of your Brussels sprouts.
Smaller sprouts will be done faster, and large ones might need a few extra minutes in the smoke to get them cooked through. Go ahead and take a bite as you go to test out the doneness on your sprouts. It’ll be one of the best ways to determine when to pull them off the grill.
Tips for Smoking Brussels Sprouts
Take a quick look at a few of these tips before making the Brussels sprouts to ensure your dish comes off the smoker just right.
- Can’t iron is your best friend. From searing on the stovetop, to smoking, to serving up your smoky Brussels sprouts at dinner time, this one pan does it all. I think a 12-inch skillet is the perfect size for almost anything.
- Swap vegetables. Don’t love sprouts? This recipe works great with any winter squash or sweet potatoes. Try my Sweet Rub instead of Beef Rub for some extra sweetness.
- Don’t skip the balsamic. The balsamic glaze in this recipe is optional, but it’s the perfect finishing touch to this dish. Add a little drizzle to the dish before you serve it, and you’ll be sitting pretty.
More Smoked Veggie Recipes
Your vegetable smoking adventure doesn’t have to end here, folks! There is a produce section full of vegetables waiting to be cooked on the smoker. Check out a few of our favorite smoked veggie recipes below!
Smoked Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Now that you’re super excited to make some Brussels sprouts for dinner tonight, you best get on with the recipe. Check out the printable recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and instructions.
Once you’ve made these Brussels sprouts, be sure to come back to this post and let us know how they turned out for you in the comments section. We love hearing from you.
Smoked Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts cut in half
- ½ pound bacon minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub
- 1 ½ teaspoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub recipe in notes section
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic glaze optional
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker. Preheat your favorite smoker to 225 degrees F. Prepare the Brussels sprouts white the smoker preheats.
- Preheat a skillet. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on your stovetop and preheat over medium-high heat.
- Cook the bacon. Add chopped bacon to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until mostly rendered and lightly browning.
- Season and cook Brussels sprouts. Place the Brussels sprouts in the pan, nestled between the bacon, cut side down. Season with Beef Seasoning and Sweet Rub (if you don't have Beef Rub, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, and brown sugar). Cook the Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes until browned and then stir.
- Smoke. Move the pan to the preheated smoker. Close the lid on the smoker and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 45 minutes or until the sprouts are tender-crisp and browned.
- Glaze and serve. For a real punch of flavor, drizzle with the balsamic glaze before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this over the weekend – phenomenal!!!
The bacon ended up like candied bacon and sprouts were sweet and delicious.
And so easy to make, I already had some ribs on the smoker so adding these in for the last hour was great. Was going to use balsamic glaze, but after tasting, they didn’t need it. This is now in my rotation – Family loved them.
Do you drain the bacon grease before adding the Brussel sprouts?
Made these today, absolutely amazing and easy to do. Used MeatChurch Honey Hogg BBQ seasoning and also his Gospel All Purpose rub. Wasn’t sure what the Balsamic glaze recipe was, so didn’t use it. Only smoked these for 30 minutes
Love doing brussels this way. Just before serving I sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan.
This turned out really good. After cooking the bacon I chopped 1/2 and onion and sautéed to caramelize before add the brussel sprouts. It added a sweeter flavor to the brussel sprouts. To save money I simply used existing BBQ rub seasoning I had. The smoky flavor really kicks it up a notch!!